Koran burning v poppy burning...

[max_tranmere]

There is a lot of coverage in the news today about how the American preacher who wanted to burn the Koran has been invited to Britain to give a talk and how the Home Secretary Theresa May might ban him from coming. When this guy announced he was going to burn the Koran, on the anniversary of 9/11, the American President and numerous European and middle-eastern leaders condemned it. It also got endless news coverage.

On Armistice Day this year 30 or 40 muslim extremists burned poppy's in London, they announced they were going to do this in advance, had a website set up about it, and so on. Not a peep from any politican anywhere and very little news coverage in the days before. It got coverage in the papers the day after the event, with photos showing poppy's being burnt and pictures of these scumbags holding their "British soldiers burn in hell" placards. Still not a peep from any politican.

This American preacher is possibly coming to our shores and the Home Secretary is considering banning him. It's funny how setting fire to the Koran is grossly offensive, condemned by everyone, and the person doing it will probably be banned from entering Britain. Burn poppy's in London at 11.00am on Armistice Day whilst screaming "Death to British soldiers" and there is nothing wrong with it. This confirms to me that offending muslims is much more of a no-no than offending anyone else.

Theresa May has the issue of the American guy coming to Britain at the top of her in-tray, yet the people proposing to burn poppy's in London on Armistice Day wasn't even at the bottom of her in-tray. No one cared about that. Makes you sick doesn't it?

[Flat_Eric]

Muslims are much better at "dishing it out" than they are at taking it.

Besides, the poppy-burners are no doubt "British citizens" and so "have rights".

- Eric

[alicia_fan_uk]

I don't condone either action.

It is worth remembering that a poppy is a symbol of remembrance, raising funds for Royal British Legion charity efforts. The koran is held by many over the world to be the divine word of Allah, which should direct absolutely every aspect of their lives. (That is, whilst both things should be respected in context, the Koran somewhat trumps the poppy in spiritual terms).

Given certain followers of the latter are infamous for being "a bit touchy" about these things, I can see why more of a deal was made of the koran burning. Plus, that "Church" in the US had a far more effective guerilla marketing campaign.....

alicia_fan_uk

[andy at handiwork]

A plague on both their houses.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Both need to understand that religion is supposed to be about respecting other peoples beliefs and not slagging eachother off all the time.

[frankthring]

I must agree with Alicia and Arginald.....the British Legion poppy, austere
symbol that it is, cannot compare with the sacred text of one of the
World`s most important religions.
Personally I always refuse to support the Haig Poppy Fund, as it used to
be called, since it commemorates a great butcher of the same poor sods
who died and I also believe a large percentage of its revenue goes in
admin costs....our soldiers deserve support and respect.....I give to the
Lord Roberts Workshops for the Blind (servicemen) instead.

[andy at handiwork]

A somewhat more reasoned appraisal of the war time career of Haig has been discussed elsewhere on this forum. Suffice it to say, to dismiss the man whose generalship played such a large part in eventual Allied victory, as a butcher, is as far off the mark I think, as Alan Clark's use of 'Lions Led by Donkeys' for his questionable study of the war.

Cant but agree with the first bit of your posting though.

[max_tranmere]

Interesting comments everyone. I am aware that Islam is a major world religion but why does it mean it deserves more respect than something that symbolises the memory of millions and millions of our war dead, and not only the poppy itself but the huge dis-respecting of the Two Minute Silence as these c**ts yelled "British Soldiers Burn In Hell"!.

I doubt there is one family in Britain that didn't lose someone in the two world wars, particularly the 1914-18 war. These placard waving, poppy burning tossers are having a much nicer life on the legacy of what those people died defending, these people voluntarily live in Britain, and they think they can be so offensive and nothing will happen.

Well they are right! They can be ultra offensive and nothing happens to them. On the BBC News this afternoon, on a feature about the American preacher, we hear terms like 'grossly offensive' used with reference to what this guy was going to do (no terms like that used about the poppy burning, no story on the news even). We also learn that the BBC reporter has 'spoken to the American preacher today about his possible trip to Britain' (a total absense of a BBC reporter back in early November 'speaking to the head of the group of men who are planning to burn poppys in London on November 11th.').

Interesting.

[Sam Slater]

Religion's never been about respecting other people's beliefs. Tolerating, maybe, but not respecting.

[Sam Slater]

For once I agree, Max. While burning a holy book might be seen as more horrendous than a poppy, at least the poppy symbolises the sacrifices of many and IT WAS REAL. This can't be said of the Quran and Bible.

The trouble is we live in a society where religions garner more respect than they should. We're the problem because we accept it. People send their kids to religious schools and shrug their shoulders at unelected bishops in the House of Lords. Whether you're religious or not some of your taxes go to religion. No one seems to mind like they do when their taxes go to the poor. I find this odd.

Fight against unelected bishops having a say in how our country is run; fight against your taxes going to religions you don't agree with and fight against those religions teaching our kids myths in school. Don't just kick up a fuss when it's Muslims who chirp up.