That Teacher in the Sudan..

Message

#1 Post by **Kwackerz** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:30 pm

From the New York Daily News:

The British teacher jailed in Sudan for letting students name a teddy bear Muhammed was whisked to a secret location Friday after armed mobs demanded her execution.

Protesters brandishing clubs and knives streamed out of mosques and rallied outside the presidential palace in the capital Khartoum.

"No tolerance: Execution," they shouted. "Kill her, kill her by firing squad."

The teacher, Gillian Gibbons, who is serving a 15-day sentence for insulting Islam, was moved from the women's prison near Khartoum for her safety.

Amid the disturbing demonstrations, a delegation from Britain left for Khartoum Friday in an effort to secure her early release.

Her son John Gibbons told The Associated Press he spoke to his mother by telephone and she is worried mostly that her case will inflame tension.

"One of the things my mum said today was that 'I don't want any resentment toward Muslim people,'" he said. "She's holding up quite well."

Gibbons, 54, left her job in Liverpool and went to travel and teach in Africa after her marriage collapsed last Christmas.

In her position at Unity High School, she borrowed a technique used in British classrooms: introducing a teddy bear and asking the children to write about it.

When her 7-year-old pupils decided to name the bear Muhammed, a school staffer complained - and Gibbons was arrested Sunday.

Convicted at trial of insulting the religion, she escaped the punishment of 40 lashes but will be deported when she's done serving her time.

The verdict and penalty have been condemned by Muslim groups in London and Amnesty International - but they weren't harsh enough for Sudanese hard-liners who marched on Unity High School and the British Embassy.

A Muslim cleric at Khartoum's main Martyrs Mosque denounced Gibbons during a sermon, accusing her of intentionally insulting Islam.

"This is an arrogant woman who came to our country, cashing her salary in dollars, teaching our children hatred of our Prophet Muhammed," Abdul-Jalil Nazeer al-Karour told worshipers.

Observers said the protests did not appear to be sanctioned by the government, but British authorities are furious Gibbons was even prosecuted.

"I think this is an absurdly disproportionate response to what is at best a minor cultural faux pas," said Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams

Storm in a Teacup?

Samray · #2 Post by **Samray** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:38 pm

Sudanese media is obviously even more loony than ours.

Gio · #3 Post by **Gio** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:07 am

Samray wrote:Sudanese media is obviously even more loony than ours.

How can you have less than 2 brain cells to rub together?

joecrx · #4 Post by **joecrx** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 1:32 pm

iv got a teddy bear called Muhammed but after the great boxer, (dont tell anyone)

i think this whole world is going mad and when it stops revolving im gettin off

Gio · #5 Post by **Gio** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 3:05 pm

joecrx wrote:iv got a teddy bear called Muhammed but after the great boxer, (dont tell anyone)

i think this whole world is going mad and when it stops revolving im gettin off

I used to have one of those Robinsons golliwogs it was called Muhammed as well. IMO he was the greatest boxing showman.

D-Rider · #6 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 5:35 pm

joecrx wrote:iv got a teddy bear called Muhammed but after the great boxer, (dont tell anyone)

i think this whole world is going mad and when it stops revolving im gettin off

I wish I understood how it is fine for followers of Islam to call their offspring Mohammed and those converting to the faith to do the same - presumably in his honour, but it is deemed insulting for a teacher to allow the children in her class to do what seem to be the same thing in the naming of their toy bear.

I honestly wish I understood the difference because it clearly has upset some people - yet to my way of thinking I fail to see the problem.

I hope this gets solved sensibly.

#7 Post by **Kwackerz** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 5:55 pm

Yup, my thoughts exactly DR!
So wossname can take the name of m.. when he turns to Islam yet the Bear cannot? Even when voted as such by Islam children (even if theyre taught by a non-islam teacher) dont understand it.
I appreciate how differing religions hold different things higher up the sacred ladder, but ...

Myrkk · #8 Post by **Myrkk** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 5:58 pm

It's not the children that are being tried though...... it's a white UK female. I think those 3 words probably explain why it is going so far.

Gio · #9 Post by **Gio** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:31 pm

Myrkk wrote:It's not the children that are being tried though...... it's a white UK female. I think those 3 words probably explain why it is going so far.

I bet if it'd been a bloke he'd be dead now.

BikerGran · #10 Post by **BikerGran** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:39 pm

Apparently the person who originally took exception was a colleague.......

ligloo · #11 Post by **ligloo** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:52 pm

On the back of this... Sooty has cancelled his holiday to Jamaica

sorry ... received by text today

Fat Harry · #12 Post by **Fat Harry** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:15 pm

Got the same one !

Gio · #13 Post by **Gio** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:02 pm

ligloo wrote:On the back of this... Sooty has cancelled his holiday to Jamaica

sorry ... received by text today

Golly pinched his ticket