florida to egypt to oh sh*t

I just saw this really interesting blurb on a podcast from one of the major news organizations about the role of the media in the whole Quran burning incident. By covering that idiot Florida pastor's incendiary claims, did the media turn him into a celebrity, and contribute to pissing off Muslims in the Middle East, ultimately putting US troops in danger? Will shout outs from Petraeus and Obama and financial donations from other idiot fanatics inspire copycats?

According to this news station, this pastor had already gathered quite a following on Facebook, attracting an Egyptian newspaper's attention, immediately inciting protests. It was only then that the big American news organizations picked the story up. According to them, they simply couldn't ignore a story like this. To NOT cover the protests and the risk US soldiers are now in, and to fail to trace it back to the man who started it out would be simply irresponsible. hmmm...... There's a spectacle, then it's covered, causing another spectacle, then it's covered, causing yet another spectacle.....