Somebody get the Vagisil

[Muscletang]

Gillian Gibbons, 54, was jailed by a court in Khartoum on Thursday for allowing pupils in her class of seven and eight-year-olds to give the bear the same name as the Muslim prophet, as part of a school project.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said Friday that Sudan overreacted in jailing a British teacher for 15 days for allowing her pupils to name a teddy bear Mohammed as it supports Britain's efforts for her release.

"We are very supportive of the British government in this regard. They are working to get their citizen back," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

"There is a shared assessment that the punishment that has been imposed on this woman is in every way excessive," even though it has been reduced from corporal punishment to a 15-day jail sentence, McCormack said.

"I don't know what more we can say about the case, but clearly there is an overreaction from individuals involved in prosecuting this case against this woman."

Gillian Gibbons, 54, was jailed by a court in Khartoum on Thursday for allowing pupils in her class of seven and eight-year-olds to give the bear the same name as the Muslim prophet, as part of a school project.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called in the Sudanese ambassador to London twice for talks on the issue, underlining that Gibbons' actions were the result of an "innocent misunderstanding."

So what do we do? Oh lets kill her!

Thousands of Sudanese, many armed with clubs and knives, rallied Friday in a central square and demanded the execution of a British teacher convicted of insulting Islam for allowing her students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad."

I hate stupid people. The real sad part though is I know a couple of Muslims at my school and they're the nicest people. Hell we all joke around about them being suicide bombers. Really cool people and down to earth. Of course it's the little bitch pussies that get in the news.

[03cavPA]

OK, I'm gonna play devil's advocate here. Lord knows somebody needs to advocate for those whack jobs over there.

I need to read a bit more to get some background on the teacher, but I have to wonder WTF she was thinking, letting those kids name a teddy bear after their revered 'prophet'. How damn dumb do you have to be to play with fire like that in a country where they'll riot in the streets and call for your head over something like that?

The best thing they can do is expel her from that rat hole of a country.

I'm gonna buy a pig and name it Muhammed. Maybe I'll buy a teddy bear and name it Winnie the Pbuh.

[drunken monkey]

I am of the mind that this is 80% Sudan, 10% opportunistic, 10% religious.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by 03cavPA

I need to read a bit more to get some background on the teacher, but I have to wonder WTF she was thinking, letting those kids name a teddy bear after their revered 'prophet'. How damn dumb do you have to be to play with fire like that in a country where they'll riot in the streets and call for your head over something like that?

I did wonder about this, too.
The kids did choose the name, with about 5 others, including Abdul, etc.

Initially, it seems harmesss. Many Muslim boys have Muhammed as one of their names, so it does not seem too much of a stretch to assume its just a common first name.

However, obviously its popularity is based in the name's reverence.

IMO the protestors are using this as an excuse to critisize a Westerner, especially a working woman. If it has been a Sudanese male muslim teacher, there probably would have been no protest.

The fact the school she teaches for caters to the wealthy Sudanese probably does not help either.

[YogsVR4]

If they're looking for a reason to run around town with pitchforks and blood in their eyes I'll give them one.


I just took a dump and named the cable "Muhammed". I've sent it off to a better place.

[Toksin]

She's been pardoned and deported, thank goodness.

[freakray]

Heard on the news today that the person that reported her was a disgruntled co-worker who was fired recently.

Vengeful little buggers aren't they.....

[drunken monkey]

From a British point of view, I find it annoying that it took what amount to independent action from two (Muslim) peers to achieve the result. While it is true that the foreign office played a part, it seemed from my end that they didn't want to seem overly aggressive.

Ok, I see their reason behind it but considering the amount of aid that GB gives to Sudan, I find it rediculous that they couldn't muster a little backbone.

[ericn1300]

Originally Posted by drunken monkey

From a British point of view, I find it annoying that it took what amount to independent action from two (Muslim) peers to achieve the result. While it is true that the foreign office played a part, it seemed from my end that they didn't want to seem overly aggressive.

Ok, I see their reason behind it but considering the amount of aid that GB gives to Sudan, I find it rediculous that they couldn't muster a little backbone.

I'm sure that the keep it quiet, back door diplomacy and pressure on the Sudan government was the best way to go for the British. If they had gone over board with public protest and condemnation the Sudanese people would have gone even more ballistic and given their government little wiggle room.