THE AD POPULUM FALLACY IS NO BASIS FOR PUBLIC POLICY. At first, I suspected the press of putting words in the mouth of State Department spokesman P. J. Crowley when they broadcast the expression "un-American". Apparently not.

“We are conscious that a number of voices have come out and rejected what this pastor and this community have proposed,” Crowley told a news briefing. “We would like to see more Americans stand up and say ‘this is inconsistent with our American values.’ In fact these actions themselves are un-American.”

“Un-American” is not an epithet that trips lightly off the tongue for U.S. government spokespeople, carrying as it does the tang of the 1950’s witchhunt for alleged communist sympathizers spearheaded by the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Quite so. Mr Crowley subsequently defended his choice of words.

Crowley defended his choice of the term "un-American" to describe the planned Quran burning, saying it was "a divisive potential act of disrespect to one of the world's great religions."

"While we support (and) defend our freedoms, including freedom of expression, this is an action that has potential serious ramifications," he said.

The use of the expression "un-American" carries ramifications. Will other Obama administration officials, relying on polls framed to show widespread support for government-managed retirement or health care, call critics of those policies un-American? Or will opponents of the administration, relying on polls framed to show support for more rigorous treatment of illegal immigrants or opposition to bailouts or to homosexual marriage, where assertions that amnesty or bailouts or new forms of marriage are inconsistent with their values can easily be extended to the un-American rubric? (The expression "secular progressive" connotes official disrespect to Christian belief systems, doesn't it? Sure you want to go there?)

As of this writing, whether the Koran-burning will take place or not is still unknown. I have discovered a parallel to Forgive them for they know not what they do in Islam.

Dr. Muqtedar Khan counsels his fellow-Muslims, when they see images of the Quran burning, to "recognize this provocation for what it is," to "let Terry Jones enjoy the monopoly on barbarity," to remember the teachings of the Quran: "Forgive them and overlook their misdeeds, for Allah loves those who are kind."

That's tonight's Deep Word.

The Last Word goes to 11-D.

A small town pastor in Florida wants to burn a Koran. Yes, he is a jackass, but in a country with 307 million people, it is rather remarkable that we haven't seen more jackasses. Let's just ignore him. And now let's move onto a story on backyard grills and fall fashions.

Amen.