Posted on 01/24/2008 10:08:26 AM PST by Kaslin
A children’s story based on the tale of the Three Little Pigs was rejected for an award after judges became concerned that it would offend Muslims.
The animated virtual book for primary school children, The Three Little Cowboy Builders, was also criticised for its potential to offend builders.
The row centred on the Bett awards, which were supported by Becta, the Government’s technology agency for schools. The judges’ remarks, reported on the education technology website Merlin John Online, included: “Is it true that all builders are cowboys, builders get their work blown down, and builders are like pigs?
“The idea of taking a traditional tale and retelling a story is fine, but it should not alienate parts of the workforce. Judges would not recommend this product to the Muslim community in particular.”
Ann Curtis, whose company, Shoo Fly Publishing, produced the CD-Rom, said the criticisms were unjustified and could even “propagate a racist stance”. She said: “I felt disbelief, to be honest. As a small company, we have a strong ethical and moral grounding. We support the rights of all children in the world to have access to education.
“To be told that we cynically set out to alienate minority groups is a very narrow-minded view.” She said the group had had messages of support from the local community, including Muslims. The book had already won an award in a separate competition.
But the Bett award’s backers — Becta, the Besa trade association and Emap Education — said that the book was rejected for a range of reasons. In a joint statement, they said: “The reason The Three Little Cowboy Builders was not shortlisted was that it failed to reach the required standard across a number of criteria. The . . . issues highlighted were a small selection from a much broader range of comments.
“In particular, the product was not sufficiently convincing on curriculum and innovation grounds to be shortlisted.”
The statement said the competition aimed to “reward inclusive and accessible designs” and was judged by a panel of 70 people, including many teachers.
Many years ago, in the Khwarism kingdom, the empire centered around the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Gurgange in the territory now called Uzbekistan, there was a bridge across a narrow section of the Syr Daria river and this bridge was guarded by a troll, named Ali Mohammed Qa-eelbasi. This was before the padishah Mohammed of the Khwarism empire burned the beards off of four of the infidel dog Chengis Khan's ambassadors and Chengis Khan reduced that entire territory to a smoking ruin (may he who cannot take a joke endure Allah's curse).
Now, this Ali Mohammed Qa-eelbasi was quite wealthy by inheritance and by dint of clever investment strategies and stock trading and, having no need of money or wealth beyond his possessions, and being an islamic troll, rather than demanding money from travellers seeking to cross his bridge, was in the habit of demanding various other favors from them.
One morning while Ali Mohammed was guarding his bridge and attempting to catch fish in the Syr Daria, he heard the light clatter of little hooves on the wooden planks of his bridge and looked up to see a little billygoat traipsing across the bridge, trippity, clippity, clippity, trippity, and this little goat (Allah be praised!!) had glossy white fur and flowers in his mane, and was wearing a silk petticoat with what appeared to be lace panties underneath, Ali Mohammed could not be quite certain, and a little training bra from Bloomingdales', and had a coy smile upon his face.
"ALLAH BE PRAISED"!! shouted Ali Mohammed! Surely the faithful shall prosper, this must be my lucky day!!!!
And, the little goat looked at Ali Mohammed, the coy smile still on his lips, and said:
"Verily, I should be happy for you to have your way with me and ravish me to your heart's content but, were you to do that, you would then be too exhausted to appreciate my brother when he passes this way. He is only a short distance behind me and he is a larger, finer and more lovely goat than I; he buys ALL of his clothing from Victoria's Secret."
Now, when Ali Mohammed heard this, he was overcome with passion and desire, and could scarcely restrain himself; nonetheless, he replied: "Go then, with Allah's blessing", and allowed the little goat to cross the bridge unmolested. "I shall (eagerly) await your brother!"
Ali Mohammed went back to his efforts to catch fish and, about a half hour later, he heard a somewhat heavier fall of hooves across the wooden planks of his bridge: clippity cloppity clop, clippity cloppity clop, and Ali Mohammed looked up to a sight which aroused within him a veritable paroxism of passion. This was a larger goat with a gossamer veil over his face, red roses braided into his glossy white silky fur all around, a golden necklace and the thinnest sort of a purple gossamer bodice of finest khitan silk, and dark, brown bedroom eyes.
"ALLAH BE PRAISED!!!" shouted Ali Mohammed, "Verily, this must be the luckiest day of my life, for surely no troll has ever beheld so lovely, and desirable, and alluring a goat as thee!"
"Patience!" replied the goat. "Surely you might have me if you wish, but then you would be too exhausted to appreciate my eldest brother, who travels only a short distance behind me. He is the sexiest and most voluptuous and alluring goat in all the world, and he buys ALL of his clothing at Sexy Sadies Midnight Boutique. Verily, were he standing here beside me, you would not notice me at all!"
Ali Mohammed somehow or other managed to restrain his lust and passion and allowed this goat to pass as well and, after ten or twelve minutes when he collected his wits and got his pulse and breath back under control, returned to his fishing poles.
Now when the eldest brother amongst the three goats came up to the bridge over the Syr Daria river and walked upon its wooden planks, Ali Mohammed did not notice at first, because this goat's hooves, for some reason, made no noise. Ali Mohammed was in fact taken by complete surprise as this third goat walked up to within five feet before the troll ever saw him at all. This goat had a silken veil as did the second goat, and gossamer clothing but, underneath the gossamer, appeared to be a very strange goat indeed, yellowish with black stripes, a long tail, fearsome claws, and huge, very non-goatlike teeth. This third goat spoke these words:
Bless, O Lord, this food to my use and me to thy service, and make me ever mindful of the needs of others through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.and, with that, seized the unlucky troll in his mighty jaws, chewed him into bitesized pieces, and wolfed him down.
Bears Repeating!
Well Said Prime Minister Howard! Well Said!
Too bad el presidente Jorge doesn't have the common sense to understand this
It reminds me of the time when I lived in Saudi Arabia where showing Miss Piggy of Sesame Street was also not allowed.
You know, the evangelical crusade against satanism in children’s toys and books is illustrative of the treatment that the evangelicals are giving Romney on his Mormon religion. They are some of the same people who are supporting Huckabee.
This band of hate-filled angry fascist fanatical savage throwbacks to pre-stone age have to be kept OUT of the USA! Those that are already here have to be expelled!
As an egg, I am offended by Humpty Dumpty.
Except for the ethics and certain body parts of Ronnie Earle.
So what. There are a whole list of things that upset me - but nobody cares. I just have to suck it up and go on.
Maybe they should try that.
You know - no one is forcing them to read that little book. Maybe they should pick another one more to their liking.
Mike
Love those comments. Oh, that we had such a man running for president here.
We need a cowboy.
why wait a year?
What about the house outside La Grange?
I guess they’re starting to see that maybe Washington and his little band of rebels had some good ideas about government afterall.
Wow. Why can’t we have a candidate for president who says things like that?
Looks like a face in the moon to me.
P & G has been awfully good to my family. 14years after my father’s death, we still get the Christmas basket delivered every year.
His stock savings in the company growing over years and splitting several times allowed him to pay for his wife’s 7 years in a nice nursing home and great inheritance for his children, one of which was disabled at 50.
Don’t see many cases where a man doing labor all his life for a company can do that. Wish he could have known how well he took care of his family.
Have you ever had the muslims change anything because you were offended?
I am offended that they deny Jesus Christ. I am offended that their religion teaches to slaughter, kill - never love for your fellow man.
I am offended that their co-followers killed 3000+ Americans on our soil, I am offended that we had to send our soldiers to Iraq to defend their freedoms and set up a free nation.
Give me a break. A foretaste of what we can expect in the future as these people march down that path.
So, call me prejudiced - I have good reason for my offenses.
But, notice - no respect for my feelings.
People will now and forever seek to protect their children from evil. Why should they allow satanism for their children?
Muck the fuzlums.......
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