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Daily News Analysis

PEN to honor Charlie Hebdo’s hate speech against Muslims

Crescent International

Not all Western writers have succumbed to Islamophobia. This has become evident in the way some writers, among them Francine Prose (shown in photo) and Peter Carey have reacted to PEN American Center's award to the Islamophobic magazine Charlie Hebdo. They have decided to boycott the award ceremony on May 5 in New York.

New York,
Monday April 27, 2015, 14:09 DST

When is hate speech not hate speech? When those under attack are Muslims. This is what is happening with PEN, the writers’ group that is honoring the hate-mongering Islamophobic French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The PEN American Center is to honor the Islamophobic weekly with the PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale ‘Freedom of Expression Courage’ award on May 5 in New York.

The event draws writers of all hue and is sought by those that are or think they are writers. This year’s award has aroused strong controversy at least from some writers who believe the award is not only in bad taste but that it ignores the arrogant self-righteousness of the French in denigrating a marginalized minority.

When is hate speech not hate speech? When those under attack are Muslims... The PEN American Center is to honor the Islamophobic... At least six well-known writers, demonstrating integrity and courage, said they were withdrawing from next month’s PEN American Center gala event in objecting the group’s decision... The Associated Press quoted Francine Prose as saying that while she was in favor of “freedom of speech without limitations” and “deplored” the shootings at Charlie Hebdo, the award signified “admiration and respect” for its work and “I couldn’t imagine being in the audience when they have a standing ovation for Charlie Hebdo.”

At least six well-known writers, demonstrating integrity and courage, said they were withdrawing from next month’s PEN American Center gala event in objecting the group’s decision. In a statement issued on Sunday April 26, Peter Carey, Michael Ondaatje, Francine Prose, Teju Cole, Rachel Kushner and Taiye Selasi announced their withdrawal.

The Associated Press quoted Francine Prose as saying that while she was in favor of “freedom of speech without limitations” and “deplored” the shootings at Charlie Hebdo, the award signified “admiration and respect” for its work and “I couldn’t imagine being in the audience when they have a standing ovation for Charlie Hebdo.”

Peter Carey was even more scathing in his criticism of PEN’s decision. While he strongly deplored the attack on Charlie Hebdo’s offices calling it a “hideous crime,” he asked: “was it a freedom-of-speech issue for PEN America to be self-righteous about?”

He went on: “All this is complicated by PEN’s seeming blindness to the cultural arrogance of the French nation, which does not recognize its moral obligation to a large and disempowered segment of their population [the marginalized Muslim community].”

The cultural hooligan Salman Rushdie has come out swinging against his fellow writers. The Indian-born Rushdie gained notoriety for his filthy blasphemous novel, Satanic Verses, that essentially is an assault on the revered personalities of Islam under the guise of writing a novel.

The cultural hooligan Salman Rushdie has come out swinging against his fellow writers... The Islam-hating Western corporate media lionized him because they found in this brown Englishman someone who could reflect their inner feelings without having to take the blame.

The Islam-hating Western corporate media lionized him because they found in this brown Englishman someone who could reflect their inner feelings without having to take the blame. For months in 1988 Rushdie basked in the glory after his filthy novel was published. Muslims worldwide protested against such blasphemous filth but Rushdie became even more belligerent, insulting and provocative.

He took pleasure in taunting Muslims and said had he known their reaction, he would have written an even filthier novel. This was particularly noted in an interview he gave on Nightline on the American channel ABC on February 13, 1989. The following day, Imam Khomeini (ra) issued his now famous fatwa against Rushdie and the cultural hooligan immediately went into hiding. Some courage, some bravery!

For years, he remained in hiding and although he has now come out of purdah, he continues to spout his venom against Muslims and side with those that indulge in hatemongering and Islamophobia. PEN’s Charlie Hebdo “award” once again provided Rushdie an opportunity to indulge in his favorite hobby: Muslim bashing in order to gain further notoriety.

(Disclosure: Crescent writers on several occasions in the early 1970s had an opportunity to meet Rushdie at gatherings of mutual friends in London, England. Allah saved us from meeting this filthy man who was known for drinking beer and eating ham sandwiches! You become what you eat.)

END


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