British primary school teacher has been arrested in Sudan

[ralphbxny]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21973378/?GT1=10547



KHARTOUM, Sudan - A British primary school teacher has been arrested in Sudan, accused of insulting Islam's Prophet by letting her class of 7-year-olds name a teddy bear Muhammad, her school said on Monday.



I cant believe what savages these people are!

[Marc with a c]

fucking limey bastards.

[sailor]

fret not, the hotties always get special treatment.

http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/WORLD/africa/11/26/sudan.bear/art.gillian.gibbons.jpg

[TheMojoPin]

OK, are her pupils Sudanese or expats? Either way, why was she arrested? They picked the name, not her. It makes even less if her students are Sudanese.

Secondly, how the hell are they deciding that this i about the Prophet and not just the fucking name "Muhammed," which at least millions of people have around the world. Aren't they then just saying tha everyone with that name is "insulting" him?

Goddamn, religious laws are dumb.

[scottinnj]

fret not, the hotties always get special treatment.

http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/WORLD/africa/11/26/sudan.bear/art.gillian.gibbons.jpg

You beat me to it sailor! Damn you!

I really really REALLY am not liking Muslims lately. A billion of these people, and not one peep in protest against these radicals.

[TheMojoPin]

A billion of these people, and not one peep in protest against these radicals.

Yerdaddy, you want this one?

[scottinnj]

I just got off the phone with the Sudanese Embassy in America. God I love voicemail.
I nice little 5 minute tirade about how stupid and barbaric and moronic their country looks right now.

[scottinnj]

Yerdaddy, you want this one?


Don't get me started Mojo....I've sent a vicious voicemail to the Embassy, don't make me send a poisonous PM to you! :innocent:

[Yerdaddy]

This is a fucking anecdote. Just like the fact that we just had a guy shoot Ahmish schoolgirls execution-style in America - does it make us savages? No! Because it's stupid to judge whole societies by the actions of a few morons. Stop making me ashamed to be American. Please.

[scottinnj]

This is a fucking anecdote. Just like the fact that we just had a guy shoot Ahmish schoolgirls execution-style in America - does it make us savages? No! Because it's stupid to judge whole societies by the actions of a few morons. Stop making me ashamed to be American. Please.

Apples and Oranges. Over here a wacko shot Amish kids, and if caught by the government before he killed himself, he would have faced trial.

Over there this is accepted by the government or the government is too weak/scared to deal with Islamo-Fascism. BIG DIFFERENCE.

[Yerdaddy]

Yerdaddy, you want this one?

No. He knows better.

[ChrisTheCop]

the muhammed bear should get 200 lashes.

[Kevin]

OK, are her pupils Sudanese or expats? Either way, why was she arrested? They picked the name, not her. It makes even less if her students are Sudanese.

Secondly, how the hell are they deciding that this i about the Prophet and not just the fucking name "Muhammed," which at least millions of people have around the world. Aren't they then just saying tha everyone with that name is "insulting" him?

Goddamn, religious laws are dumb.

The naming of a non human Muhammed, is what they are talking about..

[scottinnj]

Muhammad Free Zone
http://www.touchwood-solihull.co.uk/webimages/buildabear_storefront.jpg

[Kevin]

Apples and Oranges. Over here a wacko shot Amish kids, and if caught by the government before he killed himself, he would have faced trial.

Over there this is accepted by the government or the government is too weak/scared to deal with Islamo-Fascism. BIG DIFFERENCE.

For the love of God, can you stop being a freaking hayseed and stop watching these American News stations who do nothing but degrade the religion by showing all of the bad stuff and none of the good stuff.. You have no idea what goes on in Muslim countries. Fox News and others are no better than Al jezira. Same bullshit. If you see anything else, you would know that caught terrorists get executed almost everyday.. But do you hear that?? Of course not.. That would be fair and impartial reporting.. Who want that??

I am not saying that Islam does not have its problems.. And i am disgusted by what goes on.. But its no way as bad as it is being Spun.. And i am not an anti Semite, and i have many Jewish great friends.. But Jews there are just as big a problem there as Muslims.. But that does not get played.. Because they are our buddies (and even as a Muslim, i consider myself an American, and love the country.. As most Muslims here do) But its really getting harder and harder for us sane Muslims to fight the good fight, because of these stories that get played and the good stories do not.. Its hard to convince anyone that America is not anti Islam.

[ChrisTheCop]

For the love of God, can you stop being a freaking hayseed and stop watching these American News stations who do nothing but degrade the religion by showing all of the bad stuff and none of the good stuff.. You have no idea what goes on in Muslim countries. Fox News and others are no better than Al jezira. Same bullshit. If you see anything else, you would know that caught terrorists get executed almost everyday.. But do you hear that?? Of course not.. That would be fair and impartial reporting.. Who want that??

I am not saying that Islam does not have its problems.. And i am disgusted by what goes on.. But its no way as bad as it is being Spun.. And i am not an anti Semite, and i have many Jewish great friends.. But Jews there are just as big a problem there as Muslims.. But that does not get played.. Because they are our buddies (and even as a Muslim, i consider myself an American)

When is YES gonna replay the last 6 World Series?

[Kevin]

When is YES gonna replay the last 6 World Series?

Yanks have never lost a game in their illustrious history.. YOU KNOW THAT!

[Yerdaddy]

Apples and Oranges. Over here a wacko shot Amish kids, and if caught by the government before he killed himself, he would have faced trial.

Over there this is accepted by the government or the government is too weak/scared to deal with Islamo-Fascism. BIG DIFFERENCE.

First of all, I'm glad you protested to the embassy. It's a useful and appropriate thing to do.

Second, if you're talking about governments, I don't think it's a matter of weakness or fear that causes these things to happen but an exploitation of religion for it's own gain (much like the various ways our parties pander to Christians). Judging from the article there's some fundamentalist prick with power who wants to make a name for himself as a defender of Islam and pressured the police to make the arrest. Most likely the higher authorities will pull their strings and get the whole thing dropped. But this is more a matter of the personal power struggles within undemocratic corrupt societies. It's not representative of how Muslims are afraid of "Islamo-fascism" however it is that term is supposed to be defined.

And you can't judge a people by how it's undemocratic governments act.

Oh, and there's always protests by Muslims when these things occur. Sometimes they're reported, but always they're ignored. Don't be like that.

[scottinnj]

Maybe I jumped the gun on this, so Kevin and Yerdaddy, if you see something I don't, let me know.

But thanks for backing me up on the embassy call. I'm actually more mad at that government then I am at the people.

[Kevin]

Over there this is accepted by the government or the government is too weak/scared to deal with Islamo-Fascism. BIG DIFFERENCE.

And oh yea.. The politicians, law makers, cooperations here aren't terrified or cater to the fundamentalist Evangelicals.. Yea.. Try doing something here that they do not consider "very Christian" And see what happens.. Bush hasn't vetoed many bills that would greatly help the progression of man kind.. Like o say STEM CELL RESEARCH, lately has he?? They are just as big a nuts and as big a problems as Fundamental Islam.. And they have as big a grasp on American Gov and other things as Islam has in the middle East..

[TheMojoPin]

Yea.. Try doing something here that they do not consider "very Christian" And see what happens.. Bush hasn't vetoed many bills that would greatly help the progression of man kind.. Like o say STEM CELL RESEARCH, lately has he?? They are just as big a nuts and as big a problems than Fundamental Islam.. And they have as big a grasp on American Gov and other things as Islam has in the middle East..

Ehhhhhhhhhh...no. There are definite paralells and comparisons, but they're not equally compared like that.

[Kevin]

Ehhhhhhhhhh...no. There are definite paralells and comparisons, but they're not equally compared like that.

I know its not to the level as do or be killed.. (But it was in the past) But if you think its not as big an impact, then i do not know what country your living in..

Lets just say one group plays the game smarter and more savey than the other.. But its clearly done with the same malice and thinking.

[TheMojoPin]

I know its not to the level as do or be killed.. (But it was in the past) But if you think its not as big an impact, then i do not know what country your living in...

I'm living in a country where the government and religion are not as linked hand-in-hand as many of these ME countries.

[Kevin]

I'm living in a country where the government and religion are not as linked hand-in-hand as many of these ME countries.

HA! now THATS funny!

And what i am trying to get at is.. To me.. Taking the mans ability to earn and make a living, by pulling strings to make sure that happens, because you have many people of your kind that, either work in coorps, or government spots that have the power to do so, just because you do not like his thinking an beliefs, Is just as bad and bringing him to the chopping block and killing him. Your doing the same thing to the man/woman.. Its not as violent, and does not get as much press, but same thing. You take away my free will, then just kill me.. Its more humane

[TheMojoPin]

HA! now THATS funny!

And what i am trying to get at is.. To me.. Taking the mans ability to earn and make a living, by pulling strings to make sure that happens, because you have many people of your kind that, either work in coorps, or goverment spots that have the power to do so, just because you do not like his thinking an beliefs, Is just as bad and bringing him to the chopping block and killing him. Your doing the same thing to the man/woman.. Its not as violant, and does not get as much press, but same thing.

What are you talking about?

[scottinnj]

I know its not to the level as do or be killed.. (But it was in the past) But if you think its not as big an impact, then i do not know what country your living in..

Lets just say one group plays the game smarter and more savey than the other.. But its clearly done with the same malice and thinking.

Well over here we Christians complain a lot about the ACLU and the restriction of religious expression in the public square. But at least when a teacher is asked to remove a cross pendant, she isn't put in jail for wearing it in the first place.

That crack about "But it was in the past" is exactly that. When the loons burned witches in Salem, and locked up adulterers in the stocks and made women wear a Scarlet A, it was all pre-constitution and can't be compared to the freedom people have since the constitution was ratified.

I can't imagine the looks you got post-9/11 Kevin. But the idea that government officials "pander" to Christians is wild-a politician can be accused of that no matter his/her agenda because 90% of Americans are Christian, whether they are conservative or liberal. As much as Bush "pandered" to the religious right with gay marriage bans and stem cell research, Senator Clinton and the others in the democratic primaries "pander" to the religious left with promises of more government aid for the poor, health care and such, because it's the "Christian thing to do" to clothe and heal the poor. Muslims make up 1% of the American population, and because of that, tolerance is your middle name. I understand you have to put up with a lot of dummies who automatically equate you to terrorist, but I wish that the muslims outside of America would pay attention to people like you and take their religion back from the radicals who seem to get all the attention from the media and from the governments that tolerate their behaviour.

[Kevin]

And do not get me wrong here.. I am not attacking Christianity here.. I am just saying that just like Fundamental Islam.. There are a a few people in every religion, for whatever reason holds great power in counties.. I am not saying that Christianity is bad and Islam has not faults.. It clearly does. Just like most Muslims, most Christians are sane people who could live with one another and respect beliefs, and agree to disagree. I am just strictly talk about fundamentalism here.. And Evangelicals are every as bit fundamental..

[scottinnj]

HA! now THATS funny!

And what i am trying to get at is.. To me.. Taking the mans ability to earn and make a living, by pulling strings to make sure that happens, because you have many people of your kind that, either work in coorps, or government spots that have the power to do so, just because you do not like his thinking an beliefs,
Example please?
Is just as bad and bringing him to the chopping block and killing him. Your doing the same thing to the man/woman.. Its not as violent, and does not get as much press, but same thing. You take away my free will, then just kill me.. Its more humane

Being dead vs. being unemployed. I've been fired, but never had my head on a chopping block. But I think if it were the latter I'd be wishing I were on the unemployment line.

Dude, I see your idealism, but I just don't see it here. The U.S. Government bends over backwards to ensure equality in the workplace, and that there is no discrimination in hiring or promotions. We worked real hard over here to get it that way, and, while not perfect, the employment system here in America is by far the most fair in the world.

[TheMojoPin]

And do not get me wrong here.. I am not attacking Christianity here.. I am just saying that just like Fundamental Islam.. There are a a few people in every religion, for whatever reason holds great power in counties.. I am not saying that Christianity is bad and Islam has not faults.. It clearly does. Just like most Muslims, most Christians are sane people who could live with one another and respect beliefs, and agree to disagree. I am just strictly talk about fundamentalism here.. And Evangelicals are every as bit fundamental..

I understand what you're driving at, and to a degree I agree, but the religious fundamentalists/extremists of the ilk were talking about in the ME simply do not have the same power here in the States...not even close.

[Kevin]

Well over here we Christians complain a lot about the ACLU and the restriction of religious expression in the public square. But at least when a teacher is asked to remove a cross pendant, she isn't put in jail for wearing it in the first place.

That crack about "But it was in the past" is exactly that. When the loons burned witches in Salem, and locked up adulterers in the stocks and made women wear a Scarlet A, it was all pre-constitution and can't be compared to the freedom people have since the constitution was ratified.

I can't imagine the looks you got post-9/11 Kevin. But the idea that government officials "pander" to Christians is wild-a politician can be accused of that no matter his/her agenda because 90% of Americans are Christian, whether they are conservative or liberal. As much as Bush "pandered" to the religious right with gay marriage bans and stem cell research, Senator Clinton and the others in the democratic primaries "pander" to the religious left with promises of more government aid for the poor, health care and such, because it's the "Christian thing to do" to clothe and heal the poor. Muslims make up 1% of the American population, and because of that, tolerance is your middle name. I understand you have to put up with a lot of dummies who automatically equate you to terrorist, but I wish that the muslims outside of America would pay attention to people like you and take their religion back from the radicals who seem to get all the attention from the media and from the governments that tolerate their behaviour.

I am mostly talking about the regime that is in power right now.. Bush evangellicals.. Like i said in my previous post.. Most christains are level headed as most Muslims..And it gets pretty hard to defend America when other countries get left alone that are big threats, such as N Korea, and Bush goes directly for Iraq (Gets caugt in a lie) And now wants Iran.. granted, Muslim countries are VERY currupt... I do not dispute that.. And something has to be done about that.. But it has to be done internaly.. It can not be done by the outside world... And def not the way it is being done.. I do not know it that will happen, if ever, i hope to God it does, but we are playing right into their hands and propaganda, by doing some of the things that we are doing..

[Kevin]

I understand what you're driving at, and to a degree I agree, but the religious fundamentalists/extremists of the ilk were talking about in the ME simply do not have the same power here in the States...not even close.

Not yet, but its growing at an alarming rate, in my opinion.

[Kevin]

Example please?


Being dead vs. being unemployed. I've been fired, but never had my head on a chopping block. But I think if it were the latter I'd be wishing I were on the unemployment line.

There are planty examples of coorps either backing away from ads or pulling funding from a person that they deem are not moral/ Gay/ Porn/abortion, among others..

Dude, I see your idealism, but I just don't see it here. The U.S. Government bends over backwards to ensure equality in the workplace, and that there is no discrimination in hiring or promotions. We worked real hard over here to get it that way, and, while not perfect, the employment system here in America is by far the most fair in the world.

It has come a long way but its still bad.. You go into the inner city and poverty is still pretty bad.. And people do not get treated fair.

And for me.. If i have a family, and can not provide for them, and let them down, then i would honestly rather be dead. Like i said.. Its def not as bad, and getting better.. But some things are getting worse, also.

[TheMojoPin]

Not yet, but its growing at an alarming rate, in my opinion.

And it's something to be aware of, but it's not as if there is a steadily rising scale we can follow in terms of fundamentalist impact on our government. Religious elements in this country have had much more control and influence at various times in our past, even in the 20th Century alone. The current influx of their influence is nothing a new, and typically ends being temporary. For better or for worse, it ebbs and flows.

[Kevin]

I can't imagine the looks you got post-9/11 Kevin. .

It was much easier for me, because i am not an Arab.. I look like your typical American. But what happend hurt me two fold.. 1 that it happend, and two, that my religion was responsible for it.. It was and still is a very tough thing to get over.

[scottinnj]

I wouldn't worry too much about that Kevin. We swung to the left in the ninties, to the right in the eighties, to the left in the seventies.

We always seem to put ourselves back in check through fair elections when the country swings too far one way. Believe me, I was all fired up in the ninties with Clinton being president. All sorts of crap was being said about him, just like now. But when all is said and done, he wasn't the evil genious that he was made out to be. The same will be with Bush. But both ways we parted from the swing we had been on before. The country rejected Bush the father, then when Clinton seemed to go too far with taxes, gun control and national health care, the country put in a Republican Congress. When they got out of control, and bowed too low to the Republcan president, we put in a Democrat Congress. If Bush continues his practice of secrecy and disdain for the press, we'll put in a Democrat president. If he/she swings too far to the left for the country's taste, we'll go back to conservatives. And so on and so forth.

No worries dude. The pendulum always swings back here in America.

[Kevin]

I wouldn't worry too much about that Kevin. We swung to the left in the ninties, to the right in the eighties, to the left in the seventies.

We always seem to put ourselves back in check through fair elections when the country swings too far one way. Believe me, I was all fired up in the ninties with Clinton being president. All sorts of crap was being said about him, just like now. But when all is said and done, he wasn't the evil genious that he was made out to be. The same will be with Bush. But both ways we parted from the swing we had been on before. The country rejected Bush the father, then when Clinton seemed to go too far with taxes, gun control and national health care, the country put in a Republican Congress. When they got out of control, and bowed too low to the Republcan president, we put in a Democrat Congress. If Bush continues his practice of secrecy and disdain for the press, we'll put in a Democrat president. If he/she swings too far to the left for the country's taste, we'll go back to conservatives. And so on and so forth.

No worries dude. The pendulum always swings back here in America.

I guess.. Maybe i am still too young to see that. I am basicay lived through the Clinton and the G W era's i was still too young for Bush Sr..

[scottinnj]

It was much easier for me, because i am not an Arab.. I look like your typical American. But what happend hurt me two fold.. 1 that it happend, and two, that my religion was responsible for it.. It was and still is a very tough thing to get over.

Well, I wouldn't take it so personally. When monsters like Paul Hill (http://www.armyofgod.com/Paulhillindex.html) I don't personally feel my "religion" was responsible for his actions. He took what is true and right and twisted it to suit his own agenda. The nice thing about this country is that he was hunted down, caught, put on trial and put to death. Even though we are a "christian" nation where at least half of the population is pro-life, the laws that we made were enforced, and this "christian" was put throught the justice system where many of the people who helped prosecute him and jail him and execute him were undoubtedly pro-life as well. I'm pro-life, and I'm glad he's dead. We can't allow people to do that-enforce their "religious law" when it interferes with the laws of the land.

[Kevin]

Incidentally.. I have been watching alot of old Quantum leap episodes (boredom) But you right about things swinging.. And people, and peoples opinion on others changing.. It went from 52- basically 93..(time span of events on the show) And on that time span Japanese were major enemies.. If you told them back then, that Japanese and Americans would have the same relationship as they do now.. You would be called a loon.. same with Russians and others.. Who knows what the future holds.. And i guess we really should not stress on things too much..

[Yerdaddy]

I wouldn't worry too much about that Kevin. We swung to the left in the ninties, to the right in the eighties, to the left in the seventies.

We always seem to put ourselves back in check through fair elections when the country swings too far one way. Believe me, I was all fired up in the ninties with Clinton being president. All sorts of crap was being said about him, just like now. But when all is said and done, he wasn't the evil genious that he was made out to be. The same will be with Bush. But both ways we parted from the swing we had been on before. The country rejected Bush the father, then when Clinton seemed to go too far with taxes, gun control and national health care, the country put in a Republican Congress. When they got out of control, and bowed too low to the Republcan president, we put in a Democrat Congress. If Bush continues his practice of secrecy and disdain for the press, we'll put in a Democrat president. If he/she swings too far to the left for the country's taste, we'll go back to conservatives. And so on and so forth.

No worries dude. The pendulum always swings back here in America.

It swings back and forth, sure, but not always equally, not always in time to save serious harm done to people and the country by extremists, and our pendulum's mid-point is way further right than most western democracies. And our religiocity freaks out most Europeans I've talked politics with in the last three years.

[A.J.]

KHARTOUM, Sudan - A British primary school teacher has been arrested in Sudan, accused of insulting Islam's Prophet by letting her class of 7-year-olds name a teddy bear Muhammad, her school said on Monday.

I feel the same way every time I meet a Latino named "Jesus". It's blasphemy I tells ya!

[Jujubees2]

I feel the same way every time I meet a Latino named "Jesus". It's blasphemy I tells ya!

Yeah, but can you imagine if a school class named a teddy bear Jesus Christ? The religious right would have a field day.

[Dougie Brootal]

wow. i never knew kevin was a muslim. learn somethin new every day.

[badmonkey]

Say what you like about Bush...
He's almost completed 2 terms as president.
6 years with a Republican majority in congress and yet we still have no reports of anything like this:

Boulos said she had since been charged with "blasphemy," an offense he said was punishable with up to three months in prison and a fine.

Britain seems ready to repeal their blasphemy law finally (http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/6355). They attempted to repeal it in 2001 and 2004 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,2763,1329823,00.html). Maybe they'll get it right this time.

According to this Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/20/AR2007112000731.html), the last successful prosecution using blasphemy law was brought by Mary Whitehouse in 1977 against Gay News for publishing a poem about a Roman soldier's love for Christ.

But according to this interview (http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/02/8595a5aa-104e-4ca4-b01d-70c287aff506.html), a film was not allowed distribution by the British Board of Film Classification because it might be blasphemous in 1989. The producer took it to the European Court and lost the case to the British Government in 1996.


The states in the deep south don't seem to have any blasphemy laws on the books.... Massachusetts (http://mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/272-36.htm) and Maryland (http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000388/html/am388--824.html) seem to be the only two states in the US and their laws are invalid based on the US Constitution. New York's blasphemy law was struck down by the Supreme Court for that reason.

Maybe we aren't living under an oppressive Christian Theocracy here in the USA after all. And maybe Europe should be more horrified at the power of religion in their own fucking countries. The early days of religious oppression in this country would be a direct reflection on European religious oppression as we had all just hopped on boats and crossed an ocean to escape that very thing.

Badmonkey

[Crispy123]

I can't imagine the looks you got post-9/11 Kevin. But the idea that government officials "pander" to Christians is wild-a politician can be accused of that no matter his/her agenda because 90% of Americans are Christian, whether they are conservative or liberal. As much as Bush "pandered" to the religious right with gay marriage bans and stem cell research, Senator Clinton and the others in the democratic primaries "pander" to the religious left with promises of more government aid for the poor, health care and such, because it's the "Christian thing to do" to clothe and heal the poor. Muslims make up 1% of the American population, and because of that, tolerance is your middle name. I understand you have to put up with a lot of dummies who automatically equate you to terrorist, but I wish that the muslims outside of America would pay attention to people like you and take their religion back from the radicals who seem to get all the attention from the media and from the governments that tolerate their behaviour.

No way Jose. (http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_prac2.htm)




Maybe we aren't living under an oppressive Christian Theocracy here in the USA after all. And maybe Europe should be more horrified at the power of religion in their own fucking countries. The early days of religious oppression in this country would be a direct reflection on European religious oppression as we had all just hopped on boats and crossed an ocean to escape that very thing.

Badmonkey

Those Europeans and Canadians want to look down on Americans whenever they get the chance.

[ChrisTheCop]

Mojopin! Say something!!!!!

[TheMojoPin]

Nay. It's steady sailing.

[sailor]

Nay. It's steady sailing.

words hurt.

[scottinnj]

Yeah, but can you imagine if a school class named a teddy bear Jesus Christ? The religious right would have a field day.

Nah, Pat Robertson would market it towards his flock as toys for Sierra Leone orphans. Or if you sent 20 bucks he'd send you a Jesus Christ Teddy Bear complete with bottled holy water.

[ralphbxny]

Nah, Pat Robertson would market it towards his flock as toys for Sierra Leone orphans. Or if you sent 20 bucks he'd send you a Jesus Christ Teddy Bear complete with bottled holy water.

And this is one of the big differences between their culture and ours.

[TheMojoPin]

Greed trumps all?

[TheMojoPin]

Just something to chew on for the usual "Muslims never speak out against the extremists" crowd:

American Islamic Congress Slams Sudanese Government over Teddy Bear Case, Demands British Teacher Be Freed Immediately

Nov. 28, 2007, WASHINGTON, DC – The American Islamic Congress today slammed the Sudanese government for jailing a British teacher over a teddy bear’s name and demanded her immediate release from prison.

“We denounce this fabricated outrage,” stated Nasser Weddady, the organization’s Civil Rights Outreach Director. “The Sudanese government’s ridiculous case trivializes the feelings of Muslims around the world.”

Earlier today, the Sudanese government charged Gillian Gibbons, a teacher at Unity High School in Khartoum, with insulting religion and inciting hatred for naming a class teddy bear "Muhammad." She faces up to 40 lashes and six months in prison.

“The sad legacy of the Danish cartoon riots is that we have to speak out immediately when extremists try to provoke clashes over trivial matters,” Weddady explained. “This is not about cultural sensitivities. There is no excuse for someone to be sent to jail and whipped over a teddy bear’s name. Ms. Gibbons needs to be freed at once.” (http://www.aicongress.org/bear2.html)

[badmonkey]

Just something to chew on for the usual "Muslims never speak out against the extremists" crowd:



Nice to see that. Their release on the Danish cartoons (http://www.aicongress.org/cartoon.html) is a good read as well.

[sailor]

“We denounce this fabricated outrage,” stated Nasser Weddady, the organization’s Civil Rights Outreach Director. “The Sudanese government’s ridiculous case trivializes the feelings of Muslims around the world.”

when did he change his user name?

[Yerdaddy]

when did he change his user name?

It's me an Allah now! He loves me now that I've been wishing him all the ham he denies his Jewish and Muslim followers. Dude loves that ham!

Here's the main British Muslim group with some strong words against the Sudanese government:

"This is a disgraceful decision and defies common sense. There was clearly no intention on the part of the teacher to deliberately insult the Islamic faith," Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said in a statement urging Sudan to release Gibbons from her "shameful ordeal."

But unfortunately the government's top leaders seem to have decided to play politics with this to distract from their genocidal policies. (And for the record, I have no problem with anyone calling this particular government "savages". They clearly are.

[above quote from same article]

Sudan Charges Teacher Over 'Muhammad' Bear (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/28/AR2007112802429_pf.html)British Premier Expresses Disappointment

By Kevin Sullivan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 29, 2007; A18

LONDON, Nov. 28 -- Authorities in Sudan on Wednesday formally charged a British schoolteacher with inciting religious hatred for allowing her primary school students in Khartoum to name a teddy bear Muhammad. The move escalated diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Several analysts said the Sudanese government could be pressing the teacher's case as leverage against the intense criticism from Britain and other Western countries over its handling of the crisis in its Darfur region. "It's impossible to know, but it's clear that this is a government that likes to distract people," one British official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official noted that on Tuesday the top U.N. peacekeeping official reported to the Security Council that the Sudanese government was blocking efforts to deploy a U.N.-backed peacekeeping force in Darfur.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in Darfur and more than 2 million have been driven from their homes, largely by government-backed militia groups known as the Janjaweed, in one of the worst humanitarian crises in African history.

Fareena Alam, editor of Q-News, a leading Muslim magazine in Britain, said she also suspected the Khartoum government was saying to the West, "We're going to show you how tough we are."

Alam said she visited Darfur and Khartoum in August on a British government-sponsored humanitarian mission. She said she found that there are "elements of the government that are upset about the embarrassment" caused by world criticism. "This could be possibly a revenge, or leverage," Alam said.

She said the Sudanese government was "hypocritical" to prosecute Gibbons when its actions in Darfur were a much greater affront to Muslim values.

But the Sudanese government's position appeared to toughen Wednesday with a statement from the nation's top Muslim clerics calling for Gibbons to be punished according to the nation's sharia, or Islamic, law.

"What has happened was not haphazard or carried out of ignorance, but rather a calculated action and another ring in the circles of plotting against Islam," the Sudanese Assembly of the Ulemas said, according to news reports.

"It is part of the campaign of the so-called war against terrorism and the intense media campaign against Islam," the statement said.

"It is an explosive issue," Timothy Garton Ash, an Oxford University professor and specialist in foreign affairs, said of the teacher's situation. "My hunch is that it will still be resolved as an individual case, but many will see it as symptomatic of much larger problems."

[Recyclerz]

(Infidel) Spy Report

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22007049/


:wallbash:

[WRESTLINGFAN]

Heres the question I would like to be answered

What would Mohammed do?

[lleeder]

Good thing she didn't let them use the first name they chose, Winnie the Jew.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff34/housecat1965/winniethepooh-1.gif

[TheMojoPin]

Yeah, being thrown out of Sudan is clearly a "punishment."

Goddamn, that place is a mess.

[scottinnj]

Nice job reporting the Muslim reaction to this story guys. It makes me feel better that more and more Muslims are gathering in reasonable groups to protest and are getting covered in the media.

[torker]

We already have our own Muhammad teddy bear.http://www.wackbag.com/customavatars/avatar4020_5.gif

[WRESTLINGFAN]

Good thing she didn't let them use the first name they chose, Winnie the Jew.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff34/housecat1965/winniethepooh-1.gif

Imagine if she chose to use Tigger?

http://www.msu.edu/~camill10/tigger_4.jpg

[Yerdaddy]

Fucking savages.

[TheMojoPin]

Savage fuckings.

[Ritalin]

Fucking Michael Savage

[jauble]

here is the link that I found http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2007/11/30/2007-11-30_sudanese_call_for_teddy_bear_teachers_de.html

I understand that by giving the name of the prophet to a non-human is considered blasphemous but this really is pushing it a bit. The Sudan is really a troubled region right now and if the teacher was somehow killed by a mob, let alone the government it might very well get nasty quick.

[EliSnow]

Already a thread (http://www.ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=65019&highlight=British).

[jauble]

Already a thread (http://www.ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=65019&highlight=British).

yeah this guy...not always smart

[ralphbxny]

Why doesnt the british govt sneak her out

[jauble]

Why doesnt the british govt sneak her out

They could attempt but it could also turn into an international incident because they would not be respecting the sovereignty of the country. If she was sentenced to death imstead of 15 days plus deportation you could bet on an operation to get her out. Since the penalty is not severe (although I doubt a Sudanese prison is fun) there probably won't be any action. Think of the way America reacted when Michael Fay was sentenced to caning in Singapore. We said please don't do it, but because it was relatively a light sentence we did nothing major to stop it.

[lleeder]

Imagine if she chose to use Tigger?

http://www.msu.edu/~camill10/tigger_4.jpg

Yeah then they would have called him Sand Tigger.

[jauble]

The Sudanese government wasnt so much upset about the bears name as they were that the woman was teaching the children that should each have a vote/say in the way things work (bad democracy joke)

[jauble]

and pardoned