NAMING TEDDY BEAR -MOHAMMED- GETS BRITISH WOMAN ARRESTED

There is probably no toy worldwide that is more innocent than a cute cuddly Teddy Bear. But not to muslims. As part of a class project a British teacher's Sudanese class of young students named the stuffed tyke - Mohammed-and now the muslims officials in Sudan are outraged and see this as an insult to their Prophet and have arrested the teacher, 54 yr. old Gillian Gibbons, under "insult to faith and religion". She may even face 40 lashes for her "blasphemy".

The fact is that, due to the large numbers of muslims in the UK, Mohammed recently became the second most popular baby name in Great Britain. Thus it is no surprise that in a muslim country the students chose the name.

But even more interesting is that our furry inanimate pals happen to be named after one of the United States most popular Presidents. - President Theodore Roosevelt, nickname Teddy. This was done after a cartoon appeared in the newspaper retelling the story of how, on one of Roosevelt's famous hunting trips, he refused to shoot a bear tied to a tree. He considered to do so unsportmanlike.----"This cartoon sparked the imagination of the country and of a shopkeeper in Brooklyn, New York. The shopkeeper, Morris Michtom, asked his wife, Rose, to make two plush stuffed bears for display in his shop's window." Thus the Teddy Bear was "born". Comments continue below cartoon.......

But we can ALWAYS count on the muslims to consider any remote incident as an "insult to Islam". Perhaps this can be another round peg squeezed into the square hole of Islamophobia. One can imagine seeing Teddy Bears swinging from poles - hanging in effigy - while angry muslims riot in the street. The Sudanese government should learn some "sportmanship" (and rationality) from Teddy Roosevelt and stop this ridiculous arrest and prosecution of Gillian Gibbons.

entire article - emphasis mine

Briton arrested in Sudan over teddy named Mohammed

By Sally Peck and agencies

Last Updated: 1:14pm GMT 26/11/2007

A British teacher has been arrested in Sudan for allowing her seven-year-old students to name a teddy bear Mohammed, the British Embassy said. Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, was detained yesterday on suspicion of insulting the Prophet Mohammed. Mrs Gibbons let her class at Unity High School in central Khartoum choose the name for the stuffed toy as part of a school project.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm a British national was arrested by police in Sudan yesterday.

"We are providing consular assistance."

A spokesman for the British Embassy in Khartoum said: "The children chose the name because it is very common here.

"This happened in September and the parents did not have a problem with it.

"We are in contact with the authorities here and they have visited the teacher and she is in a good condition."

The website for the Sudanese Media Centre, which has close ties with the country's government, reported that Mrs Gibbons could be prosecuted under "faith and religions" legislation.

It states: "Khartoum attorney office opens a claim under article 125 of the criminal law (insult of faith and religions) against a British national female teacher named Julian (sic) working for unruly school in Khartoum.

"Head of the attorney offices Mutusim Abdallah told (SMC) that legal arrangements are under way to issue warrant of arrest against the suspect upon a complaint presented by the ministry of education.

"Abdallah said the suspect teacher printed the name of Prophet Mohammed PBUH on a doll in a shape of bear.

"Then she wrote letters to student guardians telling them that they should receive a doll on which the name Mohammed is printed.

"However this event was met with wide condemnation by guardians of the students."

Comments

[Philip Saenz]

Thank God it was a teddy bear, and not a pig. All hell would have broken lose all over the Muslim world if it had been a pig. We would still be hearing the explosions, see nuns being murdered, and Bush and the pope being burned in effigy.

[craig]

They had no problems ripping off Mickey Mouse and the Lion King to spread their message of "peace"

Muslim males adopt this name with ease.... They can't all be re-encarnations of the so called prophit...

I guess blowing ones self up for Allah is considered more peaceful than hugging a teddy bear?

The lunacy of Islam.

I read on another board a while ago (think it was Jihad Watch) some poster wanted to name his pig Muhammad, so if it ever went missing, well you can go from there ;)

I actualy like what the Texans are doing, pig-walk-a-mosque-a-thons.

More people need to be on this and do this weekly.

Where's that idiot screaming about equal rights/treatment now?

Islams double standard in play and exposed once agian.

[urban11]

I've named my toilet brush mohammad

[Tim]

The truth is every man named Mohammad is an insult to mankind in fact the very religion of Islam is an insult to the true God.

[Nick]

This is just another reason for muslimgs to be stupid, irritating and irrational.

Whats wrong with callign a teddy bear mohammed?

This is one reason why i'm an athiest.

Religion causes wars, arguements and many other unneeded (sp?) crap, and its a waste of time.

[Nick]

Nickbob94@hotmail.com if you want to discuss further

[BornInTheUsa]

I just had a huge bowel movement which included two very large, very smelly turds. I named one turd Mohammed and the other Allah. Hope the scumbag muslims don't mind!

[craig]

Nick:

Religion/philosophy doesn't cause war, man claiming to speak for a 'god' on the other hand...

Athiests too aren't exactly on the up an up. Sorry brother, you got some nuts in your crew too.

I use to identify with atheists until Athiesim became popular and started to sound nuttier than believing in my roots (Roman Catholic).

My point? Well, people are going to believe in whatever they chose to believe (minus Muslims ofcourse, for now anyways), a few nutters throughout history have hijacked the christian philosophies and killed thousands in the name of god.

Athiests too have gone ape within our lifetime.

Islam is like looking in the past in the present, and can be "tweaked" to fit into civilised society, but they have to want it.

Some do, we may not all believe them about this, but how many non christians back in the crusades were thinking the same thing?

No, I'm not making a significant paralell, my point is, philosophies change.... Depending who's the influential mouth piece on the soapbox.

The right people to chage Islam are the women, and until the womens rights groups start piping in for others instead of their own selfish goals, Islam will always be barbaric.

More (muslim) women are standing up, but they can't do this on their own.

[CJ]

I am so sick of innocent people being accused of a "master plan" against Islam. It wasn't even the teachers fault - it was the students in the class who voted on the name Mohammed. Should the school children should be given 40 lashes too? Where will the insanity end? They will use any excuse to take out their fanatic rage on an innocent English person. I feel sorry for this poor woman. I hope the British government can make some kind of deal to get her outta there.

[ANON]

I HEREBY INVITE THE PROPHET MOHAMMED TO COME FORWARD AND STATE HIS COMPLAINT.

WE'RE STILL WAITING.

[add]

i agree with craig man atheists protest about everything we want t6his off the dollar bill and that out of the pladge of allegiance you guys wont stop untill this country wil have no moral background and civilized and old tradition. And muslims take evything annaly. Do you see all the coptic orthadox christians in egypt bombing and fussing over their girls being kidnapped and raped and brainwashed and then be forced to convert those people are just sick and their whole " we want peace " that bs they are probably the most violant people in society today other than kkk

[add]

i agree with craig man atheists protest about everything we want t6his off the dollar bill and that out of the pladge of allegiance you guys wont stop untill this country wil have no moral background and civilized and old tradition. And muslims take evything annaly. Do you see all the coptic orthadox christians in egypt bombing and fussing over their girls being kidnapped and raped and brainwashed and then be forced to convert those people are just sick and their whole " we want peace " that bs they are probably the most violant people in society today other than kkk

[Mike Tonge]

Why not tell the Sudanese people and government your feelings about this?

You can email the Sudanese Parliament: info@sudan-parliament.org,
or leave your comments on the Sudan Forum: http://www.sudanforum.net/

Remember; do not insult Allah, or in any way defame the Muslim Faith. ; )