There are videos of beheadings where it literally takes minutes for the head to be cut off. It's not a swift blow to the neck with a sword. I remember one where the executioner had to borrow a knife from someone in the crowd because his wasn't sharp enough.

utterly disgusting ... period. I almost want to vomit reading that. I hope you didn't watch that yourself.

my point holds nonetheless.

I think you're being downvoted because you're point is really just whataboutism. It's perfectly valid to talk about the horrors committed without needing to point out that other groups do nasty things too.

it's not at all whataboutism because I'm not trying to justify either side.

and - being downvoted on HN becomes more and more an endorsement afaic tell.