Why a Knighthood for Rushdie?

One of the advantages of writing in this column is that from time to time I express a view that is not necessarily the official BNP view.

by http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=1408
 
Elsewhere, the party has rightfully condemned the behaviour of some Moslem extremists at home and overseas who have burnt our national flag and waved banners demanding “May God Curse the Queen” in response to the knighthood awarded to http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=981  Rushdie. It was not our Queen herself who put Rushdie’s name down on her Birthday Honours list, but Blair’s government. What was the point of this when any idiot must have known that because of Rushdie’s Satanic Verses it was bound to provoke more anti-British feeling throughout the Moslem world? It was nothing more than a gesture of approval to multiculturalism, and more publicity for Blair (who passed the Arts and Media Honours Committee’s recommendation) in a ‘noble stand’ against the fatwa and attempted censorship.

The honour of a knighthood is in recognition of services to Great Britain. Indian in origin, Rushdie’s permanent home is in New York. Many people who like to affect a literary taste found it fashionable to have Satanic Verses and/or Midnight’s Children on their bookshelves: but few manage to read either book to the end. Why no Sir Martin Amis, Sir Julian Barnes, Sir Roald Dahl, or Lady J.K.Rowling?The BNP has consistently said that the major threat to Britain and Europe from Islam is demographic. It is still only a minority who are advocating violence against us non-Moslems (who should be deported immediately they utter such threats). Therefore, why carry out such pointless acts as Rushdie’s knighthood which even moderate Moslems look upon as an insult?

Similarly, whilst I hold no brief for Mohammad Sarwar, the Glasgow Labour MP, I think it would be churlish not to express sympathy for him in being forced to stand down after death threats.  

http://www.bnp.org.uk/columnists/notebook2.php?jbId=62

2007-08-06