Infinite Monkeys

Religion of Peace update ...

Salman Rushdie offends Islam with his pen, yet he survives (so far) an 18-year old fatwa guaranteeing paradise to whomever metes out Allah's punishment. For his bravery, he is knighted on his 60th birthday by Queen Elizabeth II (a much more worthy honorific than the silly knighthoods bestowed upon the likes of Elton John). And the response of the religion of peace is ... sadly typical.

I guess it's nice to see the Union Jack replace Old Glory, at least for one day, as the Muslim Street's hand-warmer. More troubling, however, is that our "ally" in the war on terror, Pakistan, is among the nutjobs encouraging and justifying the death of Rushdie.

"This is an occasion for the [world's] 1.5 billion Muslims to look at the seriousness of this decision," Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq, [Pakistan's] religious affairs minister, said in parliament.

"The West is accusing Muslims of extremism and terrorism. If someone exploded a bomb on his body, he would be right to do so unless the British government apologizes and withdraws the 'sir' title," Mr. ul-Haq said.

Mr. ul-Haq later backed off his remarks. Right. He doesn't believe that Muslims are justified to go on murderous rampages if they feel the slightest (even unintentional) offense. That would put him soooo out of step with the Muslim world.

More disheartening, though, is the reaction of Lord Ahmed, whom Tony Blair made a member of Britain's House of Lords.

Two weeks ago the Prime Minister was calling for building relations between the Muslim world and Britain, then suddenly this knighthood is given to a man who has not only been abusive to Muslims, but also to Christians - because he used abusive language towards Jesus Christ...This man not only provoked violence around the world because of his writings, but there were many people who were killed around the world...Forgiving and forgetting is one thing, but honouring the man who has blood on his hands, sort of, because of what he did, I think is going a bit too far.

Thanks, Tony, for accelerating the Islamification of your country. Let's put money on when Britain will back down. I doubt Elizabeth will revoke the knighthood. But I'd put even money on either a high British official or Parliament issuing a condemnation/apology — which will do nothing to clam things.

Daniel Pipes (Hat Tip: Powerline) pegged the question of submission or resistance 17 years ago when he wrote the following in his 1990 book The Rushdie Affair: The Novel, the Ayatollah and the West:

The Satanic Verses affair exposed a reluctance among Western governments, writers and booksellers to fight very hard. It seems scarcely believable, but the West, which had so much greater resources than Iran, especially an Iran recovering from almost a decade of war, ran scared of Tehran. How was it that the American, British, French and German governments could be intimidated by a state possessing little more than clearly defined goals and strength of will?

The question today is the same as it was in 1988 and during last year's Danish cartoons flap. Does the West stand up for its values, or submit to the demands of Islamists?

But on a lighter note, as always, the absurdity of the Muslim Street's overreaction just parodies itself.

Hardliners in Iran revived calls for his murder yesterday. Mehdi Kuchakzadeh, a Tehran MP, declared: “Rushdie died the moment the late Imam [Ayatollah Khomeini] issued the fatwa.”

Hmmm. Then Rushdie must think he's died and gone to heaven, to judge by his new bride — a hot model, actress, author and chef who is about half his age.

A "martyr" for Allah should have it so good.

Posted by Dr. Zaius at June 19, 2007 09:52 AM