Gainesville church planning ‘Burn the Quran Day’ is denied permit, but plans to do it anyway.

[cal04]

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/19/church-quran-permit/

The ironically named Dove World Church — whose pastor, Terry Jones, has written a book called “Islam Is Of The Devil,” which is also emblazoned on a sign outside the institution — is planning to host “International Burn A Quran Day” on September 11. But the radical church ran into a new roadblock yesterday as Gainesville city officials “denied a burn permit” for the church for the event, effectively telling them doing so would be illegal. The church, undeterred, sent out an e-mail to supporters promising to hold the burning event anyway:

Gainesville officials denied a burn permit for a church that plans to burn copies of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The Gainesville church, the Dove World Outreach Center, has a history of inflammatory comments and campaigns against Islam and remained defiant despite the burn permit denial.

In an e-mail sent out Wednesday, the church said, “City of Gainesville denies burn permit – BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS.”

Under the city’s fire protection ordinances, the open burning of books is not allowed. The city’s fire chief, Gene Prince, told a local news station that the “church will be fined if it holds the book burning.” Mayor Craig Lowe, who has in the past referred to the church as a “tiny fringe group and an embarrassment to our community,” told The Gainesville Sun that he supports the officials’ in denying the book burning. “Based upon the law and the ordinances that have been set forward by the city of Gainesville, I support and respect the decision,” he said.

[HopeHoops]

1. Gainesville. Hmm. 30 years ago we scored some Gainesville Green. Whoa, man.

:hippie: :smoke:

Fuck burning books, fire up the weed.

(For the record, my wife and I quit all of that over a year before we conceived our first child - she's 19 now)

[tanyev]

2. Hello, GOP? I'd like to report a religious organization planning to flagrantly violate

local laws and ordinances. Any comments on this one? Hello?

[SpiralHawk]

8. "move along. nothing to see here." - GOP Hypocrites. Inc.

eom

[malaise]

3. They should do it in their church and

burn it to the ground.

[Lost4words]

4. weak little minds, weak little people hiding behind ignorance.

how does this help his flock?

[Angry Dragon]

7. How does it help??

It keeps them warm ......... the hate seems to be their life blood .........
if they did not hate they might have to start loving others as their god tells them to

[Lost4words]

9. you are spot on, this is a rare time when you and I agree!

[Angry Dragon]

10. That would be a good thing then

Have a nice day

[Lost4words]

11. Always,

back at ya! :hi:

[Frustratedlady]

5. Does that fall under political issues? Aren't they tax exempt? nt

[piratefish08]

6. they have to buy one to burn one.

so fuck em.

I'll burn a bible at home that day to balance the scales in some tiny way.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. Elsewhere I read where it was defended as a political statement akin to flag burning

Some points included
- Done to shock and confront a specific group
- Nothing of real consequence damaged other than pride/emotions
- Few take it seriously

Some muslims are very touchy about how printed versions of the koran are handled. Its an easy button to push if you want to stir up outrage, which is clearly the point. The counterpoint was it was actually a hate/terror statement akin to cross burning. Localities have tried to suppress such protests in the past, first explicitly and now implicitly. All it does is give them a wider audience and raise civil liberties arguments. Ignoring, shunning, and ridiculing are the best course of action in dealing with them.