Compare and Contrast

Let's compare and contrast the 'Draw Muhammad Day' that the internet staged back in May, and the new 'Burn the Qur'an Day' coming up on September 11th.

First off, let's review Draw Muhammad Day. This 'event' was an attempt by a some folks on the internet who felt they needed to stand up for the freedom of speech - because of the death threats against the South Park creators Matt and Trey, death threats to cartoonists in Holland, and the arrest of a cartoonist in Denmark.[1] were getting out of hand. The community was standing up for the freedom of speech, in defiance of Islamic sensitivity that threatened death. It was 'our' decision that no one should ever be restricted in what they can say... no matter how insensitive, crass or rude it is. Even blasphemous . (shameless self promotion)

Predictably, the 'Draw' day, did not create a peaceful environment for both parties to pause and reflect upon their ways... nay, instead there was a blowback that tried to get participating websites censored for their blasphemous transgressions. Most notably Facebook. The public responded by using their right and showed a restriction of rights for sensitivity to offense of others was not going to stand. People do not have the right to not be offended - at least, not in the West. And not on this issue.

'Burn a Qur'an Day', on the surface, appears to be nothing more than some racists in Florida getting out the message that they hate Islam. Deeper down, it's a huge publicity stunt. A stunt-fund raiser. Sure beats Sally's Car Wash suggestion. One can imagine that impressionable Christian extremists might feel that burning a Qur'an is the same as standing up to extremist islam-o-terrorism? Nothing like a good book burning to show that an idea, right gang? What these folks in Florida are broadcasting is that Islam, and apparently Holy Books that are not their own, are not welcome in their neighborhood. I'll even say that they might be trying to say that Islam isn't welcome in their country or even on the entire planet. Apparently Jesus didn't teach anything about loving your neighbor? Well, not in their church anyway. And they didn't pass their eight grade Constitution tests, either. The right they are using to express this opinion during this event, the first amendment to the Constitution, is the exact same right that guarantees the right of the Islamic population in the U.S.A. to practice their religious expression in their country as well. Which is similar, but not equal to the 'Draw Muhammad Day.'

Both are hypocritical, maybe even ironic. But, the two events are entirely different and in some ways opposite of each other in terms of expressing freedoms. For instance, it is ridiculous for people of Muslim faith to expect people not of Muslim faith to abide by rules of their religion. They can avoid pork, wine, and be misogynistic to their women all they want - I guess - and that's their deal. But if they even suggest, by force of death, that I can't have bacon? Well, in the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, "Of course you know, 'dis means war!" Let's make a deal - I'll leave you alone in your pursuit of happiness, as long as you provide me the same courtesy.

However, I'm not so crass as to burn their Holy Book in a church parking lot on September 11th.

“That was mere foreplay. Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.” (German: “Das war Vorspiel nur. Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen.”)
~ Heinrich Heine, Almansor (1821)