News stories about Akon have been clogging my Buddhist news feed. If you’ve been ignoring the situation as much as I’ve been, here’s an overview of what’s been going on.

• Less than two weeks ago I learned about Akon’s music video, which many deemed an insult to Buddhism. [The Worst Horse]
• Protests degenerated from heated rhetoric to stone-throwing before Akon’s scheduled Sri Lanka performance. [The Worst Horse]
• The government yielded to internal pressure from a fired up constituency and refused to issue Akon a travel visa. [Barbara’s Buddhism Blog]
• Sri Lanka’s overseas public image certainly isn’t benefiting from the antics of this controversial minority of militant, nationalist Buddhists. [Sweep the Dust, Push the Dirt]
• Ven. Dhammika provides his own musings on this topic.I can’t say I have ever heard of Akon. But if he’s touring Sri Lanka (a beautiful country but let’s face it, top of the list [f]or rock music backwaters) he must be very desperate. And as for his video, I think the indignant monks can go back to their meditation in peace. After the video and Akon himself are forgotten (in 5 years?) the Buddha will still be around and attracting an audience. The Buddha has survived worse.[Dhamma Musings]

Will the furor die down now that Akon’s rescheduled to the Maldives?