"Should all have been forgiven or does the teacher's sentence send a fair message that foreigners sholud [sic] be more sensitive when it comes to religion?"
Thus concludes Manya Brachear's November 29 post to the Chicago Tribune's "The Seeker" religion news blog. Brachear was opening discussion up in her comments thread to the case of British subject Gillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old private school teacher in Sudan who faced the potential punishment of 40 lashes. Her crime: allowing her students to name a class teddy bear Muhammad.
The case had sparked international outrage and official protest by the British government. Perhaps in no small part from all the scrutiny, the Islamic clerics who have sentenced Ms. Gibbons handed down a relatively "light" sentence: 15 days in jail followed by deportation back to the United Kingdom.
Perhaps hoping to evince detached balance and objectivity, the Tribune's Brachear, a religion reporter and blogger, entitled her blog post, "Who's Insulting Islam?"
While Brachear did find moderate Muslims who decried charges ever having been filed against Gibbons in the first place, she failed to find anyone to insist that Sudan's government, or at least its judicial system, is held sway by a backwards, intolerant, theocratic imposition of Sharia law. What's more, Brachear found space to hint that the British government may be to blame for nearly causing Gibbons to face the lash:
If a grudge is to blame, foreign policy analysts say it’s one held against the British government for condemning the crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region. Millions of people in Darfur have been killed or driven from their homes, largely by the government-backed militia group known as the janjaweed. Muslim clerics in Sudan insist that Westerners are condemning more than the conflict in Darfur. They are attacking Islam and the teacher should be punished for being party to that, according to Islamic law.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I think this case shows the
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 11:24 ET by BruzillaI think this case shows the effects of a strong policy of dealing with foreign nations and a weak one. George Bush would have parked an aircraft carrier off the coast, and would have gotten this woman out of there. The Brits told the Sudanese ambassador that they were "quite upset", and the woman barely escapes a lashing or worse, but still has to endure 10-15 days in horrid conditions in their prison.
I think this episode, coupled with the disaster with the Brit sailors in Iran, shows how hostile countries will deal with the US if the Democrat's view of just getting along better with these folks comes to pass.
George Bush 2001 would have
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 11:39 ET by sunandsteelGeorge Bush 2001 would have parked the carrier off Sudan.
George Bush 2007 might have had a strong-ish word, but thats about it.
What doesn’t kill you, only makes you pissed off. -Children of Bodom
Are you kidding??? To
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 11:53 ET by BruzillaAre you kidding??? To rescue a teacher in distress? The Democrats would have handed him the keys to the carrier themselves!
I just dont think it would
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:09 ET by sunandsteelI just dont think it would happen. As for the dems, I think their cowardice towards Islams trumps the safety and life of a teacher.
What doesn’t kill you, only makes you pissed off. -Children of Bodom
Did any of these stories
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:40 ET by motherbeltDid any of these stories mention the fact that the boy named the monkey Mohammed after himself?
Where's Truthmonger
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 11:31 ET by Cool ArrowShouldn't he be here leading the call for her execution?
ps: I think "sholud" is Islamic for "Peaceful Religion"
PARTNER WITH ISLAM
Manya ... Go scrub Chicago public a toilet
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 11:41 ET by drillanwrAnybody else getting real sick of this one-way street called sensitive ...?
Have been for a long time.
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 14:52 ET by taznarHave been for a long time. We must be sensitive and understanding and accepting of other cultures, religions...
But for some reason those other cultures and religions don't need to be sensitive or understanding or accepting of ourcultures and religions... because its not part of their culture or religion and we should just understand and accept that.
Yeah, right.
Tired of being "sensitive".
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 11:50 ET by sunandsteelIf I want to name my dog Mohammed, I will. I dont care what these mfs think anymore. I am tired of hearing from them how I should accomodate them so they wont feel offended. Shut up already. We had a case close by where a group of workers at a beef plant wanted time off during shifts plus a special place to pray to Mekka. Didnt happen so now they are all up in arms about it. You know what, you want time off to pray, go get another friggin job. Else quit acting like whiny babies and shut up.
Ok, had to get that out.
What doesn’t kill you, only makes you pissed off. -Children of Bodom
Sunandsteel........Typo...
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:50 ET by JayTeeThose are not MFS......they're MFSOBs
Don't name your Dog Mohammed, don't put that stigma on a poor animal.
I wonder what this "sensitive" article thinks about the latest news from Sudan, where they want to "execute" the English Teacher. Tsk..Tsk...the MSM timing was a little pre-mature on this one...lashes are no longer the issue...getting out with her Life, and avoiding getting her dead body dragged thru the streets is now the "Real" Issue.
What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ? David Foote GoE
I dont know about a dog,
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 13:13 ET by DCC1I dont know about a dog, but if I ever have a pig, I bet you can guess what its name will be!
Crazies to the left, and Whimps to the right
When I left the Navy, I got
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 14:48 ET by Ruths husband BenWhen I left the Navy, I got a dog and named him after my Senior Chief, but I never could get heartless enought to shave his a$$ and teach him to walk backwards.
Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who didn't. - Ben Franklin
My plan is to get a pet pig
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 15:18 ET by richflanjMy plan is to get a pet pig and name it "Mohammad Osama Clinton", even though it will probably look the most like Ted Kennedy.
I wouldnt name my dog
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 18:42 ET by misterbee241I wouldnt name my dog Mohammad. I love her too much. And she wouldnt bite a biscuit as opposed to the real Mohammad.
There is none so blind as they that won’t see. Jonathan Swift 1667-1745
double
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 11:54 ET by sunandsteeldouble
The only reason people even
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:08 ET by taterThe only reason people even care about this hack of a religion is because they kill people. If you do something we don't like kiss your life goodbye.
Personally I don't care if I offend a Muslim to the point they want to kill me. Their religion is a fraud. After all it's said in the bible not to fear those that can take your physical life but the one who not only can take your life but cast you into hell.
Do you realize how much it costs to run for office? More than any honest man could afford. -Montgomery Burns
Amen. What doesn’t kill
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:11 ET by sunandsteelAmen.
What doesn’t kill you, only makes you pissed off. -Children of Bodom
It's their religion that does this
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 14:50 ET by ThisnThat"Personally I don't care if I offend a Muslim to the point they want to kill me".
The problem is, almost anything can be used as an excuse, it seems. Publish a book; draw a cartoon; name a bear; be a Christian; wear blue jeans; talk to a man (if you're a woman); be seen talking to an American; simply exist. And they all do it in the name of their so-called religion. What a bunch of kooks.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
thisnthat.......good list of what makes 'em mad..
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 16:09 ET by JayTeeI never thought about your list, but if ones starts thinking about what the Islam fanatics are doing, killing is #1 and you list above is probably going to Grow.
There's a story about WWII and a comander in the Phillipines, who was having problems with the Islamics.....he captured the Terrorists, supposedly 5 of them, Killed 4 in a firing Squad, made the 5th watch while he burried them with PIGS ........ and told the survivor to take back the message that any more trouble and "that" was what was going to happen to his fellow trouble makers. Too bad nowadays that would be consider a War crime.
No more trouble was had.
I'd like to hear the "pacifists" approach to solving the English Teacher problem.......especially if she ends up getting killed...she ain't out of jail yet.
What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ? David Foote GoE
JayTee
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 16:14 ET by BlondeMaybe the Brits will send the SAS in after her. Their rules of engagement are less priggish than ours are.
And your point is spot-on, she's not out of jail yet.
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Great story, Jay. Any
Sat, 12/01/2007 - 12:26 ET by CortillaenGreat story, Jay. Any idea what that commander's name was? I'd like to see if my Det Commander has heard of it, since he's a WWII South Pacific Theatre buff.
www.rhjunior.com Great comics with a hefty dose of Christian and anti-nutjob goodness.
"With your mind as high as Mt. Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things near to you." -Miyamoto Musashi
The UN is affecting the MSM
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:12 ET by ThisnThatFox News: Fair and Balanced
Chicago Tribune: UnFairly UnBalanced
See how some UN countries are affecting our MSM? Pitiful. Disgraceful. My 2c.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
A severe case of HUA
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:36 ET by BEGRUNTI wonder how this dim bulb would feel if she was subjected to lashing and imprisonment, and calls for her death for something so petty? We should drop a daisy cutter right in the middle of those throwbacks demonstrations. If they want to meet allah, lets help them!!!
"If a man does his best, what else is there"?
General George S. Patton Jr.
Maybe Manya can explain
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:46 ET by IamTinmanThe thousands of Islamic Sudanese who crowded the capitals streets today demanding the execution of Ms Gibbons. As long as we keep trying to judge radical Islam by Western standards we will end up on the short end of the stick because it's a dead certainty that we are judged by theirs.
The natural state of the
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 12:58 ET by ConservativeRexThe natural state of the world is Darfur. The freakish aberration is America and the rest of the Anglo-Saxon world.
Muhammad #2 Name in Britain, #1 Name in the World
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 15:55 ET by kwA couple of thoughts:
1. Isn't Muhammad the most popular name of the world today? Scarier than this fact is that it is NUMBER 2 in BRITAIN!!! note from the article: “Muslim parents like to have something that shows a link with their religion or with the Prophet.” and
2. What is the big deal if you "offend" someone. Really think of the answer to this. So what if someone offends you. Be mad if they hurt you physically or financially, but if they hurt your feelings??!!?? Come on now. This is what is wrong with the left and the PC world. The most important thing is to not offend anyone or hurt anyone's feelings. Give me a break.
I've been fascinated
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 18:38 ET by Col SmokeI've been fascinated reading the comments (at other sites) posted by all the limeys and other assorted wimps: they pretty much all say the same thing, "she's fortunate not to be beaten," "at least only fifteen days," "oooh, the poor kids losing such a 'dedicated' teacher," "when in Rome, do...," etc., etc. England has been proven, once again, as a paper tiger.
First Iran shames them, now the Darfurians do this to one on their citizens. Hey, Brits, do something rather than just be "tolerant." My gawd, these mohammed-worshippers hate you, don't you get it? The followers of Bush and Condi's "religion of peace" - every last one - despise all Christians. Haven't there not been enough wake-up calls yet?
My bet is the teacher is
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 18:49 ET by BuffNBoneMy bet is the teacher is NOT a card carrying member of the NEA (or its Brit equivalent) and therefore is not entitled to favorable treatment by the media.
Another defense might be separation of mosque and state issues where teachers are supposed to remain neutral.
"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"
Here's a thought ...
Fri, 11/30/2007 - 19:26 ET by blogonatorAs I watched the "protesters" pile into the streets after getting all riled up at the masques and demand that the teacher be but to death I had a wonderful retort to their reasonable request ... just drop a MOAB on them.