Koran burning, hilarity ensues

[KRonn]

I don't see why. The troll is contemptible and pathetic, but it is not a wise policy to go on a killing spree whenever someone somewhere does something that irritates. The Afghans who react in that way are simply murderous savages.

I agree on all counts. Getting tired of this nutcase, backwards extremist wackoism by some Muslims,  in reaction to things that they don't agree with. I also agree that the idiot who burned the Koran was, well, an idiot. Too bad he can't be brought up on hate crimes or something. But the reaction to it is just animalistic savagery, uncivilised, with no place in the modern world. That belongs to centuries ago attitudes and even then it was wrong headed and mindless.

[DGuller]

If there ever was an appropriate use of "soft bigotry of low expectations", this is it.  It's taken as a given that anytime some troll insults Islam, Muslims are going to form into lynching mobs.

[Legbiter]

Muslims are NOT animals.

At the very least they're eukaryotes.

[Eddie Teach]

I also agree that the idiot who burned the Koran was, well, an idiot. Too bad he can't be brought up on hate crimes or something.

[DGuller]

I second the .  The purpose of hate crimes is to punish extra hard crimes that are done with intent to terrorize a group to which the victim belonged.  Doing something inflammatory is not a hate crime, unless you're living in some of those countries in Europe with a "special" take on free speech.  The members of the lynch mob would be the ones guilty of hate crimes, had they done it in US, not that idiot in Florida.

[Slargos]

I second the .  The purpose of hate crimes is to punish extra hard crimes that are done with intent to terrorize a group to which the victim belonged.  Doing something inflammatory is not a hate crime, unless you're living in some of those countries in Europe with a "special" take on free speech.  The members of the lynch mob would be the ones guilty of hate crimes, had they done it in US, not that idiot in Florida.

There's a very clear divide between the Euro and the US understanding of the concept of free speech, that much becomes obvious during these situations.

Say what you will about Americans, but there is no ubiquitous ", but they had it coming because they were really asking for it" after insinsere token condemnations.

[The Brain]

Europe sucks ass.

[JonasSalk]

I should burn a Qur'an at my school for fun just to see what would happen.

[JonasSalk]

Too bad he can't be brought up on hate crimes or something.

Hate crime against a piece of literature? What next, fines and imprisonment for burning a copies of the Twilight books because they might offend fans of Twilight?

[KRonn]

I second the .  The purpose of hate crimes is to punish extra hard crimes that are done with intent to terrorize a group to which the victim belonged.  Doing something inflammatory is not a hate crime, unless you're living in some of those countries in Europe with a "special" take on free speech.  The members of the lynch mob would be the ones guilty of hate crimes, had they done it in US, not that idiot in Florida.

Damn, I realize that of course. But it's so frustrating sometimes what actions cause, like what this one guy did. He probably undermined much of the work that the US and others are trying to do in Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the Muslim world. I'm all in favor of US type freedom of speech/expression; wouldn't want it any other way. Just gets frustrating when people don't act responsibly and something quite nasty results.

That said, I still put the majority of blame on the backwards, savagery of the cultures that breed the reactions to the burning. If the guy had burned a Bible no Christians would have been up in arms in anything resembling what the Afghans did. They're the ones that need to advance, to realize what freedoms actually mean and that entails.

[KRonn]

Too bad he can't be brought up on hate crimes or something.

Hate crime against a piece of literature? What next, fines and imprisonment for burning a copies of the Twilight books because they might offend fans of Twilight?

Hyperbole on my part. Don't get too bent out of shape over it.   

[garbon]

KRonn, while the burning of the Koran was rude and tacky, the fault lies with those who went ballistic. Burning any book shouldn't be an excuse for bloody protests thousands of miles away.

[Admiral Yi]

I think there may be a gray area in the realm of "fighting words."

[garbon]

People say terrible things* about gays and blacks all the time. You don't see me flipping out and killing people.

*actually they do terrible things to them as well

[KRonn]

KRonn, while the burning of the Koran was rude and tacky, the fault lies with those who went ballistic. Burning any book shouldn't be an excuse for bloody protests thousands of miles away.

That is what I said already.