Thousands of Muslims gathered in Khartoum's Martyr's Square and demanded the death of a British school teacher convicted of blasphemy because she allowed her students to name a toy bear after Islam's most highly esteemed prophet.
Gillian Gibbons was sentenced by the court to 15 days in jail and deportation. The maximum penalty under Sudanese law is 6 months in jail, a fine and deportation. But protesters gathered in the square and chanted: "No tolerance! Kill her. Kill her by firing squad!" and "Shame on the U.K." Even her defense attorneys have received death threats.
Gibbons had allowed her 7 year old class members to vote on names for the toy. Their overwhelming choice was Muhammed.
The school where she worked regrets her deportation because she was a good teacher.
So Islam is the religion of peace and tolerance? I don't think so. And I don't think this is the end of the story. Before this blows over, someone will die at the hands of some fanatical nut job in the name of Islamic honor. These people don't teach or practice tolerance and love, but they glorify hate, practice intolerance and preach murder. Despicable.
And by the way, calling the haters on their hatred does not make me an Islamophobe, nor a hater. But I do despise this silly uproar over a teacher's minor faux pas. It's taking political correctness to ridiculous extremes. Capital punishment for capital crimes. To borrow a phrase from HRC, this requires the "willing suspension of disbelief."
You can read the A. P. story here.
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