Salman Rushdie condemns attack on Charlie Hebdo

Posted 7 January 2015 by & filed under Campaigns

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English PEN condemns today’s shootings at the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo as a shocking assault on press freedom and free speech. Writer and PEN Pinter Prize winner Salman Rushdie has issued the following statement about the horrifying events in Paris

Religion, a mediaeval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms. This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today. I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. ‘Respect for religion’ has become a code phrase meaning ‘fear of religion.’ Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect.

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227 Comments on Salman Rushdie condemns attack on Charlie Hebdo - Leave a comment

john parkin

Thank you Mr Rushdie. It is a great pity Christopher Hitchens is not physically with us to add his polemical anger to your gentler, but still effective, statement. We are all Charlie now.

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Peter Garland

Well said. Fear erodes freedom. From this day forth I shall actively do all I can to combat all forms of thought control, most of all thought control by fear. That’s fascism.

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Sharifa

As a Muslim, it’s forbidden to kill innocent people.
Therefore I say it wasn’t absolutely right.
But then I will also say that satire must be sensitive in order to forbid hate between people.
Satire is an art, fredoom of speech is valuable, but this must not be an excuse to offend others.

To conclude I want to say that it will be better to see satirical judgements on my religion if those were based on something that it’s true about it. Then I can laugh about it; but when satirical opinion and/or judgments are made upon something that only Fake Muslim do and people think “oh yeah Islam is about this” then we have something to talk about.

We must not forget that satire is also a way to inform people.
So please know how to do your job is satire is an art and especially Muslims like me must learn how to educate idiots in our religion because there is no way to kill someone. Remember the one to judge is God in the Day of Judgement.

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lovely ephemera

[…] Religion, a mediaeval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms… Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect. — Salman Rushdie […]

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Anonymous

[…] «Я на стороне Charlie Hebdo – и все должны быть на их стороне. Нужно защитить искусство сатиры, которое всегда было силой свободы против тирании, лукавства и тупости», — написалРушди. […]

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Bob Higginbotham

It is a time for us all to be tolerant. Not tolerant of those who hurt. Salmon hurts by his comments. Let us condemn violence and killing. All religions say ‘thou shalt not kill’ do those without religion say the same? I believe no person is without religion because our God sees all….
Love thy neighbour but do not kill them or try to dictate how they should be.

Reply to this comment
James

I wish I can write as beautiful as he does, his words are 100 percent correct. France and the EU lived threw the rise of the first post bible alpha religion Christianity, WWI and WWII and now the rise of the second post Bible alpha religion, Islam. As the Bible says, what wants. Was will be again, there nothing new under the sun!

Reply to this comment
Tom Givon

As usual, Salman Rushdie is right on, having been there, done that. One is of course tempted to add that in the U.S. there are plenty of non-Islamic True Believers who repudiate both the Enlightenment and science, and insist on this country being a Christian Nation where God’s law trumps man’s pluralistic, faith-neutral law. You might want to take a look at the blog section of http://www.whitecloudpublishing.com, the recent piece titled “True Believers”. TG

Reply to this comment
neetta

“independence” is basic instinct of being human. Interdependence and dominance are not to be confused by society. There are sacred, silent forces working towards creating an environment of peace and harmony in the world. While few cowards not live enough to debate their point take refuge in Kalashnikov. Violence can never be a solution to any problem and can never terrorize a true human. Incidents like this only give us an opportunity to pity such man their mission and their motivation. People with ISIS mentality are not new they have existed in our society in the form of “Hitler”, “mussolini”, “Osama”, “Saddam” and many more. An attempt to crush “Charlie Hebdo” is infact a reason for many “Charlies” to be born. cheers to freedom of expression of any form.

Reply to this comment
Alain de Poitelon

Salman Rushdie,

It’s truly heartbreaking to see you still struggling with the simplest of arguments. No, dear, there is no deadly mutation in the heart of Islam. Islam is of God and is perfect. Some Muslims are fucked in the head. When will you ever learn?

And you making such an important and monumental statement and saying nothing about the victims? Shame on you… and your quasi-beard.

By the way, ever wondered why all of Muslimania always perfectly understood your situation but could only vomit in response whenever your self-promoting name got mentioned? It’s your “English blew a bunch of smoke up your Desi ass” statements like these. You must be at least 200, God bless you, but you reason like a two year old. Glib two year old.

Go sit in the shade with the rest of English discourse, you have nothing to offer. Do us all a favor and just shut up.

Merry Xmass, dear!

Alain

Reply to this comment
nikhil

Vive Charlie Hebo ! Long live free speech and satire !

I don’t think religion is a form of unreason. But it is rather a source of misinterpretation. And unfortunately misinterpretation of religion is growing in this world leading to both intolerance and of fear of other religion.

Reply to this comment
Lal Bahadur Mandal

Fanatic #Islam is not the #Islam of #Koran neither of majority of #Muslims around the world. i wish there were hundreds of #Salman to condemn this unequivocally . #Muslims have killed more #Muslims than any one else? #Shia & #Sunni why can’t scholars of both sides sit down & soften their ego and prevent human misery of middle east. Muslim girls should have same right to go to school to earn living to drive to work or for pleasure and dress they want. Pray for the family of those brave journalists who lost their lives at the hands of most revolting coward worse than animal of today’s world. those 12 Martyrs shall be in heaven and surely be the side of Angels. Lal

Reply to this comment
Paul

Mr. Rushdie’s comments are an extremely cogent, and courageous statement of the role the religion of Islam is playing in creating the brutality of modern terrorism. Freedom of religion is one of our most fundamental rights, but, as with all rights, it is not an absolute right. You may believe any nonsense you choose, but may not, in any way, force those beliefs on me or anyone else. When religions inspire murder to further their cause, they do deserve criticism.

Reply to this comment
sanjay

Religion is a source
of hope for under previliged & poor ..
They draw strength for future ..
The rich with plenty use religion to safeguard what they have
The intellectual & journalists use it as a joke. …
All can be right & all can be wrong. .
Even the cartoonist should show tolerance to all the way they want it for themselves.

Reply to this comment
Peter Lower

Without our voices speaking out against religious fanaticism there is nothing but the terrible silence of assent to these monstrous crimes. The harsh truth is that with few exceptions religion has become the mother lode of intolerance and evil in the world. Dog save us all.

Reply to this comment
Cathy

Agree with Salman Rushdie about the art of satire. Long may it live. Willing recovery, and courage to deal with the horror of this attack, go out to the Charlie Hebdo survivors as well as with the bereaved families of the fallen.

Reply to this comment
Tom Jordan

Dear Sir,
That was well said. Thank you for your fearless defence of human knowledge and intelligent debate. I believe you are correct in saying the things for which we have striven are under attack. Our freedoms cannot be taken for granted. I stand by you in defending our right to criticise the craven, the credulous and those of crippled minds.
Sincerely,
Tom Jordan.
Cork.

Reply to this comment
Barnaby Jackson

This is a sad day for the families, friends, readers & everyone else who understands the purpose & impartiality of this satirical publication if this is indeed their style.
I support Charlie Hebdo. I must also support peace and tolerance between the religious and the secular.
Won’t most of us see the work of Charlie Hebdo in the context it rightly deserves & celebrate the lives of such gutsy publishers? I hope we can discuss this intelligently & always value a healthy dose of humour & artistic license.

Reply to this comment
Stephen Llewellyn

a while ago I made a cheap jibe at your expense. I still regret it and wholly applaud your stand on today’s atrocity. Bravo, Sir.

Reply to this comment
Andreas

I am an Atheist, but I find blaming Religion as of itself for human cruelty and brutality is inaccurate. Religion is a justification for murder just like any other ideology, not a cause. In the past decade, more people have been slaughtered and tortured by others for “secular” ideals such as “freedom” or “democracy” than any of these particular terrorists could’ve hoped to achieve.

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Linda Beckman

The sentence I like best here is “Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect.” Religion is a powerful idea, and it means a lot to many people. It offers comfort in a harsh world, and I would never fail to respect those who are tolerant of the unreligious though religious themselves. Why people think and feel as they do–is in my eyes the essence of civilization. And so the attack on Charlie Hebdo, a satiric magazine, is an assault a major assault on freedom of thought and feeling.

Reply to this comment
Linda Beckman

Religion is a powerful idea, and it means a lot to many people. It offers comfort in a harsh world, and we should never fail to respect those who though religious themselves are tolerant of the unreligious. Being interested in why people think and feel as they do is in my eyes the essence of civilization. And so the attack on Charlie Hebdo, a satiric magazine, is a major assault on freedom of thought and feeling.

Reply to this comment
Alain NORDET

As a retired journalist, I agree totally your point of view about religions, the main risponsible of wars and stupidity along centuries all over the world !

Reply to this comment
Paul

ABSOLUTELY. We MUST uphold freedom of thought and expression. And we must also take measures to ensure and guarantee the ability to do so safely. What on earth are these people thinking??

Reply to this comment
David Philpot

Today’s massacre was an assault on freedom of thought and reason everywhere. Fundamentalism is a threat in all it’s forms and must be rooted out from civil society and relegated to the garbage heap of history.

Reply to this comment
John nAllsop

Appeasement. Australian context.
The barbarous Charlie Hebdo murders indicate that radical Islam represents the pinnacle of intolerance and appeasement is a laughable option for any democratic state. Our previously harmonious multicultural society will not be restored by political correctness that promulgates the idea that because the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful the underlying problem is not the Koran at least as understood by radical Islamists.
No religion warrants gratuitous insults but bloodshed over contesting God’s existence and how He/She might want us to conduct ourselves is even less acceptable. The vast numbers of non radical Muslims can only fully dissociate themselves from the isolated radical elements if they are willing to unequivocally declare that written or pictorial insults to the prophet Mohamed can never justify the murder of the originator or propagator of such insults.
Will Hizb ut-tahrir give such an undertaking? Will every mosque in the country promulgate the right of non Muslims who insult their religion to live without threats of violence or death? If such an undertaking is a bridge to far then I suggest such individuals relocate to a theocracy of their choosing.

Reply to this comment
Al

We are all Charlie. Hey world, no more try to deny brutality of Muhammed solders. No more compromising with the islamists for economy reasons.

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Ashlley Morgan - Shae

Charlie

Charlie was a Peanut goof-ball
The comic kid
– too smart to grow up
– too true to be good

Charlie was a dance,
flapper shaking skirts
– too sexy to be chaste
– too wild to be kept

Charlie was a Checkpoint
do or die pass
– too tight to stay standing
– too hard to forget

Charlie was a chocolate
luck of the drawer
– too much story to let go
– too bent to be blue

Charlie was a horse, with a stiff leg
Charlie, Victor was Viet-Cong
Charley can be both a boy and a girl
Charlie Chaplin was romantic fall-over
Charlie was the Tramp
Charlie was a lover

Charlie was a magazine
where sacred is not scared
– ammo was the pen
– line-art sustains our heart

Ashlley Morgan – Shae Melbourne, Australia

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Ashlley Morgan - Shae

Charlie

Charlie was a Peanut goof-ball
The comic kid
– too smart to grow up
– too true to be good

Charlie was a dance,
flapper shaking skirts
– too sexy to be chaste
– too wild to be kept

Charlie was a Checkpoint
do or die pass
– too tight to stay standing
– too hard to forget

Charlie was a chocolate
luck of the drawer
– too much story to let go
– too bent to be blue

Charlie was a horse, with a stiff leg
Charlie, Victor was Viet-Cong
Charley can be both a boy and a girl
Charlie Chaplin was romantic fall-over
Charlie was the Tramp
Charlie was a lover

Charlie was a magazine
where sacred is not scared
– ammo was the pen
– line-art sustains our heart

Ashlley Morgan – Shae Melbourne, Australia

Reply to this comment
Krishna Pachegonker

If a cartoon threatens a religion , then it must be worthless or fragile one! Sir, you had to suffer a hell for speaking truth & your espousal of free speech made us bold enough in india to face jingoism of the saffron forces!

Reply to this comment
Heribert Süttmann

I condemn the religion-linked terrorist attack in Paris as well. Je suis Charlie Hebdo. And also I condemn that Salman Rushdie is threatend by death linked to religious argumentation. In the diction of today I am Salman Rushdie.
For the background, that my mother was threatend by death through atheists (the NS-State was an atheistic state, true?) on the fact, that she suffered on shizophrenia in Nazi-Germany, I ask back: Are the Human rights also ideas who derserve our fearless criticism?

The background of my question is, that Mr. Cameron argued in this way, and the UKIP-Party may come into power in the UK, the Front National in France and so on and so on: The Social-Darwinism is still the dominating ideology in Europe and all over the world up to today. To the hell with the weak, the ill subjects, that is in a latent matter the common ruling ideology, which has the potential, to become again the official civil-religious, state-executed ideology as well.

We are far away from including the CRPD (what’s that? – google it …) into the constitution.

Ofcause also the Islam has to quit it’s approach to be the upcoming world-order. And we should not heat our houses, drive our cars, sell our weapons to IS-States like Saudi-Arabia. (But who cares on that …?)

But the key-question, as I am convinced, is, whether the mankind is accepting the human rights system or not. Facing the way, how Europe and Germany are dealing with the Nazi-Euthanasia up to now, and how they are excluding weak, ill and old persons, persons with disabilities form participation on the society, I am doubting, on which side is Europe coming to stand.

The sentence of Primo Levi on the Nazi-crimes is still true: It happened, so it can happen again.

Rushdie refused in his statement, to mention the authority of the human rights. Although it is a fact, that the islamic states are puting the human right’s treaties under the highest authority of the sharia. Why did he so?

And here are beginning the problems. Based on a kind of unclearness in the answer on the question: Human rights or barbary.

Greetings to Great Brtiain!

Heribert Süttmann
Berlin, Germany

PS: Please stay a member within the EU, for leaving it will solve no problem at all, but make a couple of new ones.

Reply to this comment
Gerald Lane

I totally agree with Salman Rushdie. Religion is being turnedinto a vessel for hatred instead what it is meant to be which is LOVE.

Reply to this comment
ARY NISENBAUM

This ominous crime belongs to an extended range of actions aimed at the islamization of the occidental civilization by radicals. Even if only 1 per cent of the 2 billion muslims are radicals and from these 20 million only one per cent againa are terrorists, we still have 200 thousand terrorists on duty in the world.

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George Red

Ary: You make a common mistake, believing that there are 1% of 1% that are terrorists. There are much fewer that have the mindset making it possible to do a crime like this – and there are even fewer who have the knowhow and practical capability to actually set it up.

Another error in your text above is that there are some sort of “islamization” going on. This is of course not true, and you can see how obvious it is that this is false by the fact that most muslims that has come into the European Union the last few years are escaping the forces that makes the terror possible. The muslims that end up in western societies come here for protection – not to make your life miserable. Help them, don´t antagonize them, and the ground for terror is removed…

Reply to this comment
Brajen Deka

How can such a complex phenomenon be simplified to mere statistics? No body would have cared about the so called radical Islam without their modern weaponry. How all these modern weaponry finding its way from the western factories to the terrorists? No woman of Afghanistan would have cared the dictates of the Taliban if the Taliban is only with his ideals and no guns.

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Incitement

One might as well say if only 20 per cent of Israelis support the occupation of land not assigned to them, and only 1 per cent of them are willing to take up arms to oppose repeated UN resolutions for their withdrawal, that adds x terrorists to the 200,000. Such formulae are not only unhelpful but give comfort to those who deny the contributions of all cultures to our global civilisation. Muslims and Jews trace their religions to an oriental civilisation (not an occidental one) and there are nothing like 2 billion Muslims in the world (far closer to 1 billion). Let’s stick to facts, and the too-easy extension of the word ‘terrorist’ to cover people who’ve never raised a sword, or fired a gun, in anger. The cause of peace demands we be more scrupulous.

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Je suis Charlie – I support Charlie Hebdo | Naveen Jetty

[…] Religion, a mediaeval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms. This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today. I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. ‘Respect for religion’ has become a code phrase meaning ‘fear of religion.’ Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect. – Salman Rushdie […]

Reply to this comment
BUTCH

Be nice to the atheist,
and remind him that he was not an accident.

How to make a short work of a theory.

If the atheist ever considers going to a church here’s another warning to think about. Be careful with some of the doctrines you hear. I’ve even heard some that try to make a monkey out of you.
Evolution has said that man evolved from an ape, really. Was he full grown or a baby?

Then who nurtured the little baby? Because that would of also taken a Divine intervention. Sometimes a verbal rebellion reveals an inner longing to know.
If the atheist ever wakes up in the morning feeling thankful who does he give thanks to? Sometimes common sense doesn’t seem to be to common among common people. Why go thru life as an object lesson. Unless you’re like a piece of coal. Evolution pretends to explain what it cannot prove. And no I’ve never had the mind of an atheist.

And if I were to mention the word intellect, you should know that’s also a gift. Another is an intense mental application to study the, WORD.

Allowing ignorance to go on to long is another form of child abuse, like hypocrisy. Does an atheist think the congregation has been deceived, duped and even taken advantage of ? I wonder how many books he bought, that don’t even offer any HOPE!

And what happens when all those readers realize that money was be-hind it all? Take a look around you everything you see was made or created by someone. And that is easier to believe than what evolution has tried to sale or sell, some of you. Do you have a dictionary???

How fast could you define the theory of evolution? I’ll share something I heard. Write down all the words you can think of. Then take all those words and wrap them around some explosive. After the boom see if you have a dictionary. That’s fast AY? I liked that one too.

Keep playing dumb and you may end up looking like a fool. Let the church think about that. Not worth the risk just to sell another book. Why would anyone waste time investigating a religion that leads to know—-where ?

Why dawdle the day away with such books. And yes dawdle is a word, dawk is not, scavenge is a word and so is undesirable. A lack of knowledge could make you an easy target. And If the targeted audience is ignorance how much is the applause worth?

Have you ever noticed that during discussions of the foolish theory of evolution you never here words like love or thankful, so I won’t mention compassion. Let the atheist read, JOB 38-1— I wonder if the atheist would be open to a more convincing love ?

Maybe a mind filled experience. Shouldn’t an intelligent atheist be able to control his thoughts ? And say woe to the storms? Let’s wait and see? And people who go thru life blindly should be very careful with their next step.

OK lets make an appeal to common sense. Let’s think about the first baby ape the you and your like minded friends believe that just appeared on the face of the earth.

As it began too develop into that little baby who took the time to feed and nurture it till it was able to care for itself ? That too would of taken a divine intervention .

Where are the sensible people? MATT 7:26 It’s Better to listen to silent covert warnings or you could wait for the mindful and physical ones. And here’s something to be mindful of.

The physical ones usually heal it’s the mindful ones that you can’t do anything about. Some have reached for a pill to avoid the mindful ones.

But that usually seals their fate unless they find healing.
You probably know many who didn’t find that. And now you realize how important a name is.

If you avoid the name, who brings the healing. Two key words to healing, prayer and patients, and how much help do you need from the doctor ?

How much do you depend on the necessary foods of mortals?
Ben Sirach(Ecclesiasticus )38: 1-15 And remember all I do is share a warning your experiences good or bad are usually the results of your choices.

And you should be very grateful you still have time to reconsider your choice.
Wisdom of Solomon 13 : 1

How many think it was the monkey that sat on the egg ?
Some scientist would like you to believe a group of educated modern day apes. Then there are people who think that were better and smarter than that.

And did you know that not to long ago scientist found springs at the bottom of the oceans ? Now they would have known that sooner if they had read the Book of JOB 38;16 Genesis 7;11- 8;2

If you have a Strong’s Exhaustive concordance look up the words springs and fountains.

And what about the lightning ?? Not to long ago they discovered how that works also. But the Book of JOB revealed that also. JOB 37;14-16
Do you know who inspired the writers of those books ? I do , I spoke to him this morning.

And there are others who need help, check out, Open Your White Umbrella | The White Umbrella Campaign and , Blitz the trafficker org (Inspire one to reach one)
And something to keep in mind ! When seeking the GOD of compassion JESUS we need to have a heart of humility. And everyone thoughtful and loves life holds him in AWE. Or you’re living a life that’s unpredictable. More about that later.

And before giving a thumbs up or down you may want to wait for the next comment. Or Click on user name and read it before I post it.

And, A song for the atheist ,

Newsong – Can’t Keep A Good Man Down – YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnUvnx7NtE8

What is fatalism ? A view that undermines personal responsibility

How many go thru life leading the blind to a pit ?
Then try covering it up by playing dumb.

So how many go thru life playing a part.
Playing dumb.

And what little did you settle for, then give the kids a kiss,

on the cheek. Why would any child have reason to question the kiss on the cheek ?

Now if someone doesent feed that little baby it will die ,
right along with the theory of evolution. 

Reply to this comment
Dag Wahlfridsson

Unfortunately, among the good and peaceful ideas Islam also contains some highly toxic ideas that are mutagenic.
As long as people promote them, this will continue to happen..

Reply to this comment
Raghda

You can’t judge Islam by people’s actions, judge the person not the whole religion. We’ve never judge Christians or anything like that, so u need to know that Islam is a peaceful religion and very respectful to other and it prohibits terrorism and we r against terrorists

Reply to this comment
Shanika

It is people (mainly fanatics) that use religion as a false justification for hatred and harm. Terrorists use it as an false excuse to harm others in the name of The Father. This message, unfortunately, compliments it by its condemnation on religion. I do not like when people use religion to justify wanting to cause fear and hurt either. But it is also it is not acceptable to insult others who use religion for their peaceful, spiritual beliefs. I’m very sad for what has happened. But anger and hate will just bring more of it. The people who want to hurt others for personal satisfaction should be punished. But do not take the anger out on those who use their religion for peace.

Reply to this comment
Thom Kennedy

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from criticism. Charlie Hebdo has published some blatantly racist material. That bein said, criticism should not encompass thge execution or maiming of those being criticized

Reply to this comment
lucky

Okay.
Let’s take religion off the table
as far as ‘the reason’ for the murders of journalists.

We’ll take all belief in God off the table.

Of course
religious indoctrination
has never
caused
one person
to murder
another!

Let’s agree to that premise,
even though it’s not true,
and move on.

Citizens of a secular DEMOCRACY
were murdered
in cold blood
by accusers of BLASPHEMY.

This is a clash of governing values.

Secular democracy? Or Sharia Law?
Court system? Or fatwah?
Voting? Or endless coup?

Reply to this comment
Bob Waterhouse

Please, Mr. Rushdie, be a little less absolute and one-sided. Yes, religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and our fearless disrespect. But only where they are at fault, as they are, for example, in today’s lamentable cases of religious totalitarian violence (including the fatwa against you.)
You allow that these represent a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam, thus acknowledging that there is more to this religion (and all other religions?) than these awful happenings. Of course this is true – religions also embody an immense amount carefully pondered and humane teachings that deserve huge admiration and respect.

Religions are not just a mediaeval form of unreason: much of the unreason, if it is that, comes from still earlier times. Medieval clerics added much that is positive, and overall the major faiths are a large part of humanity’s attempts to understand itself and the world we live in. As Ary Nisenbaum points out by default, many more than 19 billion Muslims are NOT terrorists, and if you include all religions, the number of non-violent believers is immense. Their views surely still deserve tolerance and respect.
Violence and barbarism have their roots not in belief systems, but in primitive human impulses like greed, fear, and the hunger for identity and respect – which religions by and large respond to with humanity and understanding. Attacking religion in general, and the Muslim faith in particular, is surely both illogical and inhumane, and in the end could be against everybody’s interests.

Reply to this comment
John Exdell

I follow your logic. But you underestimate the problem. Consider, if only 1 percent of the 6,000,000 Israeli Jews are terrorists, we have 60,000 more terrorists on duty in the world. Even worse, if only 1 percent of Americans are terrorists, that means another 3 million terrorists are on duty. We’re counting everyone, babies included, right? But there is a ray of hope!. Israel and the United States could join the International Criminal Court and submit to its judgment about thing like torture and terror — once the ICC is finished prosecuting all those African terrorists. And indeed how many Africans are terrorists if only 1% of all Africans are terrorists? And let’s not forget about the Saudis…

Reply to this comment
niah richards

I keep waiting for the spontaneous response from the Muslim leaders that addresses directly what is happening!–any acknowledgement that there is a problem in Islam!!.There is none just a silence.The reminders that the majority of Muslims are peaceful and tolerant are coming from the Non-Muslim community.
Why is Islam not owning what is happening here?We have to live side-by-side on a daily basis as if nothing is happening–it is a schizophrenic situation.

Reply to this comment
michael

“Religion” ? Religion? The first word belies his underlying worldview! Lumping the religious together will serve only one ultimate purpose. Marginalization of ALL “belivers” in anything other than a secular higher power called government.

Reply to this comment
Claes Lundin

Thank You, Thank You Mr Rushdie, at last a man who speaks out, and speaks the truth, Thank you again, for putting religion where it should be, insignificant to the public, and something to be kept private and anonymous. Perhaps you could come to Sweden and explain this to them, the most cowardly people on earth! During june we have something called Almedalen, thats when all the politicians, swedish”journalists” and “swedish” business get togehter on the island Gotland. Invite yourself to this event and make sure to speak these words of wisdom to those ignorant people who is there. I just realized that your surname has a funny meaning to it, rush (to) die….. Never mind just laugh it off. Be safe and absolotley not silent!

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Zerowaster

I am sympathetic to Rushdie’s comments and to most of the somber comments on the events in France but they seem to me to all be off the mark and premature. I ask the question: what will the world of radical Islam look like when the West stops relying on worldwide terror against Muslims. With all respect for the deaths of these journalists, how can we forget the horrors that Muslims throughout the Middle East have been and are subjected to on a daily basis. These killers didn’t start it (nor did they finish it) but why is it surprising that with thousands and tens of thousands of their friends and families blown apart by Western bombs and torture and drones (you know what is happening) that they react with similar violence? Can you expect Muslims to be saints in the face of such vitriol as the West dishes out? The US could probably end all of these kinds of events by buying electricity plants and water plants instead of bombs. It would be cheap to pay a living wage for a few years to all of the displaced and suffering Iraquis and Afghans. ISIS would fade away, radical acts would be much ameliorated, peaceful relations would be a lot closer. But Western gov’ts refuse to change. Why? Ask yourself that question. Who benefits from violence and killings?

Reply to this comment
Bob Waterhouse

ON A RE-READ, MY COMMENT ABOVE COULD BE IMPROVED — I’D LIKE TO SUBMIT INSTEAD THE FOLLOWING EDITED VERSION:

Please, Mr. Rushdie, be a little less absolute and one-sided. Yes, religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and our fearless disrespect. But only where they are at fault, as they are, for example, in today’s lamentable cases of religious totalitarian violence (including the fatwa against you.)

You allow that these represent a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam, thus acknowledging that there is more to this religion (and all other religions?) than these awful happenings. Of course this is true – religions also embody an immense amount carefully pondered and humane teachings that deserve huge admiration and respect.

Religions are not just a mediaeval form of unreason. First, much of what may seem unreasonable comes from far earlier times. And second, medieval clerics and later religious thinkers have added a vast body of positive philosophical analysis and exploration. Overall, the major faiths are a large part of humanity’s attempts to understand itself and the world we live in. As Ary Nisenbaum points out by default, many more than 19 billion Muslims are NOT terrorists, and if you include all religions, the number of non-violent believers is immense. Their views surely still deserve tolerance and respect.

Violence and barbarism have their roots not in belief systems, but in primitive human impulses like greed, fear, and the hunger for identity and respect – which religions by and large respond to with humanity and understanding. Attacking religion in general, and the Muslim faith in particular, seems both illogical and inhumane. In the end, it could be against everybody’s interests.

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Esceptica | Johnny, ¡la gente está muy loca! El caso de Charlie Hebdo

[…] “La religión, una forma medieval de insensatez, cuando combinada con armas modernas se convierte en una amenaza real para nuestras libertades. Este totalitarismo religioso ha causado una mutación mortal en el corazón del Islam y hoy vemos las trágicas consecuencias en París. Yo apoyo a Charlie Hebdo, como todos deberíamos, para defender el arte de la sátira, que siempre ha sido una fuerza por la libertad y contra la tiranía, deshonestidad y estupidez. “Respeto por la religión” se ha vuelto una frase en clave que significa “Miedo a la religión”.” Salman Rushdie por el ataque de ayer (la traducción del original es mía) […]

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Post-Charlie Hebdo: Freedom and its Discontents | The Clyde Fitch Report

[…] “Allahu Akbar,” the Arabic phrase defined as “God is great” or “God is greater,” was the lethal bit of nonsense snarled from the mouths of the Paris murderers as they gunned down satirists and supermarket shoppers last week with Islam on their minds. And now as our collective grief gives way to rumination and debate, the case for free speech and its most obvious corollary, the freedom to offend, has never been greater. And that means it’s time for another sit-down with the likes of Voltaire, Orwell and Chomsky. At the very least, let’s begin with a tweeted message by Salman Rushdie: […]

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jatewllt

”As a Muslim, it’s forbidden to kill innocent people.
Therefore I say it wasn’t absolutely right.”

Weasel words. It was either right or wrong. Why must you couch your language? Explain yourself. BTW, can you educate us about what Fake Muslim is? And remember, I don’t believe in any god (including allah), so the day of judgement is meaningless to me.

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