Daily Mail readers and Koran-burning: what do the advertisers think?

There's been an awful lot of coverage of "International Burn A Koran Day" this week. US 'reverend' Terry Jones plans to lead a mass burning of Korans this weekend to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks - they obviously affected him deeply, taking place as they did a mere thousand miles or so from his Florida parish.

Even the Daily Mail seems to think he's going a bit far. It's readers, however, have no such qualms. The most popular comment on the story has a net green arrow score of more than TWO THOUSAND, way, way higher than the average Mail story. I was going to write a proper post dismantling some of the comments, but they're so horrendous I can't really add anything. Here are some of the highlights, with the most "popular" ones first - remember that all of these have been moderated and approved prior to publication.

Over the years we have seen on the news many times Muslims burning bibles, flags, effigies of world leaders or anyone else they don't like. They've threatened to kill aid workers who are helping Muslims in distress (Pakistan floods) etc. etc. etc. and there is NO condemnation by Clinton, NATO, the church etc. but when it's ONE church planning to burn a few Koran's there's no end to the condemnation!
martin, leeds, england

Burn a Koran and the senior U S politicians shout and complain about it. Burn bibles, your countrys flag, behead, stone and flog people to death and its ok because its 'diversity'. Fly aircraft into 2 highrise buildings full of people and be allowed to build a Mosque nearby to rub your countrys nose in it. Something doesnt seem quite fair there.
Pete, Lanark

Muslims brought down the Twin Towers and we are repeatedly told, don't blame all Muslims as they were just a few fanatics yet the authorities are saying it is quite understandable if, because of the burning of these religious books, Muslims across the world start killing Christians because of a few Christian fanatics.
Jon, Cleveland. UK

So if he burns the Koran it's war between Muslims and non-Muslims is it? So what have the past 9 years been about then, a tiff over who didn't pay the bill at a restaurant. Muslim's declared war on us a long time ago, when they started calling us the devil, the great satan and the infidel. They will not stop until every man, woman and child on this planet is Muslim or dead. If that is not a war, then I don't know what is.
Chris Carr, Southampton

Elaine, Birmingham UK says... "People forget the innocent Muslims died in those towers too, one of them being a good friend of mine." Elaine! what you should never forget is that, although there was some co-lateral damage, the priciple target of those who carried out the terrorist outrages were: White! Christian! Western... In their own words Infidel or Khufar (me and probably you). While your good friend may have been a victim, the offence was carried out by people who did in his/her name...
Macca, New Town,

WELL DONE TERRY, At last an American prepared to stand up for their country, this country could do with a few more like you, instead we have a spineless Goverment just like yours ...
Dave, Southampton

And what do the enlighted readers of the Mail award more red arrows of disaspproval to than any other post? With a net negative score of more than 700:

This is actually so disgraceful and i am personally hurt by this I am a muslim myself, to hear news of this kind is disgusting likewise with the 9/11 attacks..that was a disgrace, the people that plotted that attack who call themselves so called 'muslims' cannot be muslims! They killed innocent people who lost their lives, to kill people in islam its a GREAT sin, they shall be punished in hell, Allah will judge them on judgement day. And also in the 9/11 attacks, other muslims died too!
Sharmin, Portsmouth

Because how dare someone defend ordinary Muslims? Especially someone with a foreign-sounding name like "Sharmin".

This page full of hate-filled bile also features three adverts, plugging Virgin Media, M&S and WeightWatchers. I'm going to write to all three companies to ask what they think of their products being advertised alongside this kind of commentary - I'll report back once they reply...