speech and respect - College of Social Sciences and International ...

The Satanic Verses
serious literature, in a world of dwindling certainties and chokedup
ecologies, is the absolute we must defend. 42
British politicians also felt compelled to intervene. When Sayyid
Abdul Quddus, secretary of the Council of Mosques, boasted that
"members of our religion throughout the country have sworn to
carry out the Ayatollah's wishes should the opportunity arise,"
Conservative MP Terry Dicks demanded his deportation (although
Quddus was a citizen). Roy Jenkins regretted that the government
had not "been more cautious about allowing ... in the 1950s,
substantial Muslim communities [to come] here." The Home Secretary
told Birmingham Muslims: "no ethnic or religious minority is
likely to thrive in this country if it seeks to isolate itself from the
mainstream of British life," which a tabloid headline promptly
translated into the command: "Behave like British, or don't live
here." John Townsend, Conservative MP for Bridlington, concurred:
"when Muslims say they cannot live in a country where Salman
Rushdie is free to express his views, they should be told they have the
answer in their own hands—go back from whence you came."
Home Office Minister of State John Patten wrote an open letter
reminding Muslim leaders of their obligation to live harmoniously in
a multi-cultural Britain. 43
Divisions deepened within and between countries. Imam Bukhari
of a Delhi mosque and the Mufti of the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem
endorsed the fatwa. Ahmed Jebril of the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine-General Command offered to execute it. But
Dr. Tantawi, the Cairo mufti and grand sheikh, condemned Khomeini,
and Egyptian Interior Minister General Zaki Badr raised the
ante by calling the Ayatollah a dog and a pig. When a Saudi Arabian
Imam showed lenience toward Rushdie on Belgian television, he
and his Tunisian aide were assassinated. 44
The struggle within Britain was replayed on the Continent, if at
lower intensity. The twelve European Community foreign ministers
denounced the fatwa and imposed diplomatic sanctions on Iran; the
United States, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Norway and Brazil
promptly followed suit. Iran recalled all its diplomats from Europe. A
thousand Muslims demonstrated in Paris, prompting SOS Racisme to
organise an equally large counterdemonstration against fundamentalist
extremism. Paris Mayor Jacques Chirac denounced those
threatening Rushdie and his publishers: "If they are French they
need to be pursued; if they are foreigners, they should be expelled."
Neo-fascist politician Jean-Marie Le Pen welcomed this fuel for racist
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