The Desert Mermaid

You have to remember that these aren't terribly literate people, and acting out in this kind of fashion is one of the few ways they are conditioned to express the kind of anger and fear they feel at the idea that someone would burn their holy book. They can't wrap their heads around things like "just how big America is" and "how many different kinds of 'Christian' there can be" - because for them there is only one way - the way things are, and any deviation from that.

Not excusing, but a little understanding.