Sudanese justice, and other oxymorons

British teacher Gillian Gibbons escaped the lash, but she was sentenced to 15 days in jail, followed by expulsion from the country, for letting her pupils name a teddy bear "Muhammad." (Being forced to leave Sudan is punishment?) That's not enough for these guys, of course.

Sex columnist Dan Savage has a profane, but effective, response. The reaction here certainly is telling, though. Kill two people in the United States, and your government should do what it can to save you from death row. Get jailed in Sudan for giving a teddy bear the Muslim world's most common name in Sudan, and it's your own fault for not knowing better.

Damian P.

Update: Savage's full post is here, and it's a classic: "Gee, sentenced to be deported. You’re really twisting the ol’ knife there, Sudan. No doubt after being arrested on a bulls**t blasphemy charge, threatened with forty lashes and six months in prison, and then packed off to a prison for two weeks where she’s likely to encounter physical violence and may just contract malaria—I’m sure after enduring all that, Sudan, remaining in your sh**hole country was Gibbons’ fondest wish."

Posted by damian at November 30, 2007 01:55 PM