Islam's Bullies Find a New Cause

Muslim demonstrators around the world are once again demonstrating what a religion of peace Islam truly is in response to the announcement that Salman Rushdie was awarded a knighthood last week for services to literature. Cries for the death of the British blasphemers were heard in the streets and parliaments of Pakistan and Iran. Flags and effigies of the Queen, Prime Minister Blair, and Mr. Rushdie were burned in the streets. A group of hard-line Pakistani Muslim clerics bestowed a special religious title on Osama bin Laden in response to the British knighthood; "Saifullah", or sword of Allah. Pakistan's religious affairs minister, Ejaz ul-Haq, told lawmakers on Monday that "if someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologizes and withdraws the 'sir' title. "Don't blame us for any violence!" religious and political leaders warned. "This act of knighting a blasphemer creates religious hatred."

Rubbish! These demonstrations are evidence of pre-existing religious intolerance and an attitude that says, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but hurting my feelings will cause me to break yours!" This schoolyard bullying by those who seem intent on holding the West hostage to their Islamic sensibilities is getting outright annoying. The very countries who get irritated by the West when they feel that we are imposing our values on them when we call attention to their human rights abuses seem intent on imposing their values on us through the use of threats and acts of violence whenever we apparently offend their religious feelings.

I sincerely hope that the United Kingdom does not apologize for knighting Rushdie or discreetly pressure him to refuse his knighthood. Not that I am a big fan of the author. Frankly, I haven't read a thing he ever wrote and am unlikely to do so. But on principle, the decision of the Queen to knight him is none of Pakistan or Iran's business. It is time Her Majesty's government made that very clear. And the media can do us all a favour and ignore the protesting crowds who obviously have nothing better to do. Remove the cameras and I can guarantee you that they'll all go home.