Jump to content

Is this wise?


Recommended Posts

Is the awarding a knighthood to Salman Rushdie a wise move. Already there are protests from Muslims who certainly have not forgotten that following the publication of "The Satanic Verses" there was widespread protest in the Islamic world as the book was perceived to be a blasphemous depiction of the prophet Muhammad and that the then government of Iran issued a "fatwa" (a religious death sentence) against the author.

 

Certainly I would not question the right that the Queen, as advised by her ministers, has to honour who ever she wants but would the advice of her ministers been better advice had Rushdie not been included.

 

I also have doubts about the wisdom of awarding an honour to Oleg Gordievsky. This will not look good from the Russian point of view as I presume they still regard him as a traitor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 35
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Iran officially removed the death threat in 98 i think the news said.. all though there are still some extremists that have not revoked the sentence.

 

but yeah it does seem a strange move.. I've not read why he got it, so cant comment fully

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im waiting for the BBC to show footage of Muslims jumping up and down with posters of Salman Rushdie above there heads.

I havent seen the TV news for a few days so they have probably shown it already.

Footage of Muslims waving posters or burning flags is the typical response of the BBC to anything that might affect Muslims.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the one hand fanatical religious maniacs want to murder this man, on the other he gets one of the highest decorations you can receive in Britain.

 

I just don't know what to think about this.

 

Oh, yes I do. Well done Sir Salman, continue to exercise your freedom of expression.

 

C'mon Humpty what kind of question is that? Did you not see his cameo in Bridget Jones' Diary? Thats what this is for isn't it? Or is it his SNP leadership thats being honoured?

 

I'm so confused.

 

Rick, haven't you seen enough muslims jumping up and down (and the rest) this week?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never understood the point of these so called "honours", they're given in the name of the Monarchy, who are obsolete and superfluous. Essentially an optional extra available if desired along with the UK plc model. Therefor anything given or done in their name is no more than an equally superflous and optional extra, an empty casket retained for the purpose of appearances.

 

Many are given as nothing more than a hat tipping gesture to someone who just happened to scratch the right back in the right way on the right day, making a mockery of the whole thing.

 

I don't think it really matters who gets them, recipients may as well chosen in the same way as the lottery winners and the "honour" handed out alongside the lottery prizes. At the end of the day, attaining one only has relevance to anyone who has a ego that is massaged by adding extra letters before and/or after their given name.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The knighthood was for "services to literature".

 

Some people are still out to get him I see:

 

http://english.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=8603270428

 

I think it would be a shame (to say the least) for the Queens decision on who to honour to be affected in any way by the fact that it might offend people. It would give credibility to that offense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

junior wrote

I think it would be a shame (to say the least) for the Queens decision on who to honour to be affected in any way by the fact that it might offend people. It would give credibility to that offence.

Indeed I might agree if it was the Queen's decision but as the decision is made by the government I think it is unwise and verging on crazy to honour this guy. After all we have to share this planet with people who have different faiths to us and doing something to cause offence to a major religion such as Islam is not going to help improve relations that are bad enough already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if its a government decision, paying any attention to this kind of "offense" taking gives it credibility. Credibility which it doesn't deserve IMO. Admittedly I haven't read The Satanic Verses, but I'm of the opinion that religious beliefs should be attacked at every opportunity, be that in an objective debate, a satirical cartoon, or a book that sounds a bit like a mix of the two. Beliefs don't deserve protection, religious or not.

 

Would you rather share the planet with people who use mass protests and death threats to get what they (their leaders?) want, or people that don't? A sure fire way to encourage more death threats is to give the previous ones credibility. We should stand up and confront that type of behaviour, and I think with this honour we are at least going some of the way to doing that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never read any of his books but that doesn't change the fact that Salman Rushdie is a world famous, credible author who is British. He has a huge body of work behind him quite apart from 'The Satanic Verses'. His knighthood is justifiable on this basis.

 

I think you can argue it's a bold move by the people who decide on the honours list to make him a knight, but I think it would be wrong to have argued against his knighthood on the basis that he is the victim of death threats.

 

Of course we share a planet but that doesn't mean we have to appease any loudmouth loony in case he or she throws a wobbler. We should be free to agree and disagree - and then leave it at that. To say we want to kill people who don't agree with us is simply out of order, no matter what 'religion' you dress it up in.

 

In a society where free speech is valued and rightly championed I think it's wholly acceptable that Salman Rushdie has been knighted. I don't think it was a purposefully inflammatory move by the UK towards Iran. And I don't think the Iranians thought it was inflammatory either - although some of their more hardliners still hate him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Absolutely, them pogoing flag burning retards would set you on fire if they caught you scratching your muckle sphincter on their holy day. Bending over to their lunacy is lunacy in it'self, it blurs the line between what is real race hate and what is petty nonsense, until you find yourself living in a place where the likes of the BNP grow ever more powerful and the likes of Jade Goody gets crucified for weeks for being an idiot. I'd give her a knighthood as well just to watch them hop about in fury.

Call me a haggis headed, sheep and lock the thread for thinking such thoughts if you like cause personally I consider myself above such small minded reactions as screaming fatwa everytime someone disagrees with me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...