A Bear Named Mohammed
11/29/2007
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A (female) British teacher in Sudan has been charged with blasphemy, and may be flogged, for allowing her students to name a classroom Teddy bear after Mohammed. What struck me as odd about that is that Mohammed is one of the most popular men's names in the Muslim world. As Mark Steyn wrote
These days, whenever something goofy turns up on the news, chances are it involves a fellow called Mohammed. A plane flies into the World Trade Centre? Mohammed Atta. A gunman shoots up the El Al counter at Los Angeles airport? Hesham Mohamed Hedayet. A sniper starts killing petrol station customers around Washington, DC? John Allen Muhammed. A guy fatally stabs a Dutch movie director? Mohammed Bouyeri. A terrorist slaughters dozens in Bali? Noordin Mohamed. A gang-rapist in Sydney? Mohammed Skaf. [Racism is bad - so is self-delusion - Telegraph, December 20, 2005]
Now it turns out that a 7-year old has "come forward" to say that he named the bear after himself. But it turns out that she may face "more serious charges."

It's also reported that she's been in jail for 48 hours and hasn't been given food by her jailers.

”She is sitting all by herself. No one has talked to her. No one has been in to see her today and she looks very sad,” said a police officer outside the Criminal Exploration Bureau, in one of Khartoum’s dusty side streets. ”She has also had no food yet.”

British consular officials were turned away yesterday afternoon but were allowed to leave a bag of chicken kebabs and some water. [Gillian Gibbons at risk of more serious charges after letting her class of 7-year-olds name a teddy bear Muhammad, Times of London, November 28, 2007]

At least the British goverment is protesting, but that's about all they can do. Not only are they not willing to send a gunboat, as in the nineteenth century, but Britain is now so politically correct they're not in a position to complain—it's now an offense to blaspheme against the Prophet in Britain.

I suggest that any one thinking of a job overseas should not pick a Muslim country.

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