Fred Does Monty

clipped from fredfile.imwithfred.com I was impressed by the knighthood of author Salman Rushdie and the British reaction to the predictable outrage that followed. That’s not to say I’m a big fan of the British-Indian novelist. I don’t agree with a lot of his criticism he’s made of America and the UK in the past. But that’s the point, really. In the West, we can disagree strongly with someone without issuing fatwas and calling for his death. We can even honor someone with whom we disagree. Already, Britain’s Home Secretary John Reid has responded to a Pakistani government minister’s comment that Rushdie’s knighthood justifies a suicide bombing attack on the writer. Standing by the knighthood, Reid reminded his international audience that the West tolerates movies made by Monty Python and Mel Gibson even if they offend Christians and Jews.