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A. Pedant

 
How to respond to Khartoum

Here's the slightly edited text of a letter I've just sent to my MP

Whatever the government does to express its disapproval at the disgraceful treatment of Gillian Gibbons, one measure would be easy and effective: repeal the blasphemy laws, immediately . This would send a strong message about how civilised nations behave. It would provide a level playing field for all religions and, incidentally, undermine any attempted prosecution of 'Jerry Springer - The Opera'.

Nearly ten years ago, foreseeing how the iniquity (protection of Christianity) might play with UK Mohammedans, I wrote to you with a similar suggestion. You passed my letter on to the late Robin Cook whose anodyne answer amounted to 'It's all a matter of opinion'.

No it isn't; it's a matter of logic.

The repeal of blasphemy legislation, never (I hope) likely to be used successfully in the future, would send a powerful signal that, while we value diversity, secular democracies do not rely on medieval or dark age legislation to protect religious sensibilities.

This could be done even before Gillian Gibbons is back in the UK and the launch of metaphorical cruise missiles against the appalling Khartoum administration begins.

Please deal with this as a matter of urgency!

I wonder if this will fall upon deaf ears or become buried in the sleaze pile.

Labels: Gibbons Khartoum prison sharia blasphemy teddy

posted by josh at 12:02 pm