In America, when you burn Islam's holiest book, the Quran, you get media attention and some harshly criticize you. In Britain, you go to jail. Which punishment fits the crime better?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2011/04/19/2011-04-19_andrew_ryan_former_british_soldier_gets_70_days_in_prison_for_burning_koran_he_s.html?r=news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fnews+%28News%29

Quote :

A former British soldier, who was tied to racist groups, was sentenced in London to 70 days in a jail for burning a Quran in a crowded area, according to the New York Daily News. Andrew Ryan had stolen the book from a local library.

"This is a case of theatrical bigotry," District Judge Gerald Chalk said at the sentencing, according to the Daily News. "It was pre-planned by you as you stole the book deliberately. You went out to cause maximum publicity and to cause distress."

Recently, in the United States, a Florida pastor burned the Quran as well. Citing free speech rights, which are less liberal in Europe, law enforcement was unable to stop the desecration. Pastor Terry Jones had threatened to do it earlier but backed down. He apparently missed the attention and did burn the Quran, despite public pleas from military leaders that it could hurt the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While most media ignored the spectacle, a French wire service covered the event. Radical clerics in Afghanistan urged followers to retaliate and a riot ensued in which 11 U.N. aid workers were killed. The pastor has threatened to do it again.

Absolutely not. Then we would have to send people to prison for burning the bible & every other "holy" book of every religion in the world. If the guy stole the book he should charged with theft. I would imagine there are laws about setting fires. But just because it's a quran? No.

CeCe wrote:

Absolutely not. Then we would have to send people to prison for burning the bible & every other "holy" book of every religion in the world. If the guy stole the book he should charged with theft. I would imagine there are laws about setting fires. But just because it's a quran? No.

Hell to the naaaaaaaaw! (like that?)

In today's climate I think it's a stupid thing to do but Islam doesn't deserve special treatment. Matter of fact, I just read today where a NJ Transit employee who was fired for burning pages of the Quran at the site of the proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero (the paper capitalized that) reached a settlement and got his job back. Stupid but legal.

As long as such a thing as "freedom of speech" as recognized by the US Constitution remains constant in our laws, then burning the Qu'ran is not a crime. Is it wrong? Yes. Is it stupid? Probably. But it's legal according to our constitution and I happen to agree with the principle of free speech.

Unless we get rid of that First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution then that is a moot question. And, we don't ever, ever want to get rid of the First Amendment.

alan smithee wrote:

Hell to the naaaaaaaaw! (like that?)

Yep!

No. Sent to jail just for burning a Quran? Dumb.