Are The British Insane?!

[Fiannan]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/f...icle1951462.ece

This would be akin to a country making a national holiday for Bin Ladin-- in regards to the emotional impact that would be felt by Americans! Rushdie writes a book that many Muslims see as an attack on their prophet and then Britain makes the guy a knight? What are the British thinking anyway? And not only will their soldiers be put at risk in Iraq but US soldiers will be as well. If Bush had half a brain he would issue a statement regreting the British move, but I doubt he will.

[Guest Yediyd]

I agree...that WAS a stupid move.

And I'm afraid the shrub won't have a clue.

[Dror]

Heaven forbid we should do anything the terrorists disagree with!!

I'm sorry, but the Queen is, IMO, displaying courage by recognizing what she considers to be Rushdie's high literary merit despite potentially displeasing radical Islamic fundamentalists. The fundamentalists are going to have to grow up and realize that the entire world doesn't have to give in to their petty demands.

Boy, am I going to take heat for this... !

[Fiannan]

Heaven forbid we should do anything the terrorists disagree with!!

I'm sorry, but the Queen is, IMO, displaying courage by recognizing what she considers to be Rushdie's high literary merit despite potentially displeasing radical Islamic fundamentalists. The fundamentalists are going to have to grow up and realize that the entire world doesn't have to give in to their petty demands.

Boy, am I going to take heat for this... !

Thing is that this insults all Muslims.

There are two passages in the novel that are offensive to

Muslim sentiments. In one, Rushdie describes a brothel in Mecca soon

after the Prophet's return to the city as a victor. He orders taverns

and bordellos to be closed down but gives them a period of grace to take

up other businesses. The brothel keeper decides to cash in on the

resentment against the Prophet by giving prostitutes names after the

Prophet's wives. Rushdie is not a stupid man. He should have known that

even the most liberal-minded of Muslims would not be able to tolerate

that kind of crass vulgarity.

http://www.hvk.org/articles/1098/0104.html

Now let's pretend someone writes a fictional story and takes the wives of Joseph Smith and uses their names as prostitutes. Would LDS people like it? No way! Now pretend that some president in the future honors that author with the congressional medal of freedom. Would LDS people like that? No. Would they take it as an insult if the work he did mentioning Joseph Smith's wives was the highpoint of his career? No. And what would make it especially madening is that it would be interpreted as a slap in the face of Mormonism. Now can we expect Muslims to see it any differently?

I thought the cartoon controversy involving Denmark was pathetic -- the way many Muslims went crazy over some editorial cartoons. However, this is far different. If the Brits were the only ones in Iraq then so be it but ouor men and women are now being placed in a more dangerous position because of an incredibly stupid move by the Brits.

[TimA.]

Heaven forbid we should do anything the terrorists disagree with!!

I'm sorry, but the Queen is, IMO, displaying courage by recognizing what she considers to be Rushdie's high literary merit despite potentially displeasing radical Islamic fundamentalists. The fundamentalists are going to have to grow up and realize that the entire world doesn't have to give in to their petty demands.

Boy, am I going to take heat for this... !

Dror,

I dont mean to be giving you heat here but I dont see how she is being courageous at all. Seems to me there is very little chance that any bomb toting idiot is going to get anywhere near her. Our trouble today is we have too many powerful people being brave with other people lives and showing those heathens who is boss all while they are safe and secure of course!

Tim

[Dror]

Dror,

I dont mean to be giving you heat here but I dont see how she is being courageous at all. Seems to me there is very little chance that any bomb toting idiot is going to get anywhere near her. Our trouble today is we have too many powerful people being brave with other people lives and showing those heathens who is boss all while they are safe and secure of course!

Tim

Kind of like "brave" George Dubyah invading Iraq for no apparent reason, and putting our soldiers' lives at risk? (And British soldiers', for that matter.) Iraq was not responsible for 9/11, after all. When I say the Queen was courageous, I didn't mean in the sense that her life is in danger, but that this move might engender the kind of criticism you're leveling at her.

Again, the Queen was recognizing literary merit, and it may have had nothing to do with the Satanic Verses (Rushdie has written many other things). She may also be killing two birds with one stone by making a statement that we do not give in to extremists' demands.

Dror

[TimA.]

Kind of like "brave" George Dubyah invading Iraq for no apparent reason, and putting our soldiers' lives at risk? (And British soldiers', for that matter.) Iraq was not responsible for 9/11, after all. When I say the Queen was courageous, I didn't mean in the sense that her life is in danger, but that this move might engender the kind of criticism you're leveling at her.

Yep "W" is another one of those "too many" who are being brave with other peoples lives in my opinion. And I hope I have not frightened the Queen and "W" too much by leveling that critisism at them. But if I did I am sure it doesnt come close to the fear I have that my son will be mixed up in "Ws" war!

Again, the Queen was recognizing literary merit, and it may have had nothing to do with the Satanic Verses (Rushdie has written many other things). She may also be killing two birds with one stone by making a statement that we do not give in to extremists' demands.

I think the military of both countries are making that statement loud and clear and see no need to inflame the people we have made our enemies further when it could make things more dangerous for our guys on the ground. You know the ones who are in danger of something more than a little criticism from a guy like me.

Dror

Like I said I dont mean to give you heat on this but that is just how I see it.

Tim

[Guest the_big_picture]

That book has sentimental value to me, it was the first book I read My father gave it to me and said here read this.

[Dror]

Like I said I dont mean to give you heat on this but that is just how I see it.

Tim

That's ok, Tim--I knew I was in for it!

That book has sentimental value to me, it was the first book I read My father gave it to me and said here read this.

I take it you liked it... ?

[Guest the_big_picture]

I take it you liked it... ?

Yes it was good and fun, good reading material, maybe not for children.

[Gabelma]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/f...icle1951462.ece

This would be akin to a country making a national holiday for Bin Ladin-- in regards to the emotional impact that would be felt by Americans! Rushdie writes a book that many Muslims see as an attack on their prophet and then Britain makes the guy a knight? What are the British thinking anyway? And not only will their soldiers be put at risk in Iraq but US soldiers will be as well. If Bush had half a brain he would issue a statement regreting the British move, but I doubt he will.

Why should we give in to terrorists, our country has a history of standing up to bullies (and some history of bullying ourselves) - yes we maybe insane and personally I don't think Rushdie should be given a knighthood largely because his books are lousy. However it imo spells out we live in a country where freedom of speech is cherished. And that is what hundreds of thousands of our countrymen - my ancestors included fought for.

And unlike Bush the Queen has had people she cares about on the front line in battles including a son, a husband and cousins - heck she lived on the front line she is one of the most amazing courageous ladies, you wouldnt see her running if our country was attacked, except maybe to the place affected. To quote from her Mother when Buckingham Palace was bombed she could finally look the East End of London in the face again. Rather than run to safety our Royal Family placed themselves in the firing line and set an example. It is possible she may have a grandson involved in this conflict at a later date. She served and did her bit in WW2 and is talented auto mechanic as a result.

I was brought up to value my freedom over my safety and still do - and if Bush does come out with that statement it would confirm my poor opinion of him in that he does not value freedom or democracy in Europe. As much as I find his books boring they have one awards and been best sellers the people have voted in buying the book

Charley