The hubris of ayatollahs, both here and abroad
MINOT — The stabbing attack on author Salman Rushdie by an extremist, inspired by a fatwa issued against Rushdie’s book “The Satanic Verses” by an Iranian ayatollah 33 years ago, nearly a decade before the attacker was born, wasn’t just brutally, viciously stupid.
It was also just plain old stupid.
When Ruhollah Khomeini issued his fatwa, he intended to protect Muslims from what he believed was a blasphemy.
After the attack on Rushdie, his book, which was first published in 1988, went back to the top of the bestsellers list .
The violence against Rushdie accomplished the opposite of its intent. It inspired more people to read the supposed blasphemy, while making those who oppose it look small and ugly.
It makes me think of those who are working so hard to censor books and classroom content.
