The AFP reports that two women in Paris set themselves on fire to protest the French crackdown on the Iranian armed opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen. This looks like a fabulous idea. Perhaps we can get the Iranian mullahs to torch themselves to counter-protest the students who are calling for them to abdicate. Maybe DPRK dictator Kim Jong Il will follow suit.

Presumably, the only reason French officials extinguished the flames, was so that they could charge the two women with willfully polluting the environment. I'm sure this won't help them meet this years Kyoto numbers. If this form of protest catches on in the U.S., who knows what might be in store.

- Senator Tom Daschle might torch himself to protest the House changing the latest "tax cut" so that it actually goes to people that pay taxes.
- Perhaps Actor Alec Baldwin will self-immolate to keep from having to pack up and move when Bush wins re-election in 2004.
- Self-professed leader of the women's rights movement Martha Burk may torch herself to protest women having been excluded from next year's NFL draft.
- NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg may set himself on fire to raise his approval ratings above 0%.
- California Gov. Gray Davis may serve himself up extra crispy, rather than let the voters do it this fall.
- The white boys club of Presidential candidates, Edwards, Gebhardt, Graham, Kerry, Kucinich, and Leiberman, may decide to do a group burn, rather than face a humiliating defeat to Reverend Al Sharpton.

There's got to be a way we can get the homicide bombers in Israel to simply flame themselves, rather than blow shit up. If Arafat is offering them 72 virgins, perhaps we should up the ante to 144 to make them do it our way.

UPDATE: Laurence Simon has a photo caption contest going...

(Photo via AP)