Burning the Koran

[RIJIMMY]

oh boy - just read CNN and looks like once again the Big O let me down.

I love this -
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said anyone who thought of such a despicable act must be suffering from a diseased mind and a sickly soul, said spokesman Farhatullah Babar.

Zardari said it will inflame sentiments among Muslims throughout the world and cause irreparable damage to interfaith harmony and world peace.

All because someone burned a book? So spence - tell me how I dont understand muslims? Based on the above, they are superstitious, uncivilized religious wackos. Sorry, they only lose respect from me the more I learn. Im going to have a cheesburger at lunch, I really hope it doesnt disturb world peace when I insult the hindus!

[spence]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

All because someone burned a book? So spence - tell me how I dont understand muslims? Based on the above, they are superstitious, uncivilized religious wackos. Sorry, they only lose respect from me the more I learn. Im going to have a cheesburger at lunch, I really hope it doesnt disturb world peace when I insult the hindus!

I thinking you're making a gross generalization.

There are a lot of Muslims in the US and other parts of the World that while disgusted aren't going to pick up arms over this.

The issue is, and has always been, the areas where mainstream meets the fringe that feed extremism. Often this is in poor areas, although that doesn't mean the interests of the impoverished are limited just to the poor. There's certainly is a lot of mistrust of the West in many Islamic nations, which from a certain perspective on many issues is understandable.

Actions that reinforce this mistrust will almost certainly be used to stoke the flames by the fringe to embolden their position. Even many moderates will be let down by the perceived affront. Hence my comment earlier about the Chinese Finger Trap.

Does this mean we should be held captive by political correctness?

Absolutely not, but it also means we shouldn't loose sight of common sense either. A "stunt" such as this has no real value but has the potential to cause real harm. It's a shame that the story was ever covered in the first place. Let the bigots bask in their hate and it would have all passed over.

But the genie is out of the lamp and it must be addressed.

-spence

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by spence

I thinking you're making a gross generalization.

There are a lot of Muslims in the US and other parts of the World that while disgusted aren't going to pick up arms over this.

The issue is, and has always been, the areas where mainstream meets the fringe that feed extremism. Often this is in poor areas, although that doesn't mean the interests of the impoverished are limited just to the poor. There's certainly is a lot of mistrust of the West in many Islamic nations, which from a certain perspective on many issues is understandable.

Actions that reinforce this mistrust will almost certainly be used to stoke the flames by the fringe to embolden their position. Even many moderates will be let down by the perceived affront. Hence my comment earlier about the Chinese Finger Trap.

Does this mean we should be held captive by political correctness?

Absolutely not, but it also means we shouldn't loose sight of common sense either. A "stunt" such as this has no real value but has the potential to cause real harm. It's a shame that the story was ever covered in the first place. Let the bigots bask in their hate and it would have all passed over.

But the genie is out of the lamp and it must be addressed.

-spence

you're wrong ( again)

- "You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan" as a result of the proposal by the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center, Obama said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

- The diplomat warned that if Florida Pastor Terry Jones goes ahead with his plans to burn copies of the Quran, it will set off a massive reaction in parts of the Muslim world.


- Hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" on Thursday to protest plans by a small American church to torch copies of the Muslim holy book on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

- "If Quran is burned it would be beginning of destruction of America," read one English-language banner held up by the protesters, who chanted "Down with America!"

- Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also warned of repercussions, saying the burning would "face reactions by the world's Muslims as well as followers of other religions," according to the official IRNA news agency.


gross generalization Spence?

[spence]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

you're wrong ( again)

- "You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan" as a result of the proposal by the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center, Obama said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

- The diplomat warned that if Florida Pastor Terry Jones goes ahead with his plans to burn copies of the Quran, it will set off a massive reaction in parts of the Muslim world.


- Hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" on Thursday to protest plans by a small American church to torch copies of the Muslim holy book on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

- "If Quran is burned it would be beginning of destruction of America," read one English-language banner held up by the protesters, who chanted "Down with America!"

- Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also warned of repercussions, saying the burning would "face reactions by the world's Muslims as well as followers of other religions," according to the official IRNA news agency.


gross generalization Spence?

Yes, gross generalizations.

You're talking about small groups of people, you're talking about signs in "English" intended for Western media consumption, and you're talking about an Iranian government employee who's going to stirr the pot as only Iranians can.

Certainly some will use the event for violence, but most likely this would be driven by those intending violence regardless...like the Taliban fighting US Troops.

We'd see demonstrations (hell, we already are) but again these are usually orchestrated and often contrived. Do the people feel passionate about it? Sure, but again, there's already resentment towards the West that this feeds into.

Think of them like a Glenn Beck rally.

-spence