The West and others might be right or partially justified, henceforth, in calling such Muslims the name they hate the most: Mohammadans, i.e. worshippers of Mohammed. As well, it also appears that someone (i.e. certain Muslums and the Sudanese police) is attacking children's rights to choose the name of their own teddy bear mascot for a whole school year? To me, this appears to be an accurate description of the recent ongoing harassment of poor educator Gillian Gibbons
I imagine there must be thousands of children-either playing dolls, children's games, or roles in dramas-who have chosen to call a fictitious creature or being "Mohammed".
Children do this simply because they like the name. Only a person who thinks Mohammed is like a God to be worshipped could disagree with a child's right to choose.
It is totalitarian to simply throw the teacher in jail if she and her children are (1) doing their job and (2) promoting a little democracy amongst their pupils. It is in not an issue of religious law (sharia) nor of state law.
NO-WIN SITUATION
The fact is elections are turned over or manipulated all over the Arab- and non-Arab worlds. In the U.S. the Supreme court intervenes in elections counts and thousands of ballots are ignored
Meanwhile, results are thrown out in Egypt quite often! There, too, Islamicists and others are not permitted to run for office. Similarly, in Russia, Belorus, China, and Burma today, elections are manipulated consistently so that whole parties and peoples are not permitted to run nor be represented
Thailand and in Pakistan the military leadership simply takes over whenever they want-almost as if they are addicted to the power.
Please, Sudan, don't invite children to give up on democracy in your land at the ages of 6 and 7 years of age. Don't teach cynicism so young. It is not healthy!
STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY, ARABS!
Democracy needs to be taught early-just as respect for elders and holy prophets must be taught early on and all the way till the youngsters become adults
Let's not let confusion reign.
The name of Muhammed is not to be protected in the same manner that women should be protected from rape in Sudan and in many neighboring lands, like Saudi Arabia-where women are lashed 200 times for being raped (and for being brave enough to challenge the courts on the injustice of the system as applied to her case).
The Arab world must work harder to support democracy on its own and not wait for the West to promote democracy and justice.
Start with taking Sudan and other neighbors to task for distorting both Islam and democracy today!
p.s. Also, please, Arab peoples and states! Please put pressure on Khartoum to stop its own civil wars now, too.
