Protesters angered by the planned burning of a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, breaking into the compound and lighting a small fire.

  • Martorias@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    It’s just a book. It’s legal due to freedom of speach etc. Is it stupid and in bad taste and only done to provoke? Sure, but it’s within their rights.

    • karbotect@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      I would say it is worse than simply in bad taste. It is reminiscent of Nazis burning books of Jewish authors in the Third Reich.

      Burning the Quran is an act of hate towards certain ethnic groups, not a contribution towards political discourse or an expression of a constructive opinion.

      • gaylord_fartmaster@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        lol the religious burn way more books than the non-religous, but if someone burns their favorite book then it’s an act of hate

          • gaylord_fartmaster@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I’m not going out and burning any books because I think it’s unnecessary and I have no desire to, but I also feel like there are only 2 fair and even somewhat reasonable positions to take on this:

            A - No one is allowed to burn any books for any reason.
            B- Anyone is allowed to burn any books for any reason.

            Anything else is preferential treatment for religion legally, and there are secular books that hold just as much meaning to people on a personal level as religous texts. I think A would be a violation of people’s rights, so I support B.

              • gaylord_fartmaster@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Who cares if it’s a sacrilege? Excommunicate them from the religion then, that’s your recourse. Sleep soundly knowing they’re going to your version of Hell or whatever. Religious ideaology should not affect law or public policy.

                  • gaylord_fartmaster@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    Sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that you personally are religious or that you are advocating for people storming the embassy by taking your position. I shouldn’t have used “your” in my hypothetical.

                    I personally do not believe there should be laws specifically against “offending” someone, and I don’t think not having that law makes a country uncivilized. I absolutely believe there should be harsher punishments for actual crimes motivated by prejudices, but what qualifies as “offensive” is incredibly subjective and open to exploitation. If a Nazi found Mein Kampf to be genuinely just as sacred to them as a religious text, would you agree that burning it should be illegal as to not offend them?

      • Spark@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It is just a book. If the book burning triggers a group maybe the problem is not the book burning maybe the problem is the group

    • Blamemeta@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Sweden doesn’t have free speech. Thats pretty much an America only thing at this point.