We really need to regain a sense of proportion.

On September 11th, I wrote a post comparing terrorists with vicious blog commenters: two groups trying to shut down their opponents without truly engaging with them. In order to make it clear that I was comparing the two but not equating them, I used the metaphor of the lightning and the lightning bug: there’s a similarity, but also a categorical difference. It’s obvious to me that these two things are not morally equivalent, and I would hope to all of my readers…and yet, I knew that if I didn’t make it obvious that I thought that, people would think that I was equating them.

The next day, on the pretext of a horrible little movie that virtually no one in the United States was even aware of, mobs attacked our embassies in two countries. I see today that it’s spread to Tunisia. And our public officials had the gall to apologize about the movie.

Now, I don’t believe for a moment that the movie was anything more than a pretext, though it might have helped the instigators whip up a mob. But even if it were the entire cause of the violence, it’s still the lightning bug.

Me, I’m deeply offended when an “artist” puts a crucifix, and image of my crucified Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom was made all that was made, is dunked in a beaker of urine and photographed. The appropriate response is prayer for the “artist”, and thanksgiving for the blessing of being reviled for Christ’s sake.

Folks, it’s unreasonable to call down the lightning in response to the lightning bug. It doesn’t matter how offensive the movie is. The lightning bug does not merit the lightning.

And it’s vile and cowardly to pretend that it does.