I'd fire him. I'm all for religious freedom, freedom of expression, etc. But it goes both ways. Rushdie expressed his freedom of expression in a book (or a few books..). The Islamic community is free to dissagree & boycott the book. But they have no right to threaten the British government & peoples with violence to get their way. Protests are fine, letters of condemnation or fine, even articles, commercials, etc denouncing the decision are fine. Threats of violence, from a minister of the government IMO gives those who might act out said threats almost a type of permission.

I'd boot the minister. And I might hold him of a security certificate... but then again I'm a bit of an autho...

I'd fire him. I'm all for religious freedom, freedom of expression, etc. But it goes both ways. Rushdie expressed his freedom of expression in a book (or a few books..). The Islamic community is free to dissagree & boycott the book. But they have no right to threaten the British government & peoples with violence to get their way. Protests are fine, letters of condemnation or fine, even articles, commercials, etc denouncing the decision are fine. Threats of violence, from a minister of the government IMO gives those who might act out said threats almost a type of permission.

I'd boot the minister. And I might hold him of a security certificate... but then again I'm a bit of an authoritarian...

I find it really hard to believe a minister would be so stupid as to have said THAT. :|

Another side:

Religious Affairs Minister Ijaz-ul-Haq Tuesday accused Britain of undermining the war on extremism after it complained about his comment that a knighthood given to Salman Rushdie justified suicide attacks. “It is surprising that the British government is criticising me. I am the one who is heading the front-line ministry for the front-line state in the war against terrorism,” Haq told AFP. “I never supported suicide attacks. What I meant to say yesterday (in the parliament) was that we are trying to curb extremism, but their (British) actions are adding fuel to the fire and not helping,” Haq said.. “Instead of praising the efforts, the British government has chosen to criti[b]...

Another side:

Religious Affairs Minister Ijaz-ul-Haq Tuesday accused Britain of undermining the war on extremism after it complained about his comment that a knighthood given to Salman Rushdie justified suicide attacks. “It is surprising that the British government is criticising me. I am the one who is heading the front-line ministry for the front-line state in the war against terrorism,” Haq told AFP. “I never supported suicide attacks. What I meant to say yesterday (in the parliament) was that we are trying to curb extremism, but their (British) actions are adding fuel to the fire and not helping,” Haq said.. “Instead of praising the efforts, the British government has chosen to criticise. It is surprising,” said the minister. Source