It just goes to show; never say never. Salman Rushdie, the author, thought he’d… outgrown?, outlasted? his fatwa, thought he was over it and then, Ka-baam!, he’s stabbed giving a lecture in upstate New York. Land of the brave (which he was), home of the free (which he hadn’t been since 1989).

Because in that year, way back in the 20th century, he wrote a book called ‘The Satanic Verses’. I’ve never read it. If I’m honest I find Sir Salman a touch pretentious in the wordage department, and many other departments too. But the book says things about The Prophet, Mohammed, which shouldn’t be said. In fiction you can make up shit about absolutely anything you like. Except that. The then Ayatollah of all of Iran issued fatwa against him, offering a reward for his death. Nice.

He went into hiding, lived a life protected and off the radar, pretty much ever since. Only coming out to attend the most prestigious of awards ceremonies or his own knighthood.

And yesterday he took to the podium to speak about ‘how America is the best defender of free speech’. Unfortunately some bozo leaped onto the stage and managed to stab him 15 times before they dragged the man away. In terms of reaction times, that seems pretty slow, but the nature of knife attacks in these ‘orible times is just that. Fast and frantic and repeated. I just did a dummy run and managed 15 ‘stabs’ in 4 seconds. Poor Mel. So maybe I’m being harsh on the protection services who are never far from Mr Rushdie.

Where I really should save my harshness for the Ayatollahs. Because where else does a state AND religious leader choose to not merely condone murder but to actively encourage and in fact demand it as your duty? And people wonder why they don’t want Iran to have nuclear capability?

Happy Saturday

A xxxx