A group of predominantly U.S. soldiers participated in the burning of the Quran and other Islamic texts last month at a military airbase in Bagram, Afghanistan. One member of the group responsible for these actions was an Afghan man, presumably Muslim.

The reason behind the U.S. soldiers’ involvement in the desecration of these Holy Scriptures has not yet been identified. This act caused international outrage and even resulted in the deaths of dozens of Afghan citizens. These incidents provoke the question: Was this an act of prejudice, or just plain ignorance”

Choosing any explanation would still result in the same outcome because each explanation breathes in the undertones of racism. This was a blatant and direct insult to Islam.

Farrukh Younus is a writer for the The Guardian. In this publication he wrote an article in which he stated that “from the earliest days of Islam to the modern era, burning texts with the name of God, Allah, and/or whole copies of the Qur’an have been an accepted form of disposal.”

While this practice has gone on for centuries, the wisdom behind the disposal approach was that certain versions of the Quran were written in different dialects, thus misrepresenting the spirit and message of the Quran. Many of the materials being burnt at the airbase were misquotes of the Quran used to confirm terrorist ideologies.

Simply reading the history of the disposal method could suggest that the American soldiers’ involvement in these acts were justified, but simple observations would counter those suggestions.

Evidence from numerous sources have indicated that none of the soldiers was Muslim. It is logical to assume that they also lacked extensive knowledge relating to Islam’s disposal practices.  Destroying holy scriptures that are revered by almost a quarter of the world’s population would generally provoke universal outcry and disapproval.

It is not a stretch to say that these soldiers were aware of this and yet, they continued to insult 1.5 billion people as well as those who respect the religion of Islam.

It is also reasonable and logical to assume that America’s military recruitment process is one of high regard. These soldiers were chosen to help establish peace and
tranquility throughout a country that has been ravaged by political and social decay.

America’s presence in the Middle East is unwelcomed, unwanted, and to some people, unwarranted. Why would you add fuel to the fire by sparking a religious war that has already inflamed the entire country?

If one was to assume that this was not an act of prejudice but an act of ignorance, then one has to assume that these soldiers were competent enough to understand the consequences of their actions.

Either explanation you choose, you can debate the results of such actions. Dozens dead, hundreds wounded, and now terrorists’ threats that scream “Death to America!” They shouldn’t be arguing death to America because America wasn’t responsible for this, just a few stupid pissants with no regard for decorum and ethics.

After these incidents the top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen, stated, “I assure you, I promise you, this was not intentional in any way.” One could argue, how weren’t they?

These soldiers are grown men capable of discerning how their actions would be viewed. There is no excuse for blatant disrespect and depravity.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

Those words seem to ring louder following these acts of moral corruption.

Instead of shouting “Death to America!”, shout for “Death to ignorance!”