Brittish teacher nearly punished for...

[Kuya]

Letting children in a school in Sudan name a bear Muhammad.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22007049/

updated 10:46 a.m. ET, Wed., Nov. 28, 2007
KHARTOUM, Sudan - A British teacher has been charged with inciting hatred, insulting religion and showing contempt of religious beliefs after her class named a teddy bear Muhammad, state media said on Wednesday.

"Khartoum north prosecution unit has completed its investigation and has charged the Briton Gillian (Gibbons) under Article 125 of the criminal code," SUNA said quoting a senior Justice Ministry official.

In London, a British Foreign Office spokesman confirmed that Gibbons had been charged and officials said Foreign Secretary David Miliband was calling in the Sudanese ambassador over the affair.

"We are surprised and disappointed by this development and the foreign secretary will summon as a matter of urgency the Sudanese ambassador to discuss this matter further," Prime Minister Gordon Brown's official spokesman said.

Earlier on Wednesday, three British embassy officials and a teaching colleague from the Unity High School where Gibbons worked were allowed to visit her for 90 minutes.

"I can confirm that we have met Ms. Gibbons and she said she is being treated well," said British consul Russell Phillips. "We remain in close contact with the Sudanese authorities on this case," he said, declining to give further details.

Gibbons was arrested Sunday and, if found guilty of insulting religion, could be punished with a whipping of up to 40 lashes, a fine or six months in prison.

On Tuesday, a Sudanese embassy spokesman in London had indicated Gibbons might soon be freed.

Gibbons, 54, was teaching her pupils, who are around age 7, about animals and asked one of them to bring in her teddy bear, Boulos said. She asked the students to pick names for it and they proposed Abdullah, Hassan and Muhammad, and in the end the pupils voted to name it Muhammad, he said.

Each child was allowed to take the bear home on weekends and write a diary about what they did with it. The diary entries were collected in a book with the bear's picture on the cover, labeled, "My Name is Muhammad," he said. The bear itself was never labeled with the name, he added.

I'm often all for respecting other people's religion, no point in getting into a slapping contest over something so trivial, but i just can't help from making my mind go: WAT WAT WAT WAT WAT, when these things happen.

[Khamsin]

After their SWAT team finally subdued and carted her off to their highest security facility, I'm surprised they let anyone visit her, given the potential for a security breach. I'm sure it was a supervised visit through a glass window with many armed guards in the room, and with her securely strapped down.

[Intense]

Its always funny to me the tizzy people get in over small things.

[Kuya]

After their SWAT team finally subdued and carted her off to their highest security facility, I'm surprised they let anyone visit her, given the potential for a security breach. I'm sure it was a supervised visit through a glass window with many armed guards in the room, and with her securely strapped down.

Her hatred levels were off the charts! The reaction is obviously justified.

[EternityEnd]

Shouldn't they whip the children who named it 40 times too? Fucking brats need to be taught a lesson.

[Ryko]

The durkenstein bears.

[Blarg]

Those no good kids probably played soccer with balls printed with the Saudi flag at recess too.

[Khamsin]

Those no good kids probably played soccer with balls printed with the Saudi flag at recess too.

Imagine if the soccer balls had Muhammed's face on them, instead. They'd be beheaded.

[Kuya]

Those no good kids probably played soccer with balls printed with the Saudi flag at recess too.

Imagine if the soccer balls had Muhammed's face on them, instead. They'd be beheaded.

Kicking Muhammed's balls is forbidden.

[Neosutra]

Those no good kids probably played soccer with balls printed with the Saudi flag at recess too.

Imagine if the soccer balls had Muhammed's face on them, instead. They'd be beheaded.

Kicking Muhammed's balls is forbidden.

I LOL'd.

[Correction]

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia imprisons women who were gang raped for 'promiscuity.'

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/ ... index.html

Yay islamic law!

[Palin]

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia imprisons women who were gang raped for 'promiscuity.'

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/ ... index.html

Yay Arab-Turkic law!

Fixed, most of the laws and practices of Eastern culture today doesn't stem from Islam, but from Arab and Turkic cultural customs. I know what you meant, just wanted to clarify.

[Correction]

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia imprisons women who were gang raped for 'promiscuity.'

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/ ... index.html

Yay Arab-Turkic law!

Fixed, most of the laws and practices of Eastern culture today doesn't stem from Islam, but from Arab and Turkic cultural customs. I know what you meant, just wanted to clarify.

Sharia isn't practiced outside of the Middle East?

[Mizango]

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia imprisons women who were gang raped for 'promiscuity.'

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/ ... index.html

Yay islamic law!

I remember seeing this on GMA a few days ago I think. I was totally taken aback when seeing this for the first time.

[Fhqwghads]

When I grow up I want to be a psychotic radical islamic fundamentalist. They grab all the cool headlines.

[Lordwafik]

Saudis are mongs.

(no really, lol. They're constantly ridiculed by other arabs)

[Kuya]

The woman knew that being alone with a man who wasn't her husband was illegal, "and therefore she violated the covenant of marriage."

I hate marriage.

Under Saudi law, women are subject to numerous restrictions, including a strict dress code, a prohibition against driving and a requirement that they get a man's permission to travel or have surgery.

That seems perfectly reasonable. i'm sorry i'm sorry lol

[Khamsin]

Under Saudi law, women are subject to numerous restrictions, including a strict dress code, a prohibition against driving and a requirement that they get a man's permission to travel or have surgery.

I wonder if any man can give that permission? At least then, if some injured woman is found lying on the ground and they take her into the emergency room to be operated on, they can just go find a male surgeon to give his permission and work on her.

[Shadowscythe]

It's all over our papers currently since she came from Liverpool. Ironically enough the bear was named after a pupil, who's name was Muhammad. It had nothing to do with the Muhammad from Islamic teachings. Needless to say I guess they didnt see it that way.

[Charla]

The durkenstein bears.

Kicking Muhammed's balls is forbidden.

This thread officially contains extreme levels of win.