Terry Jones 2010

problem: Jones threatened to burn Islam's holy book, the Koran, to mark the anniversary of Sept. 11.

consequence: by early September, the national — and global — media were hanging on his every word; he'd caused riots in Jakarta and Lahore, Pakistan

what made it worse: it was the media attention that made Jones' planned stunt a dangerous provocation, retaliation for which could endanger hundreds of thousands of Americans stationed in the Muslim world

in the end: Jones called off his stunt, never to be heard from again