It all seems like so long ago, doesn't it?
After the controversy over a proposed Muslim community center in Lower Manhattan near Ground Zero blew up in August, national media started reporting on other incidents of Islamaphobia.
One incident mentioned during that time took on a life of its own as the ninth year anniversary of 9/11 approached last month - that being a report that a pastor of a small church in Gainesville intended on burning Korans, the Muslims holy book.
You know the rest. Much of the national and even international media descended upon Gainesville in the days leading up to September 11, so much so that by the Thursday before the planned Saturday event, the narrative changed from "Who is this crazy guy?" into "Why the hell has the media gone whole hog in covering him?"
Perhaps the best example of that changed perspective occurred on the actual day in question (in which Jones played all of the press for fools by ultimately deciding not to burn anything, but instead go up to New York City and go on The Today Show), was when the St. Pete Times placed a story on the media circus on their front page, written by Eric Deggans, yet buried reporter Alexandra Zayas story about the (admittedly non) event in the middle of the front section of the paper.
So, thanks for being part of what political pundit Mark Halperin years ago called "The Freak Show," Mr. Jones. Take care, have a nice life.
