Lord Ahmed, the Muslim MP quoted complaining about discrimination against Muslims in the UK, is a rather discriminating person himself, in his own way. In his case, the discrimination he displays looks to be more about whether or not Salman Rushdie ought to be able to retain his life:
TWO Labour Asian peers called yesterday for Salman Rushdie to be stripped of police protection, claiming that he was obsessed with self-publicity to the point of flaunting his new relationship with a model.
They said it was time Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, removed the round-the-clock Special Branch protection that Mr Rushdie still received, which is estimated to cost taxpayers up to £1 million a year. Lord Ahmed and Lady Uddin, both Muslims, said the author of The Satanic Verses was hooked on publicity "whether it's with a model or saying his life is in danger" and the money would be better spent providing more police for everyone else.
Lord Ahmed said: "It is debatable whether Mr Rushdie should still receive protection, bearing in mind the amount of money he earns. Do we pay for all important people in private industry to receive police protection because they may be the target of criminals? And that is what Salman Rushdie is in, private industry."
His comments were endorsed by Lady Uddin who said Mr Rushdie was too ungrateful. She said: "Public money should be used for someone who is grateful. We should not pay for this protection when he has so little gratitude. It is a mockery of democracy."
Mr Rushdie, who is currently in London, said he was "furious" at the remarks, not least at claims that taxpayers were funding Special Branch protection when he was abroad as well as in London. He said that it was the police who insisted on protection in Britain, not himself.
"I find the police protection frustrating too," he said, adding that he was in constant talks with the authorities about the necessity for it and the feasibility of normal life being restored. He said he had always paid the cost of living in different safe houses and felt "extremely maligned". He was still a British citizen, paying 40 per cent tax, and Britain was probably "in profit" at the end of the day as a result of the amount he handed over to the Treasury.
Mr Rushdie, 53, was criticised for spending a lot of time in New York. He has had protection since a fatwa was imposed on him in 1989 for blasphemy by the Ayatollah Khomeini following the publication of The Satanic Verses. The fatwa was lifted two years ago. The Japanese translator of the book was killed by a hit squad and the Italian translator and the Norwegian publisher have been seriously wounded.
3 comments:
Fine (for the most part) interview with Rushdie over on LGF from Saturday (you have to scroll down about and inch and a half). Read it all, it's worth it.
We better pay attention to Rushdie.[ Patience, this IS on topic.]
Nuke basics. Nuke? Just a matter of time!.
OK. So you think the possibility is remote, and that*s allowed in a free world with rose colored glasses. Learning how to protect yourself against radiation or gas/germ warfare sicknesses can only be of any use if it is done before the surprise arrives.
Consider it amusing recreational reading, much as reading blog sites.
I do renovations when I*m in the mood. That means old paint removal for which I have a filtered face mask to guard my lungs. Never scrape, blow-torch or powersand old paint without lung protection.
With a certain p-95 filter cartridge, that mask offers some defense against many war agents and gases. I keep it in a zip-lock bag.
Not very expensive. From $22 to $59 or so at any contractor tools store. Neoprene rubber long cuff gloves and high rubber boots are useful items that could have life saving value someday.
These are just a few common-sense things worth having, just as a fire extinguisher can be handy.
The power of free enterprise motivates some people to provide us with great information in the hope of making sales. Like:
Ki4U.com
Great information for survivors. = TG
PS. Have you checked GlennBeck.com or the SOLID Salmon Rushdi ?
How about they divert the funds from that fucking stupid mosque they are planning in the east end that will likely never get past planning and use it to invest in social housing in Londons pooorest area - assuming they are really THAT bothered.
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