Republican Liberty Caucus to host Terry Jones in Jacksonville

The Republican Liberty Caucus of North East Florida will host Terry Jones in Jacksonville on Tues., April 3, for a speech titled: “Freedom of Speech, Religious Liberty, Christianity and Islam.” In 2010, Jones created a media firestorm when he threatened to burn Qurans at his Gainesville church, and has come under fire posting signs that read “Islam Is of the Devil.”

Jones, the pastor of Dove World Outreach Center, has said he aims “to expose Islam for what it is … a violent and oppressive religion that is trying to masquerade itself as a religion of peace, seeking to deceive our society.” His planned “International Burn a Koran Day” — which was harshly criticized, even by members of the KKK — was canceled while violent protests broke out in Afghanistan over the planned book-burning.

“While all of the members of the Republican Liberty Caucus may not agree with Dr. Jones position, they all agree that it is his right to make such statements without violent reprisal,” reads a press release detailing the event. “The Caucus looks forward with interest to his comments on freedom of speech, religious liberty, Christianity and Islam.”

According to its website, the Republican Liberty Caucus of North East Florida’s goal is to “restore liberty, not restrict it; shrink government, not expand it; reduce taxes, not raise them; abolish programs, not create them; promote the freedom and independence of citizens, not the interference of government in their lives; and observe the limited, enumerated powers of our Constitution.”

Jones will speak at a Jacksonville-area Fairfield Inn.