Gainesville Residents Want Rev. Terry Jones and His Followers Out of Their Town After Qur'an Burning Threat

Long before Rev. Terry Jones put the tiny college town of Gainesville, Florida on the map around the world for all the wrong reasons residents already knew Jones and his followers from the Dove World Outreach Center. They were anti Islam and anti Muslim, with many members walking around town or shopping side by side with other residents wearing shirts that said, "Islam is of the devil." The slogan caused so much heated anger at the local schools the city went by a uniform dress code this year.

But with protests from New York City to London England to Baghdad Iraq over Rev. Jones' idea of a National Burn a Koran Day, where he would burn the Koran on September 11th, many residents of Gainesville want the world to know they aren't like Jones and his followers and don't appreciate the ridicule and threats their town and residents have had to endure.

Siting his First Amendment Right to Free Speech, Terry Jones planned to build a mountain of Koran's, the Muslim holy book, and set fire to them on September 11th in a defiant protest against Muslims around the world and the Islam religion. Jones refused to back down on his threat, slated to happen Saturday September 11th, but postponed on Thursday after meeting with Orlando Imam Muhammad Musri.

What started out as a word of mouth event quickly turned into a media firestorm with Rev. Jones' picture being burned in effigy in Middle Eastern country's and Muslim communities around the world. Every news outlet around the world has covered the story, important world figures like General Petraeus and President Obama have contacted Rev. Jones to say such an event could put U.S soldiers lives at risk in the Middle East, even Donald Trump is involved, but that has not swayed Rev. Jones from his agenda.

Gainesville residents have taken the unwanted coverage personally, many openly crying on camera for all of this to stop. Several residents, in a peaceful protest gesture, have printed their own shirts that read, "Love, not Dove" that take direct aim at the church making it clear they aren't welcome anymore in Gainesville.

On Thursday a ray of hope seemed to be in the works when Imam Muhammad Musri traveled from Orlando to Gainesville to speak to Rev. Jones and appeal to him directly to end the event and try to bring about a peaceful resolution. During a press conference this seemed to be happening as Rev. Jones stated he had a guarantee a controversial Mosque being built two blocks from Ground Zero in New York City would be moved further away if the Qur'an wasn't burned.

But hold on a minute, according to the Imam after the press conference no agreement was reached about moving the Mosque, only paying for Rev. Jones' plane ticket to New York City to meet with officials to maybe move the Mosque. Claiming he was tricked by the Imam Terry Jones has called off the Koran burning tomorrow morning, but says he isn't putting off the idea entirely, and will do it in the future if the Mosque isn't moved.

This renewed threat hasn't sat well with residents, who have already petitioned to have Rev. Jones and the Dove World Outreach Center run out of town. Residents of Gainesville are use to unpleasant events in their town, from Ted Bundy to losing a college football game, the town has seen it all. Residents will tell you the town draws fanatics, they just don't know why it had to be Rev. Jones and his followers.

The New York Times was in town Friday and spoke with residents like Larry Wilcox who said, "He doesn't represent the community. This guy is obviously a publicity hound and a weirdo."

After addressing the media about how he felt tricked, Rev. Jones brought out a former Marine Friday to march on the lawn in front of the church holding an American Flag and demanding an apology from all Muslims for a Marine barracks bombing in 1983 that killed 241 service members in Beirut. Many town residents stood on the other side of the street shouting at members to end the violence.

A local pastor tried to gain access to the Outreach Center Friday with a pile of signatures and comments from over 100 countries, all demanding that Rev. Jones call off his plan to burn the Koran. He was turned away.

Mayor Craig Lowe said he has also tried to contact the church without success. Residents have suggested suing the city to mediate with Mr. Jones in court. Others have suggested bringing in the National Guard to prevent Jones from setting the Koran's on fire. Students from the University of Florida have also tried direct confrontation with the church, something residents say isn't helping the situation at all.

Residents of this Florida town will press on with their peaceful approach to stopping the burning of the Koran, while at the same time refusing to stoop to Rev. Jones' level. But many are still asking, what will it take to end this? And many worry who will have to get hurt before something that should never have been thought of in the first place ends.