[mukto-mona] A pen-'n-ink cat, and then a toy bear

     This disease of "hurt religious feelings" has reached epidemic proportion in the Muslim world. Where, when and why was this infectious germ introduced in our midst? 

 

           I make a distinction between the outbursts against Md. Cat/Md Teddy and against an author like T. Nasreen. We cannot demand human rights of a cartooned cat and a stuffed Teddy and protest against their violations. We cannot even claim that their animal rights are being violated.

 

        The Politics of Cultural Assault is made of such stuff (or stuffed ego in case of Ms Nasreen).

          

          I do see a similarity between a fundamentalist and Nasreen. They are both opportunists utterly dependent on Islam and Muslims for advancing their careers.

 

          A chuckle for the clamoring Bangladeshis shaming Kolkata for not being secular enough. How about you secular guys cowering in the face of your own fundos and being totally ineffectual against your own govt.'s decision to exile T. Nasreen from her own country?

 

         Nasreen should be able to return to Bangladesh without harassment from the Jammati thugs. Period.

 

          Regards.

 

          Farida Majid

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7112929.stm

 

'Muhammad' teddy teacher arrested

 

She is lucky to be still alive so far!

 

A British schoolteacher has been arrested in Sudan accused of insulting Islam's Prophet, after she allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad.

 

Colleagues of Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, said she made an "innocent mistake" by letting the six and seven-year-olds choose the name.

Ms Gibbons was arrested after several parents made complaints.

The BBC has learned the charge could lead to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine.

Officials from the British embassy in Khartoum are expected to visit Ms Gibbons in custody later.

"We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited the teacher and she is in a good condition," an embassy spokesman said.

The spokesman said the naming of the teddy happened months ago and was chosen by the children because it is a common name in the country.

"This happened in September and the parents did not have a problem with it," he said.

'Very sensitive'

The school has been closed until January for fear of reprisals.

 

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 A Pakistani cyber friend remarks:

 

If naming lifeless Teddy bear Muhammad is punishable by arrest then all those gamblers,thugs and thieves named Muhammed in the entire Muslim world ( and there would be millions) should be imprisoned  for blasphemy.

 

Saleem Mir

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Sign the Petition : Release the Arrested University Teachers Immediately : An Appeal to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh

http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/university_teachers_arrest.htm

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Daily Star publishes an interview with Mukto-Mona
http://www.mukto-mona.com/news/daily_star/daily_star_MM.pdf

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MM site is blocked in Islamic countries such as UAE. Members of those theocratic states, kindly use any proxy (such as http://proxy.org/) to access mukto-mona.

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Mukto-Mona Celebrates 5th Anniversary
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/5_yrs_anniv/index.htm

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Mukto-Mona Celebrates Earth Day:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Earth_day2006/index.htm

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Kansat Uprising : A Special Page from Mukto-Mona 
http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/kansat2006/members/


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MM Project : Grand assembly of local freedom fighters at Raumari
http://www.mukto-mona.com/project/Roumari/freedom_fighters_union300306.htm

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German Bangla Radio Interviews Mukto-Mona Members:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Darwin_day/german_radio/


Mukto-Mona Celebrates Darwin Day:

http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Darwin_day/index.htm

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               -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190

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