About two years ago in Mumbai, a girl posted a Facebook message about Bal Thackeray

[Recursion]

Thackeray was a militant Hindu leader who founded the organization Shiv Sena ("Shiva's Army", whose new leader recently announced without being asked that Shiv Sena does not renounce political violence). After he passed away, Shiv Sena took to the streets and demanded the city shut down for mourning (quoting Stokely Carmichael, in fact), and shut down traffic pretty much everywhere ("how could they tell?&quot .

Anyways, a local teenage girl posted on Facebook that she thought this whole thing was ridiculous and why was everybody getting so worked up and was Thackeray really that important anyways? The riots began almost immediately, and the girl's entire family had to be placed in protective custody. 20 people ended up dying.

So, anyways, my point here is that I don't, in fact, think this is an "Islamic" problem particularly.

[NutmegYankee]

1. It's not. It's a problem for those of any faith who cannot accept that some people will mock it.

There is always someone who thinks your beliefs are ridiculous. I've been friends with a militant atheist for years, and I made the mistake back in college of eating dinner with him on Easter. It was awkward. That said, I understand his view. Especially since we were in the ultra-fundamentalist South where fundy Christianity is shoved into your face left and right.

The problem is some people respond with violence to people not caring or respecting their beliefs.

[Recursion]

2. What's the joke? An atheist, a vegan, and a crossfitter walk into a bar

I know this because they spent the next half hour mentioning it over and over again

[NutmegYankee]

3. Yeah.

I never know if my friend would do well here. He has absolutely no respect for anyone's faith, but is an absolute bleeding heart liberal. I think some people can't dissociate disrespect for faith from right-wing hatred. This is a guy who is absolutely for a welfare state, with full living support wages, healthcare, childcare, no matter who you are.

[ecstatic]

4. My observations:

Episodes like that cannot occur without an approving government. People will mainly do things they know they can get away with.

Secondly, there's something to be said about all the distractions/ perks we have in this country compared to other countries (tons of TV channels, unlimited / uncensored Internet, porn, etc.). These distractions could be the only thing keeping our would-be extremists from behaving the same way.

[NewDeal_Dem]

5. "Episodes like that cannot occur without an approving government" = indeed. People

are under the misapprehension that all such things are spontaneous. Often not the case.

The approved storyline is just what it comes out like at DU. Atheists v. believers, no middleman.