Random House Arbritarily Censors Book on Islam

I just read an item on foxnews.com about Random House cancelling publication of Sherry Jones' forthcoming book The Jewel of Medina. It was due to hit stores next Tuesday but fearing violent protests a la Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses or the Jylland-Postens cartoons, Random House arbitrarily withdrew its support.

The book is said to be racy and depicts the consumation of marriage between the Prophet Muhammad and his child bride Aisha. One might not like such passages but one then need not purchase the book or take it out from the library.

Random House knew what is was publishing and just chickened out. Somehow I doubt Random House would have any reservations about publishing a book about such relations between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It should be noted that nearly four decades before Martin Scorcese directed the theatrical release, The Last Temptation of Christ was originally published in 1951 by Simon & Schuster).

In other words, Rosie O'Donnell is wrong. Christian fundamentalism is not the same as Islamic fundamentalism. I am unaware of Christian fundamentalists beheading anyone in Wichita much less calling for it due to some transgression, real or imagined. No one will die as a result of listening to the song "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" in the forthcoming film Hamlet 2. Needless to say, the writers of Hamlet 2 would not have dared penned a song about the Prophet Muhammad getting down and funky even if they were able to get Cat Stevens to agree to sing it.