August 06, 2008
Book About Aisha Banned, But Not Because It's Child Porn
I think all those who are outraged over the fact that Random House has nixed the publication of a book about Muhammad's wives over fear that Muslims might react violently are right on. I like Glenn Reynolds snarky comments, for instance. Or Robert Spencer's.
But they seem to be overlooking the major thing missing from all of this: the book shouldn't be published. Not because it offends Muslims and a certain number of them would, on cue, would react violently. But because the book is child pornography.
How so? Here is how Sherry Jones describes Aisha losing her virginity to Muhammad:
the pain of consummation soon melted away. Muhammad was so gentle. I hardly felt the scorpion's sting. To be in his arms, skin to skin, was the bliss I had longed for all my life.The author claims to be "giving voice" to the "remarkable women" who were married to Muhammad and thus shaped Islam. What she doesn't say is that this particular "remarkable woman", Aisha, who Sunni Muslims claim was Muhammad's favorite wife, was NINE YEARS OLD when the marriage was consumated.
Yes, she is describing how a NINE YEAR OLD girl would feel after having sex with a man in his FIFTIES.
Since Sherry Jones felt at liberty to give Aisha voice, perhaps I can too. I think this is what she probably was saying, "RAPE!! HELP, A CHILD MOLESTER IS RAPING ME!!!!"
A harsh ahistorical critique which overlooks how common child marriage has been in history? Perhaps, but I have a 9 year old daughter and if someone were ever to lay their hands on her--social norms be damned--I'd kill him. End of story.
So, jeers to Random House for caving in to Muslim extremists. But cheers for not publishing a book which apparently describes child molestation as something beautiful.
By Rusty at August 6, 2008 11:44 AM | | l digg this
