I read last night about a “prank” that was pulled on the parishoners of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Ash Wednesday. Someone set up three CD players to play obscenity-filled pornographic audio in the middle of Ash Wednesday services at the church.
Monsignor Jerome Martinez y Alire said, “The people who did this had a grudge against the church, or they were anti-Catholic, or were just sick. You have to worry about what else they might do.” I’d have to agree with the Monsignor; but wonder if they are just sick or just evil. And where do you draw the line between something that’s considered a prank and something that’s considered terrorism? Another point at which I agree with the Monsignor; what else might they do? Those CD players could have made one very loud bang instead of just a string of profanities.
That brings up another thing; I first read about this incedent on BoingBoing.net, and they thing they highlighted was that two of the players were detonated by the bomb squad, as if it were the most ridiculous thing ever. I think blowing them up was a prudent call in this situation. Just hope the third unit yields some clues as to who did it.
The one question that remains is this; if the same had been done in a Muslim holy place, would that have been treated any differently than this instance? My guess is that such an act in a Muslim mosque would be treated as a hate crime at best, and terrorism at worst. So why isn’t the same true for doing this at a Catholic church? Gotta wonder.