Social and political commentary from a conservative perspective

Salman Rushdie and the mad mullahs

June 18th, 2007 7:24 pm// Bel //

I see radical islam is up to its familiar ways. Salman Rushdie is being threatened with death (again). This time it is for having the temerity to be granted a knighthood by the Queen.

Four issues here for me.

First, if this is such an insult to muslims, why is it Salman Rushdie being threatened? Why not threaten the person who conferred the honour upon him? Despite widespread allegations of cash for honours in the political sphere, one is almost sure that Rushdie did not ask or pay for this honour. If there is any blame, it should not lie with him. True, effigies of the Queen have been burnt, but if the anger is because this man is being honoured, and if death threats should be made as a result, perhaps the Queen (or the civil servants who draw up these lists) would be the logical target.

Second, has the islamic world been in a deep slumber for the past few years, from which it has only just been awakened by news of the knighthood? They act as though they have been suffering from some collective amnesia, and have only yesterday remembered Rushdie’s ‘grave insult’ to their religion. If Rushdie’s ‘insult’ was so great as to warrant him being killed, I fail to see why honouring him would make him any more deserving of death. So, after the initial fuss, why no loud protests all these years as the ‘infidel’ lived amongst us? Why only start baying loudly when he is knighted? It is a desperate attempt to get cheap publicity, or even worse, to bully the West to conform to islamic values. It is, after all,  already a few months since the last islamic ‘outrage’, that involving Pope Benedict and his candid words about islam. About time for another outrage, then.

Third, perhaps, just perhaps, Rushdie’s honour was conferred on him in recognition of his life’s work, and not just for Satanic Verses. Even if we were to accept (which I do not) that insulting islam is such a terrible thing, are these mad mullahs suggesting that one man’s life be judged solely on the basis of one act? That is a very stupid and ignorant way to think.

Fourth, this is not an islamic country; we can honour whomever we choose, in accordance with whatever values we think fit.

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Benedict leaves them ranting

September 16th, 2006 8:11 pm// Bel //
Another day of islamolunacy.

Just as well the Byzantine emperor who was quoted by the Pope has been dead for seven centuries. Who knows what would have become of him in the current climate?

Throughout the day, the news programmes have featured one incensed muslim after another, lining up to denounce the Pope. The last straw for me was the shrill-sounding Baroness Uddin. (Never mind all this, what I’d like to know is how she got into the House of Lords. My background reading reveals nothing exceptional as to qualify her for a title. If she could enlighten me as to her public service record, I would be grateful.)

I wonder which journalist will be brave enough to point out to these shrieking sheikhs (and Uddin) that the fist-shaking, effigy-burning, threats-spewing actions of their brother muslims are simply confirming the offending remarks over and over. As John East asked in the comments to my last post, don’t these people get irony?

Apparently not.

To the charge of lacking irony, add those of illiteracy and ignorance. If they had troubled to read the Pope’s speech in the first place, they would have seen that this is just a lot of fuss over nothing. But the thing is, the real problem is not the speech. The real problem is Christianity and western values. This was simply another opportunity to attack those values, and by Allah, they were damned if they were going to miss it.

Meanwhile, the Pope has expressed his regret that ’some passages of his speech may have sounded offensive to the sensibilities of some muslim believers’.

How is that for an apology? Obviously he felt he had to say something, but does not feel the need to apologise. My own preference was for him to stick the Catholic equivalent of two fingers at the mad mullahs, but I can live with this ‘non-apology’. I am liking this Benedict fellow more and more each day.

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The Pope vs Mohammed

September 15th, 2006 12:48 pm// Bel //
The Pope is in hot water with muslims worldwide.

His ‘crime’ was to quote in a speech certain remarks critical of Islam. He did make clear that this was merely a quotation, but because he didn’t expressly condemn the remarks, there is outrage among muslims everywhere. The scenes are now so familiar: angry men waving placards, effigies burning, and threats aplenty. The only thing missing (so far) is a call to behead him.

Ahmed Versi of Muslim News has just been on Sky News saying that there will also be demonstrations in London. Why? What has it to do with us here? Is this just another attempt by islamofascists to bully us into their way of thinking?

Even if the Pope believed that all that Mohammed brought was ‘evil’ and ‘inhuman’, surely he has the right to say so? God knows I have heard worse things from muslim leaders about Christianity.

The Pope is being called on to apologise. The Vatican has already issued a statement saying that he meant no offence. Clearly that is not enough for the likes of Ahmed Versi. He wants the Pope to come out publicly and repudiate the comments. Why should he? Perhaps the Pope does actually believe the comments. If so, he is most definitely not alone. Islam has not shown itself to be the ‘religion of peace’; certainly not in my lifetime. Although many may balk at saying so, the offending quotation does not seem entirely out of place when one considers current world events. Even the way the islamists are reacting shows that these comments may not be that far from the truth. Perhaps the protesters might like to think on that.

Islamofascism has crept into almost every part of society. It is unrelenting in seeking to impose its ‘values’ on Western society. We see its effects in law enforcement, the education system, the human rights regime, and almost every other area you care to name. Thankfully, it has not yet subsumed other religions. This latest agitation is nothing but an attempt to assert some form of thought supremacy over Christianity. It must be resisted. Benedict XVI must not apologise.

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