I'm from near Amarillo, Texas. It of course filled my heart with native pride to read that a group of Amarillo fundamentalists calling themselves "Repent Amarillo" ("which aims to deter promiscuity, homosexuality and non-Christian worship practices through confrontation and prayer" ... heavy emphasis on confrontation) had intended to get in on the "Burn a Quran and Get National Fox News Attention."This is, after all, where I'm from, only about 70 miles to the south-southeast of Amarillo, and one likes to see one's native land doing proud things in the light of day. When I was growing up, though, Amarillo was considered a liberal hell-hole. Still is, obviously.
The whole "Repent Amarillo" book-burning moment was ended abruptly, however, when a skateboarder snatched up the Quran and someone else snatched the would-be book-burner's lighter and even more anti-book burners covered the charcoal grill intended for book-burning with their hands before anything could be ignited, and the director of "Repent Amarillo" was left holding just a can of lighter fluid.
The Amarillo Daily News has the full story.
The heroic skateboarder turned the previously doomed Quran over to a religious leader from the Islamic Center of Amarillo. That's the skateboarder (shirtless, natch!) in the photo, along with the local imam who is holding the rescued tome.