Bandladesh is my country. Let the radicals leave

Political Mavens ^ | 11/1/2007 | Judith A. Klinghoffer

[Wuli]

It is easy to lose heart, become cynical, give up on the human race. One has to look at Saudi King Abdullah’s visit to Britain, the feminists efforts to justify the subjugation of Muslim women (recently joined by Laura Bush!) or, for that matter, the current preparation for the upcoming “no concessions” Israeli Palestinian conference in Annapolis. But it would be wrong. For it would fail Salah Uddin Shoaib Coudhury and no one has the right to do that.

Last night I had the unique honor of shaking his hand. I knew of his plight. Only six months ago I asked you to sign a petition on his behalf so I was delighted to discover that he is safe, in the US. He is charged with “Sedition - treason -blasphemy” because he tried to board a flight from Dhaka to Tel Aviv to attend a peace conference in 2003. Yes, “is” is the correct tense. International agitation led to his release on bail in 2005 but not to the dropping of the charges. That means he can be rearrested any minute, tortured and placed in solitary confinement or even worse.

What can be worse? He can be held in the same prison that holds Bin Laden supporters of the type who do not tolerate sharing space with Muslims who have a moderate interpretation of Islam. They have tried to assassinate repeatedly and he has narrowly escaped them at least twice before.

So, imagine my surprise when he told be that he is going back on November 5th . Even Sharansky did NOT go back. Yet, this smiling 42 year old insisted.......

[Wuli]

We need a POTUS who publicly honors actual Islamic moderates, where ever they raise their heads or voices and particularly when having raised their voice their lives become endangered. The man spoken of in this article would deserve our secret service protection, if he were here.

[eleni121]

Bandladesh? Is that like Bangladesh with a band aid?

Islamic moderates? NO such thing.