Why are non-Muslims obsessed with Salman Rushdie?

Question

I think they talk about him more than most Muslims do....

Answer 1

Because he represents what muslims do hate: blasphemy: "a3oudou bi Allah"

Answer 2

Fez, have you ever read any of his books? I'm obsessed with him because of his masterpiece "The Ground Beneath Her Feet." I know that doesn't explain why other people are, but he's an incredible writer (I admittedly didn't finish "The Satanic Verses" out of sheer disinterest/boredom)

Um, I think the other reason is that it's a human rights and free speech issue!


(P.S. Rushdie was born Muslim. That makes him an apostate - shouldn't that be a bigger issue to the fundie wackos than his book?)

Answer 3

I have better things to do with my time

This is what one of the daily papers of the time reported:

THE DAILY NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1,1989

Rushdie

LONDON: Author Roald Dahl has launched an extraordinary attack on fellow writer Salman Rushdie, calling him a "dangerous opportunist".

In a letter to yesterday's Times newspaper, the world renowned author of children's books said: 'Clearly he has profound knowledge of the Muslim religion and its people, and he must have been totally aware of the deep and violent feelings his book would stir up among devout Muslims "in other words he knew exactly what he was doing and he cannot plead otherwise."

Dahl said this type of sensationalism did get "indifferent" hooks to the top of the best-seller list "but to my mind it is a cheap way of doing it.

"To my mind, he is a dangerous opportunist." He later told reporters:

"I think he's a twit."

Answer 4

Talk about him, perhaps, but they do not whine about him and rant like children, the way that muslims do.