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British "Teddy Bear" Teacher Pardoned in Sudan

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 02:27:14 AM EST
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Gillian Gibbons, the British teacher who named a teddy bear "Mohammad" prompting her arrest and cries for lashings and her execution, has been pardoned by the President of Sudan. She is now back in London.

The pardon came following efforts by Nazir Ahmed and Sayeeda Warsi, Muslim members of Britain's House of Lords, to persuade the Sudanese government that releasing Gibbons would create international good will toward their country.

Time Magazine explains what the brouhaha was all about.

Sometimes a teddy bear is just a teddy bear, no matter what you call it.

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    British "Teddy Bear" Teacher Pardoned in Sudan | 47 comments (47 topical)

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    Lemme see.. (1.00 / 0) (#30)
    by Wile ECoyote on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 07:25:04 AM EST
    Justifying the beheading a teacher because she let her students name a stuffed animal.  And you call yourself reasoned.

    So, what caused 9/11? (1.00 / 0) (#35)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:58:56 AM EST
    The English Doctors??

    The USS Cole?

    The embassy bombings??

    And on and on..... The fact is that OBL said it loud and clear in March of 1997 to Peter Arnett who was then part of CNN.

    REPORTER: Mr. Bin Ladin, will the end of the United States' presence in Saudi Arabia, their withdrawal, will that end your call for jihad against the United States and against the US ?

    BIN LADIN: So, the driving-away jihad against the US does not stop with its withdrawal from the Arabian peninsula, but rather it must desist from aggressive intervention against Muslims in the whole world.

    I direct your attention to the "intervention against Moslems in the whole world...." They want Shari law to be instituted around the world, and all that goes with that.

    That is their agenda. It is driven by a radicalized version of Islam, and will not go away by "conversations and deals."

    What they want, what they demand is SURRENDER.

    Time to catch a clue. They aren't rational.


    Parent

    Ever read the entire interview (5.00 / 0) (#38)
    by jondee on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:23:03 PM EST
    Jim?

    Or, dosnt Powerline provide a complete transcript?

    Parent

    hehe (1.00 / 0) (#45)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 01:05:55 PM EST
    Since I have linked to the interview time again, including this one in which you are involved with I just assumed that you had read enough to have memorized it.

    So follow the link.

    Now, if you don't like that one, try one of these 15 that Google says you were in.

    And if you don't like those, try try one of these 38 that Google says has Peter Arnett and OBL in them.

    But since I recognize that you may be too inept to use Google's Advanced Search, here is the article.

    Enjoy.

    tehe

    Parent

    Hehe tehe etc (5.00 / 0) (#46)
    by jondee on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 01:21:21 PM EST
    Well, you'll excuse me if, after seeing you use the same, exact excerpt for 4 or 5 years, not being aware that you'd actually started referencing the entire interview -- this last year.

    Did the good thugs at Powerline help you locate it, or did you do it all by yourself?

    Parent

    You are funny dude. (1.00 / 0) (#49)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 05:46:31 PM EST
    Are you a member of "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight?"

    You write:

    you'd actually started referencing the entire interview -- this last year.

    Try this one from:

    Try this one from 10/7/2005

    In case you can't do the calendar thingeeee that's almost exactly two years and two months ago.

    these people don't want to negotiate? Please. Read what OBL said: From the 3/97 OBL interview with CNN's Peter Arnett

    Want more??

    Che - We are at war. During war you have violence, attacks, etc. BTW - I love your assumpation that our leaving Iraq will make the world love us. That is truly funny. Do you want me to post what OBL said, again? Interview with OBL on 3/97 by Peter Arnett of CNN.

    10/26/2005

    And there are more, even older. But you know that. You knew when you made your false claim.

    Let's face it. You can't compete. If this was softball "The Mercy Rule" would have been invoked long ago.

    Parent

    Oh, really? (1.00 / 0) (#52)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 08:20:14 AM EST
    What is it about the word "whole" that you fail to understand??

    comprising the full quantity, amount, extent, number, etc., without diminution or exception; entire, full, or total: He ate the whole pie. They ran the whole distance.

    What is it about the word "world" that you fail to understand?

    the earth or globe, considered as a planet.

    Now. Read the sentence again.

    ...but rather it must desist from aggressive intervention against Muslims in the whole world

    I find it sad that you willfully ignore what an obviously radical mad man said.

    I remember that in the early part of the 20th century another killer wrote a book telling the world what he was going to do. We ignored it and tried for "peace in our time."

    That monumental act of stupidity cost millions of lives in the conflict that followed plus the slaughter if 6,000,000 Jews.

    Parent

    Gotta disagree Walter.... (none / 0) (#33)
    by kdog on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:36:27 AM EST
    This is holy-roller madness....nothing more.  

    They didn't punish the teacher for being British, or being an Imperialist....it really is about taking their prophet's name in vain.  I know it's very hard for reasonable people like you and I to wrap our mind around....but I think that is all it is man.

    Parent

    Oh really? (1.00 / 0) (#53)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 08:33:36 AM EST
    We had something similar here in Ohio.

    So. You are telling us that you had riots in the streets? That you tried a Moslem teacher for naming a Teddy Bear "Jesus?"

    Mobs were screaming for her to be beheaded??

    Somehow I missed the news about that.

    BTW - What does this have to do with anything?

    that some employee of the school reported in an effort to discredit the school.

    The issue isn't who, but why the country, and many other Moslem groups, exploded into riots and demands for her death.

    I just wish, one time, some on the Left wouldn't try to claim equivalence between Christians and the violent acts of some Moslems.

    Parent

    LOL (none / 0) (#37)
    by Wile ECoyote on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 11:10:28 AM EST
    Does the phrase the chickens coming home to roost have any meaning to you?

    Not in this instant.  Find other dots to connect.

    Parent

    Insult?? (none / 0) (#2)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 06:58:09 AM EST
    Actually I think the Teddy Bear was insulted... by all the actions of the nut cakes.

    Be that as it may, the question of what the world must do about such things looms larger and larger.

    Today it is a teacher who escaped.. before that it was a movie director in Holland who did not...raped women in SA who must be lashed...homosexuals in Iran who are hanged..."honor" killings in Europe... genital mutilations in Egypt....rape victims in Iran who are hung... a reporter who is behead..and the list goes on and on.

    I believe (none / 0) (#3)
    by Jen M on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 07:21:06 AM EST
    Punishing raped women, homosexuals killed (like here), honor killings, genital mutilations are  more widespread practices.

    Parent
    Your comment is nonsense. (1.00 / 0) (#7)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:57:09 AM EST
    None of these practices are condoned, or widely practiced, outside of a group of radicalized Moslems.

    When you go to the movies do you find yourself pulling for the bad guys??

    Parent

    there are moslems outside the middle east (5.00 / 0) (#14)
    by Jen M on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 10:10:45 AM EST
    did you know that? Amazing, aint it.

    Parent
    Jen can't read (1.00 / 0) (#19)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 04:31:26 PM EST
    Perhaps you didn't notice the word "Europe" and "Holland?" And of course the Sudan is in Africa..

    But if you want to expand, let's toss in 9/11... and the Glasgow airport, and the English Moslem Doctors and...

    busy, aint they??

    Parent

    and here is SE Asia (1.00 / 0) (#21)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 04:35:43 PM EST
    Muslims murder 3 little girls by beheading them on their way to school.

    Yesterday a court in South Jakarta condemned Wiwin Kalahe alias Rahman to 19 years in prison; his accomplices Yudi Heriyanto alias Udit and Agus Nur Muhammad alias Agus Jenggot, received 10 and 14 years...



    Parent
    you can't stand it (none / 0) (#22)
    by Jen M on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 04:52:17 PM EST
    even if I agree with you

    I mearely pointed out that it was a little more widespread than that.

    Take a deep breath. Put down the Red Bull.

    Parent

    You? Agree with me?? (1.00 / 0) (#24)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:32:20 PM EST
    Anybody see some pigs flying around???

    ;-)

    Parent

    Recall the pigs. (1.00 / 0) (#27)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:41:22 PM EST
    homosexuals killed (like here),

    No. Homosexual hangings are not part of our judicial system.

    Parent

    OK (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by squeaky on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 09:30:42 PM EST
    Here hanging gays is like shooting looters. It is done outside the law with a wink and a nod, just like racial hate crimes.

    Do you have statistics for Iran? Does the public take the law in their own hands like you advocate for in shooting looters.

    FBI: Anti-gay hate crimes decline in '03
    Christopher Curtis, PlanetOut Network
    published Monday, November 22, 2004
    Reported hate crimes directed toward gays, lesbians and bisexuals fell slightly last year, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's data on hate crimes published Monday.
    According to the report, in 2003 hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation made up 16.4 percent of the nation's hate crimes. The year before, 16.7 percent of the nation's hate crimes targeted people based on their perceived orientation, which was the highest percentage since the report started publishing 13 years ago.
    The report claimed there were 1,239 incidents of hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation with 1,479 victims. The year before the FBI reported 1,244 incidents of similar hate crimes with 1,513 victims.

    Of the 1,479 [US] victims, 61.5 percent were targeted because they were male homosexuals. Anti-lesbian attacks accounted for 15.6 percent of the attacks. Attacks made on homosexuals at large accounted for 21.2 percent of the attacks. Anti-bisexual violence accounted for 0.07 percent, while attacks against heterosexuals made up 1 percent of the recorded data.
    According to the report, hatred based on sexual orientation in 2003 motivated six murders, three rapes, 162 incidents of aggravated assault, 446 incidents of simple assault, 433 incidents of intimidation and 295 acts of vandalism.
    California recorded the most violent incidents, 337, against people based on their perceived sexuality. New York came in second, with 71 attacks. And Massachusetts came in at third place with 69 incidents.

    link

    Parent

    Huh?? (1.00 / 0) (#34)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 08:38:33 AM EST
    I wrote in response to Jen M.

    No. Homosexual hangings are not part of our judicial system.

    You then wrote a response which is completely off topic, which is the crimes by the radical Moslems around the world. You wrote:

    It is done outside the law with a wink and a nod, just like racial hate crimes.

    You then write about hate crimes against gays as if the statistics prove your comment about a wink and a nod.

    Of course it proves nothing of the kind, and you know that. All you have done is smear the criminal justice system.

    Which is your SOP. In your own words.

    Posted by Squeaky at September 19, 2005 11:19 PM

    Rove never needed proof for his smear machine, why should I.



    Parent
    You Comment Is Idiotic (5.00 / 0) (#36)
    by squeaky on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:29:52 AM EST
    And as much as you want to be Rove it is not going to happen.

    Parent
    My comment us exactly on target. (1.00 / 0) (#41)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:37:52 PM EST
    Quit smearing and I won't be using it.

    Parent
    Smearing? (5.00 / 0) (#47)
    by squeaky on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 01:34:22 PM EST
    You are self smearing.

    Parent
    Silly you??? (1.00 / 0) (#25)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:35:50 PM EST
    Am I supposed to disagree??

    Jen just has me trained, that's all.

    BTW - What was not "reality" in the comments that followed??

    Parent

    First time I agree with you. (none / 0) (#12)
    by lilybart on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 09:31:01 AM EST
    It was an insult to the teddy bear.

    Parent
    Im kind of relieved (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jen M on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 07:22:13 AM EST
    The mob didn't go after the children.

    Some people.... (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:20:35 AM EST
    wake up everyday just waiting to be insulted or offended....this phenomenon seems especially prevalent in the Muslim world.  I'll never understand it.

    What to do about it?...Don't have any dealings with such people whenever possible abroad, and constantly remind people here at home that getting offended on occasion is a necessary side effect of glorious freedom.

    If it were only that easy... (1.00 / 0) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 09:01:09 AM EST


    Parent
    Better option than killing... (none / 0) (#11)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 09:29:49 AM EST
    If and when (big big if) things get like this here at home, I'll pick up arms.  Till then it ain't worth spilling blood over...let them live like offended barbarians if it floats their boat.

    Parent
    Understanding the culture (none / 0) (#6)
    by Natal on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:41:22 AM EST
    We're in the mess in Iraq because we didn't understand the Islamic culture and apparently we still don't. Perhaps this is why our "democracy" doesn't work there.

    understanding the culture (none / 0) (#9)
    by diogenes on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 09:16:46 AM EST
    Please clarify for us what we don't understand about calls to execute a middle-aged woman because a teddy bear was named by children after a common man's name, one possessed by one of the children in the class.

    Parent
    What we don't understand.... (none / 0) (#13)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 09:32:13 AM EST
    is that societies that call for flogging (or death) over teddy bear names aren't quite ready for western style freedom.  And no number of bullets or cluster bombs is gonna change that fact.

    Parent
    Freedom? (1.00 / 0) (#16)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 03:45:57 PM EST

    Being ready for fredom or not is a matter of some contention.  However, how do you feel about such societies getting atomic weapons?

    Parent
    Meanwhile they're all ga-ga (5.00 / 0) (#40)
    by jondee on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:37:51 PM EST
    and wet over the amoral moron who Texacuted 100+ people while Gov of Texas; many of whom had the absolute bare minimum requirment of legal representation.

    Parent
    Not happy, to be sure.... (none / 0) (#17)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 03:53:20 PM EST
    But until my country gets rid of ours, how can I object to another country wanting to level the playing field?  Everybody, even nutjobs who want blood over teddy bears, have the right to defend themselves.  In the nuclear age, that means getting nukes.  It's too bad we can't un-invent the dastardly things....

    BTW...the country I'm most worried about when it comes to nukes is Pakistan....and they already have 'em.

    Parent

    Huh???????????????????????? (1.00 / 0) (#20)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 04:34:06 PM EST
    But until my country gets rid of ours, how can I object to another country wanting to level the playing field?  

    Uh, because you want your country to win in case the other side decides to attack???

    Parent

    Win? (5.00 / 0) (#31)
    by kdog on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 07:53:43 AM EST
    Nuke goes off my friend, nobody "wins".  The party is over and we're living like Mad Max.

    Parent
    When we get around to (5.00 / 0) (#39)
    by jondee on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:30:54 PM EST
    building a lead enclosure around the states that dont believe "Saddam done 'tacked us on 9/11", then I'll want "our side" to win.

    In the mean time, we should be focusing on preventing the grossly ignorant and their enablers from rotting the country from the inside.

    Parent

    Well if you don't want our (1.00 / 0) (#42)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:39:47 PM EST
    side to win.... what can I say. You define yourself.

    Parent
    You're not on my side (5.00 / 0) (#43)
    by jondee on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:47:17 PM EST
    as far as Im concerned.

    Your like will bring this country down more definitivly than any radical Mooslim boogie men ever could, IMO.

    Parent

    Sudan gets NO good will points (none / 0) (#10)
    by lilybart on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 09:29:39 AM EST
     until they stop the genocide.

    I hear Sen Kennedy's (none / 0) (#15)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 12:30:04 PM EST
    pretty upset that the Mohammad Bear is now being referred to as a Teddy Bear. You know how those Catholics are...

    I understand (1.00 / 0) (#26)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 08:37:09 PM EST
    he's also the Senate Expert on water boarding and other water related issues...

    Parent
    Harsh sentences for beheading (none / 0) (#18)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Tue Dec 04, 2007 at 04:01:04 PM EST
    Muslims murder 3 little girls by beheading them on their way to school.

    Yesterday a court in South Jakarta condemned Wiwin Kalahe alias Rahman to 19 years in prison; his accomplices Yudi Heriyanto alias Udit and Agus Nur Muhammad alias Agus Jenggot, received 10 and 14 years...

    In a Muslim country (5.00 / 0) (#44)
    by jondee on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 12:53:30 PM EST
    psychos always kill because of their religion.

    Of course, no one ever says that the plethora of serial murderers in the U.S have anything to do with Christianity.

    Parent

    This was not about the killers (1.00 / 0) (#56)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 01:49:11 PM EST

    This was not about the killers, but about the sentences.  Sixteen years for beheading three girls speaks volumes about culture.

    Parent
    British "Teddy Bear" Teacher Pardoned in Sudan | 47 comments (47 topical)

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