Remember that Florida "church" with the plan to torch a pile of Korans in commemoration of 9/11? Turns out there's one thing they weren't counting on: a local Fire Department that's stingy with outdoor fire permits.
According to the Gainesville Sun, fire chief Gene Prince told the church "that under the city's fire prevention ordinance, an open burning of books is not allowed." Turns out town code 10-63, a "General prohibition on outdoor burning and open burning," specifically outlaws the burning of (section 6) "Newspaper" and (7) "Corrugated cardboard, container board, office paper."
Apparently, bound copies of Islam's holy text fall into those categories. But you didn't really think the Dove World Outreach Center was going to let a pesky fire chief stop its planned tribute to the men and women who died in the terror attacks, did you? The Sun reports that in an email message sent out by the church Wednesday, Dove World proclaims, "City of Gainesville denies burn permit -- BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS."
Prince says that if the church makes good on its promise, it cold be hit with a fine.
44 comments
Oh, I see, so if someone wanted to burn, say, a BIBLE, that'd be totally uncool. But when it comes to the Koran, you really need to stick it to those pesky fireman and just burn it anyway.
As it damn well should be. If you live in the world, goddamnit, you should obey the laws of this world. Even, no, especially, if that prevents you from some hatefilled, ungodly display of intolerance such as this. This isn't some tribute to the fallen of 9/11. This is slacktivism; a group of people doing as little as possible but still going home with that smug feeling of having 'fought the good fight'.
If you want to burn a book, toss it in a fireplace as kindling.
However, if you want to burn a book, you should really look at who else indulged in that sort of behavior.
The fact they're burning books alone makes them knuckle-draggers.
But add the fact that they're putting others in danger by purposefully ignoring fire safety regulations puts these people on a whole new level of stupid.
That's such an inspiring use of Church tithes. There are obviously no poor in Gainesville, oh, wait...
The National Coalition for the Homeless cited Gainesville in 2004 as the 5th meanest city for their criminalization of homelessness.[34] The city of Gainesville has a number of ordinances that target the homeless, including an anti-panhandling measure, restrictions on groups that give free meals, and a measure making it illegal to sleep outside on public property
That's right, the Gainesville administration deliberately make it difficult for you to feed the destitute. It sounds like a complete shithole of a place.
@solomongrundy: Actually, it's not just Gainesville. Most of Florida does similar things (I'm in Orlando). Why? Weather. People don't freeze to death down here, so the state is a magnet for homeless from colder parts. But since most of Florida lives on tourism, the local powers really want to sweep all those icky poor people off the street. So, do they try to house them and help them find jobs? Nah. It's easier to just harass them and anyone who might help them, so they all stay out of sight. Here in Orlando, it's actually illegal to feed people outside, since that might attract an unsightly crowd and offend all those delicate elderly vacationing Mousketeers. And the local pols got away with passing that odious rule because homeless people don't vote, bankroll campaigns or organize politically.
I see three possible outcomes here.
1. Fundies accidentally set themselves on fire.
2. Muslims get pissed and declare jihad on Dove World Outreach.
3. 1&2.
Everybody wins, no matter what.
"Where they burn books, they will ultimately also burn people."
Of course you Dove World Outreach morons probably think that's a swell idea, so long as the people aren't Christian enough for you.
This is nicely ironic.
For further irony:
Dove World is intending to be as offensive as possible, and that intent and the mis-placed anger behind it are entirely unacceptable and make them look like idiots.
_But_: burning is one of the few approved ways to dispose of old copies of the Qur'an (throwing the book in the trash would be incredibly disrespectful). Following Muslim tradition is probably not what the Dove World crowd is going for.
It would be perfect karma if somehow the quran
"Prince says that if the church makes good on its promise, it cold be hit with a fine."
OH NOES!!! They're being PERSECUTED!!
Yeesh. Morons. If they go through with this, I will burn a bible.
Has a book burning ever succeeded in getting the message across, totalitarian regimes where people's minds are already poisoned excepted?
Seems to me like all fundie attempts to ban and censor any book they don't like only increases support for that book. A few years ago some people tried to remove Lois Lowry's the Giver from a local school library, next thing they knew copies were flying off the shelves in bookstores and libraries. So in countries where freedom of thought is the rule, attempts to censor have the complete opposite effect.
I'd be really tempted, if I lived around there, to wait till the fire was burning then throw on a few copies of the bible. If they are burning offensive religious books, why not just add a few more?
> "City of Gainesville denies burn permit -- BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS."
What would happen if these guys would burn Korans, and across the street, some merry protesters would feed Bibles in a wood chipper?
Why, that would obviously result in Christian Persecution by the fire department, and also savage hypocrisy from the fire department for failing to stop a (non-fire-related) event of same magnitude from happening!
Completely logical!
You know, people who have an unhealthy fascination with burning things tend to be called pyromaniacs. These people often have little or no sexual ability, and can only achieve orgasm through the act of burning something...
@ TGRwulf
"It would be the EPITOME of irony if the church accidentally caught on fire while they were trying to burn the books."
And since they were burning without a permit, it would probably void their fire insurance as well.
Re: Dionysus's comment
"General prohibition on outdoor burning and open burning,"
Small print...shhhh don't tell Dove World.
Also the mulching/wood chipper would probably be just as exciting for them, with the noise and all, and they would be better stewards of the earth like that guy in their book said, but I understand they'd rather have their party ala their illustrious predecessor.
Yeah, nice of them to ignore the law, even though their bible calls for them to follow it.
And how can you call your church an "outreach" when you're trying to alienate a particular group?
...if the church makes good on its promise, it cold be hit with a fine.
Nah, that's too much paperwork. Why not hit them with the 3" hose?
@Anon - Really? That's just hilarious.
Please, do go on with your burning, Dove World Outreach. I hope you get hit with a fine that leaves a big smoking hole in the church coffer.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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