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Death Over a Teddy Bear!??!

Reader comment on item: Not Child's Play: The Teddy-Bear Intifada

Submitted by gary fouse (United States), Dec 4, 2007 at 23:35

This week's events in Sudan really have to make the rest of the world shake their heads in wonder. A 54-year-old British teacher, Gillian Gibbons, who had recently arrived in Sudan, has been arrested by Sudanese authorities. Her crime? It seems that as part of her lessons on bears to her class of 7-year olds, she had the pupils bring in teddy bears to class. As part of the lesson, the children were asked to choose names for the teddy bears. The children chose the name, Mohammed for one bear, and all hell broke loose. It seems that naming a teddy bear Mohammed is an insult against Islam. Accordingly, Ms Gibbons has been arrested and charged for blasphemy- or whatever they call it.

During the ensuing diplomatic crisis between Sudan and Britain, it was reported that the unfortunate lady was facing a maximum punishment of 6 months in prison, plus 40 lashes! Apparently, diplomatic efforts have paid off (to some extent). Ms Gibbons has been sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation.

Not content to leave well enough alone in the face of world-wide shock, the Sudanese have in the past 24 hours carried out a massive demonstration in the heart of beautiful downtown Khartoum-demanding the execution of the British lady as just punishment for insulting Islam. Of course, it should be pointed out that such a demonstration in Sudan (which is under dictatorial rule) would not be possible without the consent-if not the direction of the government. So now the world is treated to the usual scene of outraged Muslim mobs in the streets shouting "Death to All!" (or something like that).

First of all, what kind of country is this Sudan, where a 54-year-old woman would even have to spend 15 days in jail for such an "offense"? Well, for starters, this is the same Sudan where a quarter of a million people have been slaughtered in the Darfur region by killers supported by the government-an atrocity that continues as we speak. This is one of the most odious regimes in the world today.

Then we must ask: what kind of mentality leads people to demand death for naming a teddy bear Mohammed? How about a barbaric 7th Century mentality?

I am not a Brit, but if I were, I would be demanding that my government break off relations and all aid to such a nation. This is not the first outrage that the UK has swallowed at the hands of a 4th rate banana republic. Remember Idi Amin's Uganda? Remember the murder of a British policewoman by riflefire from the Libyan Embassy in London? Remember the British sailors held hostage by Iran? Whatever happened to the Britain of Margaret Thatcher? I remember when Argentina seized the Falkland Islands from the Brits, and Thatcher sent in the troops to take them back by force. Sadly, the Brits are bending over backwards to placate radical Islam-even in their own country.

And what about the so-called moderate Muslims? Why aren't other Muslim governments speaking out against their Sudanese brethren for bringing further embarassment to Islam? Are British Muslims demonstrating against the Sudanese treatment of a British subject in the name of Islam? Well, probably not since they prefer to wave banners reading, "Behead those who insult Islam!"

Frankly, I am up to here with the sight of Muslim mobs all over the world jumping up and down, shaking their fists, burning other nations' flags and demanding death to people they don't like. It is high time that Muslims join the 21st Century and start acting like civilized people instead of 7th Century barbarians. As for the so-called moderate Muslims, it is past time to stand up to the crazies and re-establish Islam as a religion worthy of respect.

As for Ms Gibbons, I pray for her safe return back to civilization. Sudan does not deserve the help of people like her. Her experience should be a lesson to other westerners who feel compelled to go and serve people who don't appreciate it.

gary fouse

Submitting....

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Reader comments (51) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
bumper sticker (will riot over anything) [33 words]gemNov 26, 2010 15:21180498
The true threat of the real truth of Sharia [197 words]Ann BealMar 4, 2008 05:12121693
Ibrahim Hooper Statement " in support" of Gibbons. [573 words]YnnatchkahDec 11, 2007 03:06116007
Double Standard? [155 words]ZainDec 6, 2007 10:49115822
Not Child's Play: The Teddy BearsIntifada [60 words]S.C.PandaDec 6, 2007 03:29115809
Muslim Teacher Vs Non-Muslim Teacher [167 words]Iftikhar AhmadDec 5, 2007 17:48115781
Ahmad and the Teddy Bear [225 words]Arlinda DeAngelisDec 5, 2007 21:49115781
Death Over a Teddy Bear!??! [675 words]gary fouseDec 4, 2007 23:35115741
THE PROBLEM IS ISLAM [689 words]Geno M.Dec 4, 2007 20:44115736
Poor animal [58 words]ab, from GermanyDec 4, 2007 13:35115716
In support of Teddy Dear... [133 words]Jagmohan Singh KhurmiDec 4, 2007 12:49115712
Couldn't say it better Mr. Khurmi [15 words]Leo, MontrealDec 5, 2007 03:36115712
Bullying [24 words]S A KapadiaDec 4, 2007 06:08115693
Teddy Bear Intifada - or outright jihad? [229 words]MauiceDec 4, 2007 03:37115689
Moslems bully a sweetie [82 words]Ron TaylorDec 4, 2007 02:38115687
Divisions within a monolith [160 words]David W. LincolnDec 3, 2007 22:46115680
Teddy bear affair [180 words]Barry GoldbergDec 3, 2007 21:58115676
Let's kill for a Teddy Bear [128 words]Arlinda DeAngelisDec 3, 2007 21:49115675
Islam is the source [144 words]f.shaDec 3, 2007 21:47115674
Amen !! [131 words]JaladhiDec 5, 2007 13:12115674
western liberals play [51 words]infosifterDec 3, 2007 17:38115664
comment made by gibbons after being "pardoned" by the President of Sudan [59 words]Rae SharfmanDec 3, 2007 17:34115663
Why not? [60 words]ab, from GermanyDec 4, 2007 13:50115663
Why is no one really very angry? [206 words]Gloria StewartDec 3, 2007 17:26115661
Where is moderate muslim?? [125 words]OlieDec 3, 2007 17:11115659
intolerance of Islam [170 words]Rebecca MouldsDec 3, 2007 16:47115657
Teddy bear affair. [142 words]Janusz KowalikDec 3, 2007 16:38115656
"At this point, the only Western option is containment" [61 words]Charles MartelDec 4, 2007 12:21115656
MPD [146 words]DONVANDec 3, 2007 16:37115655
Abbreviation [12 words]S A KapadiaDec 4, 2007 06:00115655
Muhammad has been deified [313 words]Andrew StunichDec 3, 2007 16:03115653
Religion Of Peace [18 words]orange yonasonDec 3, 2007 15:54115650
1The story of 3 dogs named Moses, Jesus, and Mohamed [430 words]JosephDec 3, 2007 14:38115645
The Degenerate Depths Of Despair [82 words]Seamus MacNemiDec 3, 2007 14:34115644
The West's Greatest Challenge [82 words]GWKDec 3, 2007 14:18115642
There's no Freedom of Religion, if there's no Freedom of Speech! [224 words]lulandoDec 3, 2007 14:13115641
the bears real name is TEDDY [14 words]Leo SolomonDec 3, 2007 13:46115638
Religion of Peace NOT [30 words]JoeDec 3, 2007 13:35115636
NAMING OF TEDDY BEAR MOHAMMED [109 words]JACQUES HADIDADec 3, 2007 13:28115635
The saddest thing is, she is in real danger even back in Britain [37 words]Charles MartelDec 3, 2007 13:22115633
Islam and Basic Human Rights [31 words]Tony CostaDec 3, 2007 13:04115632
Why are Western Muslims silent? [42 words]Tony CostaDec 3, 2007 19:58115632
"Islamic" Human Rights ARE Different From Other Human Rights! [22 words]GWKDec 3, 2007 22:20115632
Response to Teddy Bear riots. [33 words]Walter E. WallisDec 3, 2007 13:02115631
...freedom of what? [158 words]SonDec 3, 2007 12:39115630
There was no intent to insult; only to teach [428 words]HJSDec 3, 2007 12:24115628
Faith and Force are inseperable [255 words]Ralph C Whaley MDDec 3, 2007 12:18115627
"Is faith in the omnicompetence of reason reasonable?" [377 words]Lactantius Jr.Dec 13, 2007 11:48115627
Teddy-Bear Intifada - Hypocritical and Hyper-Sensitive Muslims [94 words]MattDec 3, 2007 12:09115625
Teddy Bears and Annapolis and their intersection [434 words]David SabghirDec 3, 2007 12:03115624
Mohammed: The Golden Calf? [246 words]MarciDec 3, 2007 11:57115622

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