THE QUESTION

Pakistani scholars denounced Britain's knighting of Salman Rushdie and honored Bin Laden in response. Was Britain being needlessly provocative or simply asserting its own values and ideals?

Posted by Bashir Goth & Fareed Zakaria on June 25, 2007 10:04 AM

FROM THE PANEL

Bashir Goth is a veteran journalist, freelance writer, the first Somali blogger and editor of a leading news website. He is also a regular contributor to major Middle Eastern and African newspapers and online journals.

Not the First Accused of Blasphemy

Britain knighted Salman Rushdie like many British citizens before him, honored for their service to Britain. Protesting this internal affair is like protesting against granting British citizenship to Rushdie, or to any other individual. Rushdie is not the first and will definitely not be the last writer with a Muslim name to be accused of blasphemy.

Bashir Goth Somalia/UAE | 79 COMMENTS
Jun 25, 2007 at 3:46 PM
Dr. Ali Ettefagh serves as a director of Highmore Global Corporation, an investment company in emerging markets of Eastern Europe, CIS, and the Middle East. He is the co-author of several books on trade conflict, resolution of international trade disputes, conflicts in letters of credit, trade-related banking transactions, sovereign debt, arbitration and dispute resolutions and publications specific to the oil and gas, communication, aviation and finance sectors. Dr. Ettefagh is a member of the executive committee and the board of directors of The Development Foundation, an advisor to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and an advisor to a number of European companies. Dr. Ettefagh speaks Persian (Farsi), English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Turkish.

Opening Old Wounds to Polarize

This opening of old wounds is a desperate attempt to polarize communities. It is simply a bad idea -- be it honoring Rushdie or promoting the violent ideas of bin Laden. Both are misguided efforts rooted in an aimless desire for more violence. Few have read Rushdie's book, and equally few have read Khomeini's fatwa.

Ali Ettefagh Tehran, Iran | 59 COMMENTS
Jun 25, 2007 at 12:10 PM
Bill Emmott is the former editor of The Economist magazine, a leading international current affairs publication from England. He is now an independent writer, speaker, and consultant on international affairs.

Just the Sort We Should Honor

Personally, I find all knighthoods needlessly provocative. But if my country is foolish enough to continue to hand them out, I cannot see why Salman Rushdie should be disqualified. Britain waited 18 years after Iran issued its fatwa against him before knighting Rushdie. Calling that needlessly provocative is more than ridiculous.

Bill Emmott Great Britain | 28 COMMENTS
Jun 25, 2007 at 10:03 AM
Shim Jae Hoon is a Seoul-based journalist and commentator writing for a variety of international publications including YaleGlobal Online, The Straits Times of Singapore, The Taipei Times and Korea Herald. He was a correspondent for Far Eastern Economic Review in Seoul, Taipei and Jakarta.

The Most Uncompromising Kind of Imperialism

There is no reason for Muslims to take personal offense to this gesture, which has been given to a variety of personalities from many nations. The problem with Muslim fundamentalism is that it demands submission to its zealotry. By insisting that we yield to their "sensitivity," they seek to impose their values on nonbelievers.

Shim Jae Hoon South Korea | 29 COMMENTS
Jun 25, 2007 at 10:00 AM

READER RESPONSE

» Faithless in US | Societies venerate who they will based on shared values and perceived accomplishment. Of the two choices, it is plain to see which society "works" ...
» HK, Orlando | Ladies and Gents ... Every action, with a potential to become provocative, whether deliberate or unintentional, has to have a reaction. I am not r...
» Deb Chatterjee | I applaud Britain's courage to award a mediocre writer such as Salman Rushdie the Knighthood. Probably they were responding to 7/7 attacks by homegrow...
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