The decision not to go ahead with 'Burn a Koran' day was the right one. But the principles underlying the argument apply in exactly the same way to the controversy surrounding the so-called Ground Zero Mosque. Would it not now be a similarly 'reconcilatory gesture' on the part of its supporters to say, OK, we believe in exercising our right to worship freely, but we also aknowledge how this particular act could appear unneccessarily provocative?

I've been struck by how the issue is being reported here - that it is 'dividing America.' Well, around 70% of Americans, according to polls, do not want it to go ahead. That doesn't seem that much of a division to me, whatever the pictures of various demonstrations might imply.

To put the argument in context politically, that hero of the left Michael Moore has come out not just in favour of the Mosque, but has suggested a new site - actually on Ground Zero itself. That should tell me much that you need to know. Read his rant here: http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/291-144/3281-i-want-the-mosque-built-on-ground-zero