Teacher Arrested over teddy name

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7112929.stm

Your thoughts?

Um, do some research into the cultural background of where you are going to teach?

I am so anti official "news" at the moment it is hard to know the truth

(I say this as apart from the normal BBC news drama I unfortunately know the facts to a major local story, but if I read the front page Nottingham paper headlines I would have a completely different perception and it is staggering on the differences on the truth and the story telling which is unnecessary - for one local story - which is a serious one)

So I dont know what to think on this story, I really don't.

Thank goodness she didn't name the Blue Peter kitten.

drewboy wrote:

Um, do some research into the cultural background of where you are going to teach?

I agree, she had been working there 12 weeks

She should be released immediately. The poor women - I cant imagine what shes going through. Sure she should have been more aware of causing offence (even though she didnt come up with the name). But a prison sentence ? 40 lashes ? Its a joke.

Withdraw aid, they'll soon release her.

If this story doesn't underline just how ridiculous and dangerous organised religion is then I don't know what does. Pathetic.

How someone could claim that they did not realise this would cause offence is beyond me after all the publicity over the Norwegian cartoons and similar such things.

There is also the fact that the Sudanese government are under diplomatic pressure over Darfor and to some extent they may be benefiting from having a bargaining chip on their side with which to beat the west.

Just because something is part of a religion/country's culture doesn't make it right. The Taliban made women cover themselves from head to toe, denied them any jobs and generally treated them like scum but I don't recall anybody rationalising stuff like that as "It's OK..it's what the Taliban believe in."

If I name my pet goat Jesus on a trip to Sweden and fall foul of the 1398 By law that says that, as a result, I have to have my penis chopped off then that's all OK then as it's prohibited and blasphemous as per the Swedish Bible for the Common Man, updated 1863?

"The BBC has learned the charge could lead to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine."

A bit of a difference between the punishments isn't there? Reminds me of the Eddie Izzard skit on the Church of England's version of the Spanish inquistion "Cake or Death?".

marandina wrote:

If I name my pet goat Jesus on a trip to Sweden and fall foul of the 1398 By law that says that, as a result, I have to have my penis chopped off then that's all OK then as it's prohibited and blasphemous as per the Swedish Bible for the Common Man, updated 1863?

I think I hear Mrs Marandina booking the family holiday to Sweden as I write.

Quote :

I think I hear Mrs Marandina booking the family holiday to Sweden as I write.

Isn't Stockholm your favourite destination, Rich?

[Oh...and bring it on the footie Saturday night ]

marandina wrote:

Just because something is part of a religion/country's culture doesn't make it right. The Taliban made women cover themselves from head to toe, denied them any jobs and generally treated them like scum but I don't recall anybody rationalising stuff like that as "It's OK..it's what the Taliban believe in."

If I name my pet goat Jesus on a trip to Sweden and fall foul of the 1398 By law that says that, as a result, I have to have my penis chopped off then that's all OK then as it's prohibited and blasphemous as per the Swedish Bible for the Common Man, updated 1863?

But that isn't the argument. This is a simple, and rather well known down to recent publicity, law that doesn't encroach on anyone's rights. Observing it will not cause anyone any harm. The Taliban example is quite different.

Well I didn't know about it and that hardly makes it right. So if she gets 40 lashes or 6 months in prison for naming a teddy after a man's name then that's OK then? Both this and the Taliban are examples of Religious dogma firing overblown consequences that are irrational and morally wrong. Conequently, people get seriously hurt, wars start, people get killed and then someone names another Teddy after another man's name.

But you don't live there. Ignorance of the law is not an adequate defense, especially when you have moved there and it is a contentious issue.

The Taliban law you refer to was/is oppressive and sexist. This law is neither of those things.

Now, the punishment is of course a different matter. However, it would have been easily avoidable if the person in question had taken the time to research the religion present in the area she wanted to teach.

That does not mean that I agree with the law, or condone how it is policed. But it smacks of British people going abroad arrogantly thinking that the law of the land they are used to should apply to them when they are not in the country.

Harsh view, maybe. I actually have respect for the woman for going over there to help. But she should have been more careful.

I agree with Drews comment above.

I just saw on the news she will be getting 15 days in jail.

i don't think that she should necessarily have known that it was not appropriate and i don't think she should have been jailed.
There are laws in this country that i probably don't know about and i've lived here all my life, so i wouldn't necessarily assume all foreigners here to know them all.
I think this is a "crime" that could have happened to anyone of us.

Something else that worries me about this is the fact that all the muslims i have heard talking about it today are as horrified as any other rational human being. It just highlights how out there extreme Islamic ideologies are, they seem to bear no relation to ordinary moderate muslims. I find that utterly terrifying. What's to be done?

WormThatTurned wrote:

i
There are laws in this country that i probably don't know about and i've lived here all my life

So, because you don't know about a crime, it is OK to commit it?

It shouldn't be a crime to name a toy after a man's name! It's not exactly genocide is it?

I think a good telling off from her headmaster and a bit of cultural training would have been a more appropriate response.

She clearly didn't intend to offend anyone.

marandina wrote:

It shouldn't be a crime to name a toy after a man's name! It's not exactly genocide is it?

That's not the point though.

However, I agree that things ar WAY out of control now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7121025.stm

However, this is because if a Sudanese person was charged with that, they would have received a much harsher sentence.

Drew, do me favour and watch the"Jehovah" sketch from the "Life of Brian" movie. The sketch sums it all up really.

Who knows, maybe the mob in Sudan will get their wish and have her killed.

koshkha wrote:

I think a good telling off from her headmaster and a bit of cultural training would have been a more appropriate response.

She clearly didn't intend to offend anyone.

Abserbloodylutely. Thank you Koshka the voice of reason.

marandina wrote:

Drew, do me favour and watch the"Jehovah" sketch from the "Life of Brian" movie. "Are there any women in the crowd?" *high pitched "No..no..no..." followed by a low pitched "No". The sketch sums it all up really.

Who knows, maybe the mob in Sudan will get their wish and have her killed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYkbqzWVHZI

This one?

Yes!

Surely the best movie of ALL TIME.

Just for good measure try:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zPGb4STRfKw&feature=related

Nothing to do with the debate but very, very funny