Sir Salman
Salman Rushdie has just been knighted by the Queen for services to literature. Iran has condemned the move as a posture aimed at inflaming Muslim sentiment. I wonder if any of the Iran officials who issued the condemnation have read any of his books? Midnight's Children is fantastic. I can't blame them if they haven't read Satanic Verses though. I've struggled through it a few times but could not make heads or tales on either attempt. Still it's disappointing Rushdie didn't refuse the knighthood or at least make a political statement against colonialsim or something like that. Frankly, he's a white guy with tanned skin these days...
What passed the Iranian radar though (and possibly those Israeli jets hovering on the Turkey/Iran border also) was Desmond Pawson who was made a Member of the British Empire "for services to the rope industry."
That Empire sure ain't what it used to be, ain't what it used to be,...
posted by Iqbal Khaldun @ 10:28 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Yes puzzling all this. I think its worth giving Satanic Verses another try. I think it has some things to say about bigotry.
Now why did i think you were down under? Recently moved?
Hey dude. Yeah I've been in London since last September. Probably here for a while yet. Whereabouts do you live? Um probably best to answer that via e-mail - iqbalkhaldun[at]yahoo.com.au.
The honours system is a disgrace, I only have respect for people who refuse them.
I agree. It reminds me of the time when the Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to Henry Kissinger and Lu Doc Tho from Vietnam. Lu declined the award because at the time of the award there was still fighting in Vietnam. Now that is real moral fibre!
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