British Veteran To Jail,Muslim extremist gets small fine for burning poppies on Armistice Day.

This link is disturbing to read , no one is condoning the acts of this man who served his nation for years, including Britains war with Argentina,but read the entire link story , and the double standard appears frightening.
www.dailymail.co.uk... tml?ito=feeds-newsxml

The article

Headline:

Racist ex-soldier who stuck a pig's head to mosque gates in 'revenge' for extremists burning poppies is jailed for four months

A former soldier has been jailed for four months after he tied a pig's head to the gates of a mosque before uploading pictures of what he did on Facebook.

Simon Parkes, 45, tied the animal's head to the front of Cheltenham Mosque, Gloucestershire, after seeing a group of Muslims burning poppies on Remembrance Sunday 2010.

He also wrote 'Allah' on the pig's snout in what was seen as an 'act of revenge' against the Muslim religion. Parkes also painted 'rag heads out' on the side of the mosque

Confession:

He pleaded guilty to racially aggravated criminal damage and racially aggravated intentional harassment at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court earlier this month.

Sounds like he got what he deserved, serving in the military does not excuse one from following the laws and expectations of civil society. I see no double standard, if he felt they were breaking the law he should have reported it to authorities, not vandalize their mosque.

Since when is islam a race?

reply to post by Elton


the double standard is the Muslim got a slap on the wrist,the British ex soldier got jail.what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Although I do not condone what the man did, it does go to show how much our values and culture are disregarded and left for dead. What these young men did in burning of the poppys especially on rememberence day to me is utterly disrespectfull I had family who died in the wars that weren't entirely fought for resources, these were brave people who fought for our freedoms. The poppy too me symbolizes there fight for me and everyone else, to live freely. I would be enraged as well, not to the point of putting a pigs head on the mosque, but damn rights I would be enraged.

Too me though as well I don't see how he should face jail time for this, for me it's equal you disregard ones feelings on a touchy subject touche here is some disregard right back at ya, as well when did it become a race thing labeling the man a racist, when being muslim isn't a "race" it is a "faith" and a belief just as much as my belief in the poppy bieng a symbol of my dead loved ones struggle to attain a future for us all.

In this crazy mixed up world who's really right ever anyway just don't see the logic in jail, when the wrongs commited bye others go unpunished....

SaneThinking

reply to post by Elton


No one is condoning his actions, just it is curious how the Muslim extremist who burned poppies on armistice day , a day that honors the million or so British and commonwealth troops who died in WW1, and the muslim extremist shouted that British soldiers deserved to die, got a 50 pound fine.

The muslim extremist who seems to despise Britain yet lives there, offended the memory of approx one million British christians, not to mention their families and the current serving soldiersi n Afghanistan.

Its as if we are living in a dysfunctional world of double standards and betrayal.

Surely both parties the soldier and the muslim extremist should have been jailed or none of them.

Its called fair and equal treatment of human belief systems.
Both were extremist actions.

Islam isn't a race...it's a religion.

If the muslim man was burning poppies, as a protest against the British Army being involved in a war against muslim people, it was in terribly bad taste, but in many respects it was a legitimate political protest.

If he'd started kicking over the headstones of dead soldiers, or defacing of desecrating their graves, that would be a crime punishable by prison time.

Better to burn little sticks with paper poppies on them, than to burn a school or shopping center eh?

During Vietnam, American anti-war activists *from* America regularly burnt the stars and stripes in protest of the war.

When people are being blown to bits, it has a tendency to make people ever so slightly cross.

ok

im trying to word this carefully

here in the midlands (coventry)
I have watched in the past 20 yrs this happening

pubs being closed down and then bought by muslim resource centers
churches built in the 1800s closed down and bought by muslim resource centers
Houses being bought by muslim landlords and being rented out to muslims
Muslims congregating and living in streets bought by muslim landlords with funding from muslim resource centers

coventry is very small compared to brum
go to brum and you have the same areas occupied by..muslims
its not hard to see
if anyone wants a guided tour of coventry then plz u2u me

david smart, the last non religious person alive (2030)

reply to post by Dr Expired

Originally posted by glen200376
reply to post by Elton

 

the double standard is the Muslim got a slap on the wrist,the British ex soldier got jail.what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

These are two completely different acts, why should the punishment be the same, if only because both acts are illegal?

If the Muslims were burning poppies to purposefully inflame and incite discord, i can see the argument about them being let off light; however, it does not appear that they did it purposefully inflame and incite anything.

Sentencing him Judge Jamie Tabor QC, said: 'Not only soldiers but the majority of citizens of this country were offended by seeing the poppies burnt. 'They, however, did not react as you did. You deliberately set out to not only insult another religion but you undertook to inflame and enhance racial tension.'

I agree with the above quotation and the rationale for the decision based upon the difference of the acts. Sounds like a sound decision.

What i want to know is, though, why are burning poppies illegal, and why do Brits take such offense??? (serious question)

reply to post by Liquesence


we take offence because

we were brought to know that poppys were planted in memory of our fallen soldiers
flanders fields ww1

This is the story of how the red field poppy came to be known as an internationally recognized symbol of Remembrance.

From its association with poppies flowering in the spring of 1915 on the battlefields of Belgium, France and Gallipoli this vivid red flower has become synonymous with great loss of life in war.

Yet the scope of the poppy and its connection with the memory of those who have died in war has been expanded to help the living too. It was the inspiration and dedication of two women who promoted this same “Memorial Flower” as the means by which funds could be raised to support those in need of help, most especially servicemen and civilians suffering from physical and mental hardship as a result of war

www.greatwar.co.uk...

reply to post by Dr Expired


the Muslim probably paid his fine with his benefits,courtesesy of nice Mr British taxpayer.

reply to post by davesmart


I have a friend who is part of the Canadian Military serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan now and while talking to him last time, he relayed the irony of how so many things go full circle.

And what I mean bye this is, how forever a symbol of our remeberence of the past, for him will always be a sign of how we are destroying our future.

He only says this after the majority of his time in the line of fire he has spent guarding, and helping with the distribution of poppys while on his tour of duty..... Sad to me how something that forever symbolizes to me the bloodshed, violence, and lives lost, has now become a scourge to the world and a backdoor funding for the continuation of the occupation in foriegn lands.

Still I think burning them be it rememberence day or any damn day for that fact is a huge disrespect to anyone who views them as a symbol of struggle and lives lost...

SaneThinking

reply to post by SaneThinking


Hi Sane

I agree with what you say which has made me do a little more reading

It seems that the poppy is only associated with the dead and the wounded soldiers
it doesnt seem to mention much of civllians sorrow, allies or enemy
i think this says more

"I would wear a red poppy if it wasn’t part of a broader militarism in our society which makes war more likely, rather than less; if it wasn’t bound up with national narratives of heroism and the legitimacy and rightness of military force; and if it wasn’t implicitly supportive of military values. If the red poppy came to symbolize opposition to war and support for peaceful values; I would consider wearing it.

I wear the White Poppy because it is an unambiguous commitment to peace, the end of all war and opposition to militarism. The Red Poppy may have once been part of a commemorative culture shortly after the First World War that was aimed at working towards ensuring that no one ever had to experience the horrors of war again; but this meaning has long since vanished, replaced instead by an insidious military patriotism. The White Poppy is now the main symbol of a commitment to remember all the victims of war, to tell the truth about war, to work to ensure that no soldier ever has to suffer its horrors again, and to make peace the central value of our culture, instead of militarism"

(sorry meant to quote)
richardjacksonterrorismblog.wordpress.com...

reply to post by davesmart


I still wear a poppy for the week before and how ever long it stays on my coat after rememberence day. Had many a family member I never got to meet die, so that I can continue to meet those I don't know yet. After reading the way the symbolism has changed is interesting, and could change me to a white one if available. I for one don't stand for the wars we fight, I try to relay to the 10 or so friends I have who are enlisted that I stand bye you for the fact your my friends yet stand against or government for giving you the orders.

All be it how you view the flower as a sign of continued hope for peace, or an object to symbolize those who's live were lost, doesn't take away from the ignorance on the part of the extreamists burning them or the man who hangs a pigs head, but with all things equally ignorant I still feel jail time was unwarrented as well as the man being titled a racist for having his own, faith, traditions, and culture offended, and reacting to it, just my personal opinion

SaneThinking

The bloke wasn't wrong to nail a pig's head at the mosque, that was a pretty reasonable response to burning poppies (all symbolism which hurts none). He was wrong in pasting it to facebook, that was stupid and earned him his punishment.

Next time he should light the pork's head, give the neighbourhood that lovely aroma of bacon.

I feel that what both of them did was very wrong however, I suspect that there are a number of reasons why Mr Parkes got a custodial sentence as compared to the Muslim protester. First and foremost, Mr Parkes has a number of previous convictions - the most recent for battery..

Parkes, who has previous convictions, the most recent being for battery last year, made full admissions to police when he was arrested.

www.telegraph.co.uk...

in addition to that, he did himself no favours atall by posting it all on facebook as the Judge noted..

"It demonstrates that you were revelling in what you did. You enjoyed what you did and wanted others to know about it.

Other factors likely to have been considered as making it more serious are how it was carried out - in the dark, wearing masks, and that it was both pre-meditated and a revenge attack.

Considering Mr Parkes does have previous convictions he is likely to have been well aware that he would receive a custodial sentence were he to get caught for this. He shouldn't have done it, he could have found some more positive way to vent his anger at the protest - this was just plain wrong.

peace
J

Originally posted by Augustine62
Since when is islam a race?

I guess if the Jewish can claim to be both a race and a religion, why can't the Muslims do it also?

Let's just hope the rest of the religions do not get wind of it. "You are not a TRUE Protestant because your mother was not one!"

Yeah...
Maybe if your "honorable" soldiers weren't blowing their countries and families to oblivion, they wouldn't be looking for ways to protest... good or bad taste is kinda irrelevant... What weird priorities you have, man...

Originally posted by Liquesence
reply to post by Dr Expired

 

Originally posted by glen200376
reply to post by Elton

 

the double standard is the Muslim got a slap on the wrist,the British ex soldier got jail.what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

These are two completely different acts, why should the punishment be the same, if only because both acts are illegal?

If the Muslims were burning poppies to purposefully inflame and incite discord, i can see the argument about them being let off light; however, it does not appear that they did it purposefully inflame and incite anything.

Sentencing him Judge Jamie Tabor QC, said: 'Not only soldiers but the majority of citizens of this country were offended by seeing the poppies burnt. 'They, however, did not react as you did. You deliberately set out to not only insult another religion but you undertook to inflame and enhance racial tension.'

I agree with the above quotation and the rationale for the decision based upon the difference of the acts. Sounds like a sound decision.

What i want to know is, though, why are burning poppies illegal, and why do Brits take such offense??? (serious question)

edit on 30-8-2012 by Liquesence because: (no reason given)

The very fact that Britons of non Muslim background didn't take enough offence ie action tells you much about British tolerance,
The judge obviously beleieved because the muslims didn't get the reaction from the apathetic general public that the muslim behaviour was not too bad.

In fact if one was too think about it the muslim provoked the ex soldier.
His country and his nations army was being ridiculed and insulted.
But in Britain perhaps that is what the double dealers want.
Tolerance is a two way street.
And many people already know by observing the world that Radical Islam is less than tolerant.
And racical Islam seems to be everywhere in British cities.
London bombings of years ago was that acceptable? British born radical muslims blowing up fellow Britains?
What sort of British leaders allowed this to happen?
People died by the million to defend Britain against invasion,and cultural anihiliation.
That is why the Poppy is special to Brits.
It is remembering those ho didn't sell out Britain.
Those who are dead.
And what would those spirits of the dead feel..seeing modern day Britain?
Perhaps they would ask, did we lose the war after our deaths?
Did churchill make peace with Hitler?
No would come the reply..but we cannot tell you , why.

Originally posted by DirectDemocracy

Originally posted by Augustine62
Since when is islam a race?

I guess if the Jewish can claim to be both a race and a religion, why can't the Muslims do it also?

Let's just hope the rest of the religions do not get wind of it. "You are not a TRUE Protestant because your mother was not one!"

Because that's not the way it works. There are DNA markers amongst Jews... converts excepted. Islam-- not so.

A Jew is a Jew is a Jew... whether they convert away or not.