Green Energy
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.
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Salman Rushdie: My Safety Is More Important Than Yours From the Ace of Spades blog: Not-American critic of U.S. constitutional rights, Salman Rushdie, has a big giant brain and wants you to know it.And so upon hearing about the slaughter in Aurora,...
- Salman Rushdie - Ingrate Of The Year
All the money we spent protecting this man, and he learned almost nothing of import about our culture. Next time you get yourself into trouble with Jihadists, why don't you have your friend Bono The Pussified Pacifist protect you, ok Salmanella?...
- Bono Sucks Up To Yusuf Islam (cat Stevens), The Man Who Advocated Killing Bono's Friend Salman Rushdie
Here's what Yusuf Islam said about Salman Rushdie: New York Times story from May 23, 1989: "Cat Stevens Gives Support To Call for Death of Rushdie," by Craig R. Whitney (thanks to all who sent this in): LONDON, May 22 -- The musician known as Cat...
- It Was Twenty Years Ago Today
The Ayatollah taught the band to play ... Rushdie book was "the catalyst for the emergence of a stronger sense of Muslim identity in Britain" From Jihad Watch: The irony continues: While in the West people are today celebrating Valentine's Day,...
- Salman Rushdie Knighted
In a big "Fuck You" to the Islamofascists of the world, Salman Rushdie has been Knighted by British Royalty. You are now to refer to him as Sir Salman. But then, I already did. From Agence French Press: LONDON (AFP) — Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday...
Green Energy
Muslim Members Of Parliament Call For Rushdie's Police Protection To Be Lifted
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.
-
Salman Rushdie: My Safety Is More Important Than Yours From the Ace of Spades blog: Not-American critic of U.S. constitutional rights, Salman Rushdie, has a big giant brain and wants you to know it.And so upon hearing about the slaughter in Aurora,...
- Salman Rushdie - Ingrate Of The Year
All the money we spent protecting this man, and he learned almost nothing of import about our culture. Next time you get yourself into trouble with Jihadists, why don't you have your friend Bono The Pussified Pacifist protect you, ok Salmanella?...
- Bono Sucks Up To Yusuf Islam (cat Stevens), The Man Who Advocated Killing Bono's Friend Salman Rushdie
Here's what Yusuf Islam said about Salman Rushdie: New York Times story from May 23, 1989: "Cat Stevens Gives Support To Call for Death of Rushdie," by Craig R. Whitney (thanks to all who sent this in): LONDON, May 22 -- The musician known as Cat...
- It Was Twenty Years Ago Today
The Ayatollah taught the band to play ... Rushdie book was "the catalyst for the emergence of a stronger sense of Muslim identity in Britain" From Jihad Watch: The irony continues: While in the West people are today celebrating Valentine's Day,...
- Salman Rushdie Knighted
In a big "Fuck You" to the Islamofascists of the world, Salman Rushdie has been Knighted by British Royalty. You are now to refer to him as Sir Salman. But then, I already did. From Agence French Press: LONDON (AFP) — Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday...