Osprey
11-25-2012, 01:10 AM
Salman Rushdie is a British author who was born in
India. In 1988, he wrote the highly acclaimed book,
The Satanic Verses. Shortly after that, India banned the
book. In the U.S., the publisher received bomb threats.
The book was then banned in South Africa. Soon,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia, Bangladesh, Sudan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Qatar banned the
book. There were book burnings in England. In
Pakistan, six people died and 100 were injured in
demonstrations against the book. Then on Feb. 12,
1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of Iran, declared
that the book was blasphemous, and called for the death of Rushdie. Rushdie went into hiding, with
protection by the British government. An Iranian
charity offered a million dollars reward (later raised to
2.5 million) for Rushdie's murder. Two bookstores in
Berkeley California were firebombed. Twelve people
died during rioting in Bombay. Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Iran. In Belgium, two Muslim
leaders who opposed Rushdie's death penalty were
shot to death. Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Sri Lanka,
Kenya, Tanzania, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Venezuela,
Bulgaria, Poland and Japan banned the book. The
Ayatollah Khomeini died, and the Iranian government reaffirmed Rushdie's death penalty. Five bookstores in
England were firebombed. The Japanese translator of
the book was stabbed to death. The Italian translator
was seriously wounded. The Norwegian publisher was
shot and seriously wounded. The book became a best-seller. That Ayatollah sure
knew how to sell books. Rushdie explained that his book is not antireligious,
and apologized that it had offended so many Muslims.
The book begins rousingly as the two main characters
(Gabreel and Saladin) are falling through the air,
victims of the terrorist bombing of a jetliner. They
miraculously survive. Gabreel, who had doubts about Islam, develops a halo, and begins to look like the
angel Gabriel; Saladin grows horns, hooves, and a tail
and looks like Satan. Much of the book tells of their
adventures in these forms. Most of the controversy
involves Gabreel's dreams. He dreams of a false
prophet called Mahound (historically a derogatory name for Muhammad) who establishes a false religion.
He also dreams that prostitutes took on the names of
Muhammad's wives, in order to attract Muslims. In the
end, Saladin returns happily to India, and Gabreel loses
his faith and commits suicide. At first thought, it seems that all of these Muslims
misunderstood Rushdie's intent, for he was not trying
to lead anyone away from Islam. Instead he was
telling a story about a fictional character's doubts
about Islam. But maybe all of those Muslims really did
understand Rushdie's intent. Maybe doubt is the greatest of their fears. They seem to be willing to riot,
die, and commit murder in response to the mere
possiblity of doubt. Other Islamic authors have been the targets of
violence, threats of violence, and censorship. In 1992,
Farag Fouda, a popular Egyptian writer was murdered
by terrorists for speaking out against censorship. In
1994, Naguib Mahfouz, a Nobel prize winning, Egyptian
author was stabbed repeatedly in the neck, by terrorists, but survived. Egyptian Nawal El Saadawi's
feminist writings have been banned; she was
imprisoned for writing political criticism, and she fled
to the U. S. because of death threats. Taslima Nasrin, a
feminist writer and critic of Islam, from Bangledesh,
has been threatened with death and imprisonment, and is in hiding in the west. Addendum: I received this email (to a Mr. Moly?). It seems to be
critical of Rushdie and the west: Dear Mr Moly, Those who write junk, are not accepted as a writer
in the civilized world. I mean the CIVILIZED WORLD.
Salman wanted to get rich quickly, and I suppose
he did, but what is the point to have a gold coffin
when you are not free to walk on street! Nobody
disserve to die for what he writes. But those who write junk and try to insult a leader, are the junkies
of the capitalist society. The West suffers from
junk food, junk media, junk politics, and junk
ideas. Let me assure you that those who come
from an old civilization are not bothered by these
junks! Lots of beggars came from India to the West. Their aim was to get rich fast! My message
to the Western junk meda is: keep the good work
guys. The more junk you write, the stronger the
Muslim religion gets!!!!!!!!!!!!! The media are trying
to make a HELL out of every society, by setting fire
to the peaceful world, but soon they shall be caught in this fire themselves. Those who
supported Salmon were not Christian!During the
second world war lots of peasant came from East
Europe to the West. These people (non Christian)
are trying to run the West with their nasty ideas.
But they shall end up in the GHETTO in the end. Good luck to you Let me add that after the "rousing start" that I
described, I soon got bored with the book, and I was
surprised that it had won awards. But I am also
shocked, troubled, and concerned that many Muslims
are willing to die or kill to protest such a seemingly
innocent book. Free thought is one of the bases of American society. Here we may get upset when
someone expresses a troubling idea. But I think that
most of us are willing to think upon such subjects (or
not) without the sacrificing of lives. I just received this email: I hate salman rushdie because he hates muslims
worse than all the Republican'ts put together. He
calls Muslims satanic because they disaggree with
him. No wonder the Ayatollah declared the book
blasphemous; BECAUSE IT IS
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!
India. In 1988, he wrote the highly acclaimed book,
The Satanic Verses. Shortly after that, India banned the
book. In the U.S., the publisher received bomb threats.
The book was then banned in South Africa. Soon,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia, Bangladesh, Sudan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Qatar banned the
book. There were book burnings in England. In
Pakistan, six people died and 100 were injured in
demonstrations against the book. Then on Feb. 12,
1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of Iran, declared
that the book was blasphemous, and called for the death of Rushdie. Rushdie went into hiding, with
protection by the British government. An Iranian
charity offered a million dollars reward (later raised to
2.5 million) for Rushdie's murder. Two bookstores in
Berkeley California were firebombed. Twelve people
died during rioting in Bombay. Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Iran. In Belgium, two Muslim
leaders who opposed Rushdie's death penalty were
shot to death. Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Sri Lanka,
Kenya, Tanzania, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Venezuela,
Bulgaria, Poland and Japan banned the book. The
Ayatollah Khomeini died, and the Iranian government reaffirmed Rushdie's death penalty. Five bookstores in
England were firebombed. The Japanese translator of
the book was stabbed to death. The Italian translator
was seriously wounded. The Norwegian publisher was
shot and seriously wounded. The book became a best-seller. That Ayatollah sure
knew how to sell books. Rushdie explained that his book is not antireligious,
and apologized that it had offended so many Muslims.
The book begins rousingly as the two main characters
(Gabreel and Saladin) are falling through the air,
victims of the terrorist bombing of a jetliner. They
miraculously survive. Gabreel, who had doubts about Islam, develops a halo, and begins to look like the
angel Gabriel; Saladin grows horns, hooves, and a tail
and looks like Satan. Much of the book tells of their
adventures in these forms. Most of the controversy
involves Gabreel's dreams. He dreams of a false
prophet called Mahound (historically a derogatory name for Muhammad) who establishes a false religion.
He also dreams that prostitutes took on the names of
Muhammad's wives, in order to attract Muslims. In the
end, Saladin returns happily to India, and Gabreel loses
his faith and commits suicide. At first thought, it seems that all of these Muslims
misunderstood Rushdie's intent, for he was not trying
to lead anyone away from Islam. Instead he was
telling a story about a fictional character's doubts
about Islam. But maybe all of those Muslims really did
understand Rushdie's intent. Maybe doubt is the greatest of their fears. They seem to be willing to riot,
die, and commit murder in response to the mere
possiblity of doubt. Other Islamic authors have been the targets of
violence, threats of violence, and censorship. In 1992,
Farag Fouda, a popular Egyptian writer was murdered
by terrorists for speaking out against censorship. In
1994, Naguib Mahfouz, a Nobel prize winning, Egyptian
author was stabbed repeatedly in the neck, by terrorists, but survived. Egyptian Nawal El Saadawi's
feminist writings have been banned; she was
imprisoned for writing political criticism, and she fled
to the U. S. because of death threats. Taslima Nasrin, a
feminist writer and critic of Islam, from Bangledesh,
has been threatened with death and imprisonment, and is in hiding in the west. Addendum: I received this email (to a Mr. Moly?). It seems to be
critical of Rushdie and the west: Dear Mr Moly, Those who write junk, are not accepted as a writer
in the civilized world. I mean the CIVILIZED WORLD.
Salman wanted to get rich quickly, and I suppose
he did, but what is the point to have a gold coffin
when you are not free to walk on street! Nobody
disserve to die for what he writes. But those who write junk and try to insult a leader, are the junkies
of the capitalist society. The West suffers from
junk food, junk media, junk politics, and junk
ideas. Let me assure you that those who come
from an old civilization are not bothered by these
junks! Lots of beggars came from India to the West. Their aim was to get rich fast! My message
to the Western junk meda is: keep the good work
guys. The more junk you write, the stronger the
Muslim religion gets!!!!!!!!!!!!! The media are trying
to make a HELL out of every society, by setting fire
to the peaceful world, but soon they shall be caught in this fire themselves. Those who
supported Salmon were not Christian!During the
second world war lots of peasant came from East
Europe to the West. These people (non Christian)
are trying to run the West with their nasty ideas.
But they shall end up in the GHETTO in the end. Good luck to you Let me add that after the "rousing start" that I
described, I soon got bored with the book, and I was
surprised that it had won awards. But I am also
shocked, troubled, and concerned that many Muslims
are willing to die or kill to protest such a seemingly
innocent book. Free thought is one of the bases of American society. Here we may get upset when
someone expresses a troubling idea. But I think that
most of us are willing to think upon such subjects (or
not) without the sacrificing of lives. I just received this email: I hate salman rushdie because he hates muslims
worse than all the Republican'ts put together. He
calls Muslims satanic because they disaggree with
him. No wonder the Ayatollah declared the book
blasphemous; BECAUSE IT IS
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!