Rushdie’s Honour and Islamic Extremism

I read the Satanic Verses when all the furore about them being blasphemous was at its height. Frankly, I was unimpressed. Had it not been for the controversy, I wouldn’t have bothered wading through this turgid tome and would have been no worse off for it. I came to the conclusion that the Islamic world would have been better off letting the book disappear into well deserved obscurity. But, no, religious nut-jobs the world over just don’t get it; make a book, play, film or cartoon the centre of attention and no matter what its artistic merit, people will be driven by curiosity to take a look. As a consequence, it receives undeserved notoriety and the creator makes rather more in royalties than would otherwise have been the case.

Now Rushdie is to receive an honour for services to literature (whatever they may have been) and the Islamic world just can’t resist another pop.

The award of a knighthood to the author Salman Rushdie justifies suicide attacks, a Pakistani government minister said today.

Jesus H Christ on a pogo stick! What is it with these fuckwits? Rushdie wrote a bad book. That’s it. Let it go. But no, they can’t let it go. They want to encourage a whole new generation to go out and buy a copy. And despite it being a dire piece of writing, it does not justify suicide attacks and anyone who says that it does merely reinforces what many think about Islam and extremism.

“This is an occasion for the 1.5 billion Muslims to look at the seriousness of this decision,” Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq, religious affairs minister, told the Pakistani parliament in Islamabad. “The west is accusing Muslims of extremism and terrorism. If someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologises and withdraws the ‘sir’ title.”

Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq is a fuckwit of the first order. Firstly, he confirms and justifies western attitudes towards Islam with such arrant stupidity and secondly, the honours list in the UK is absolutely none of his fucking business and we are under no obligation to consult with him or other leaders of this primitive fucking death cult. The British government must absolutely not apologise. There is nothing to apologise for. If Mohammed Ijaz ul-Haq doesn’t like it, then that’s just too bad. I don’t recall him standing for the UK parliament. I don’t recall him being a representative of the British people. Oh, that’s right, he isn’t. That means, that it is none of his fucking business.

Earlier today Pakistani MPs demanded Britain withdraw Rushdie’s knighthood.

They can go fuck themselves too. The UK parliament doesn’t decide on Pakistani internal affairs, so they can keep their bastard noses out of ours.

MPs said the honour was an insult to the religious sentiments of Muslims.

And your primitive death cult is an insult to reason and sensibility, but we don’t try to stop you believing in whatever superstitious bollocks that you choose. We respect your right to believe whatever you want to believe. You can fucking well respect our right to honour whoever we want to honour. It’s none of your fucking business and if you don’t like it, then tough. Stick your offence sideways up your collective arses and give it a good twist as it goes in, you interfering bastards.

Pakistan’s minister for parliamentary affairs, Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, who proposed the resolution condemning the honour, branded Rushdie a “blasphemer”.

She told MPs: “The ‘sir’ title from Britain for blasphemer Salman Rushdie has hurt the sentiments of the Muslims across the world. Every religion should be respected.”

No religion should be respected; only the right of practitioners to practice without fear of persecution.

“I demand the British government immediately withdraw the title as it is creating religious hatred.”

Piss off! How dare you presume to demand that we obey your religious fanaticism. How dare you presume to tell us what to do. How dare you presume the effrontery to issue us with your fucking instructions. Go fuck yourself you jumped up harridan.

Let’s get this straight. I don’t believe that Rushdie has done anything notable to warrant this honour, but it has been awarded. Given that we have representatives of foreign governments “demanding” that the honour be withdrawn, I am absolutely supportive of this honour going ahead. We must not, under any circumstances, allow ourselves to be bullied into acquiescing to the religious beliefs of other countries – no matter what that religion.