My guess is that 99.7 percent of all these people protesting about the author Salman Rushdie's knighthood and calling for him to be beheaded have never read The Satanic Verses or any of Rushdie's books. These organised protests are clearly a deliberate ploy to incite emotion and inflame hatred against the West and detract from serious problems in their own countries (i.e. Pakistan and Iran). I'll say it again, ignorance, poverty and oppression - the root causes of all these troubles.
Iran previously has accused the United Kingdom of attempting to interfere in their internal affairs. Queen Elizabeth's recognition of Rushdie's body of work by bestowing a knighthood or any other honour is her right and has nothing to do with Iran, Pakistan or any other country. The traders and protesters should focus on fixing problems in their own countries, rather than interfering in another.
If the world caves in each and every time the religiously offended protest, then we will have censorship. I wholeheartedly agree with you Tara. My only concern is that this particular issue could be used against the release of Alan Johnston; that worries me.
These people do remind me of playground bullies, they only see achievement in "winning" or having power over others; when they fail, the tantrums just become louder.
Sometimes I do wish that "God" would come here and give them all a good talking to, and tell them where the "naughty step" is.
Posted by: aineliva | 25 June 2007 at 12:47
Well said Tara!
Posted by: Kamsin | 24 June 2007 at 14:24
Hear, hear!
If these people give a fraction of that attention to their own concerns, they might have better lives. Besides, who are they to complain about interference, when they themselves are interfering with a British citizen whose monarch has bestowed an honor on him.
Bah!
Posted by: Colette | 23 June 2007 at 20:43
Well said!
-- f
Posted by: Footpad | 23 June 2007 at 19:50
HERE HERE
Posted by: Di Overton | 23 June 2007 at 11:02