German Publisher Cancels Book Seen Insulting Islam

Once again we see threats by Muslims putting the kibosh on free speech. Though there is a big difference this time, as right-wing groups have allegedly threatened the publisher for siding with the Islamists. Things are going to get very ugly over in Europe.

Hat tips to infidel113 and Thorum over at European Alliance.

German publisher cancels book seen insulting Islam
Tue Oct 6, 2009
By Sarah Marsh

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German publisher said Tuesday it had canceled the printing of a murder mystery about an honor killing because it contained passages insulting Islam and may have prompted Islamist retaliation.

Droste publishers dropped the book by author Gabriele Brinkmann entitled "To Whom Honor is Due" after she refused to change several passages, including one where a fictional character is portrayed making abusive remarks about the Koran.

"After the Mohammad cartoons, one knows that one can't publish sentences or drawings that defame Islam without expecting a security risk," said Felix Droste, head of Droste publishers.

In 2006, violent protests broke out in several Islamic countries after cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a Danish newspaper sparked outrage among Muslims.

The publisher's decision has prompted criticism that it is bowing to Islamist intimidation and curtailing freedom of speech. The firm has also received threats from far-right groups against its employees for being "friends of Islamists."

German newspapers ran headlines: "Publisher self censors" and "Fear of Islamist attacks."

The media also compared the decision to an incident in 2006, when a Berlin opera house postponed a production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" which showed the Prophet Mohammad's severed head, citing security fears.

"What on earth is this all about, where are we here? We are in a free country," Brinkmann told German media.

Droste said that while it had a long history of releasing controversial books and was already planning to publish another murder mystery on the topic of honor killing, it would not publish books insulting peoples' faith -- whether Islam, Christianity or other religions.

"We do not want to offend religious groups," spokeswoman Nora Tichy said.

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Wisconsin:Muslims Get "Racially" Offensive Fireworks off Shelves

Muslims from Minnesota are at it once again. In the past they tried to pressure the Long John Silver fast food chain to drop a toy that was "offensive" to Muslims. This time they have crossed the border to Wisconsin and targeted a brand of fireworks which they deemed "racist".

Hat tip to Insane Flyer Fan.

Racially offensive fireworks off Wisconsin shelves

A Wisconsin retailer agreed to stop selling a line of fireworks after Minnesota Muslims protested that it's racist.
By JEFF STRICKLER, Star Tribune
July 4, 2009

Fireworks called Run Hadji Run were pulled off the shelves of a Wisconsin store after Minnesota Muslims complained that they were racist.

The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) said that the name and the packaging are demeaning. One side of the package has a drawing of Uncle Sam yanking the long beard of a man in traditional Muslim attire, while the other shows a Stealth bomber flying over a group of Arabs riding camels. In addition, "Hadji" is an honorific for those who have completed the pilgrimage to Mecca.

"I've seen other fireworks that I thought were pushing the line on being offensive, but this clearly went too far," Jessica Zikri, the communications director of CAIR-MN, said Saturday. "Hopefully, this will help keep other groups from being targeted this way."

The company that imported the fireworks from China, Missouri-based Red Rhino Fireworks, said that they are at least three years old and were distributed by the firm's previous owners. But they are still listed in the company's online catalog, which said they send off 16 red, green and blue "strobe comets" over a period of 28 seconds.

They were discovered by a shopper Friday afternoon at Fireworks City in Baldwin, Wis. Reports of their existence reached CAIR-MN, which demanded their removal and they were removed from the sales stock late Friday.

Because the fireworks were distributed several years ago, there's no way of telling if other stores still have some, Zikri acknowledged.

"But we're happy that this store saw the logic" of halting sales, she said. "We contacted [Red Rhino], and hopefully they will tell other stores to get rid of any remaining product they might have."

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