Book About Muhammed’s Bride Aisha May be Published in Denmark
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2008/08/gates-of-vienna-news-feed-8212008.html#687Denmark’s FreeSpeech Library reacted immediately after book was turned down by publishers in the US and Serbia due to Muslim threats
By Lars Hedegaard
The Copenhagen daily Berlingske Tidende
www.berlingske.dk/article/20080820/kultur/708200045 was first with the news that The Free Speech Library has offered to publish a Danish edition of the American writer Sherry Jones’ controversial book about Muhammed’s favourite wife Aisha.
The publisher’s spokesperson Helle Merete Brix tell Berlingske Tidende that The Free Speech Library has been in contact with Sherry Jones’ agent and received a preliminary, positive response.
In a mail to The Free Speech Library Ms. Jones’ agent Natasha Kern expresses her appreciation that a Danish publisher is prepared to stand up for free speech after all that Denmark has already been through.
Sherry Jones originally signed a contract with the major US publisher Random House, but after warnings that the book might offend radical Muslims, the Random House decided to cancel the contract.
A spokesman for Random House said that it would not jeopardise the security of the author or its own employees. Ms Sherry expressed her surprise over this reaction, particularly because the book was not intended to offend. According to the author it paints a positive picture of Muhammed and Islam.
Among the sharp critics of Random House’s decision are the novelist Salman Rushdie and the Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, responsible for the famous drawing of a prophet with a bomb in his turban. Westergaard expresses his dismay that “one of the large publishers that is now bowing to intimidation. That is not a good omen for free speech. If the major publishers loose their nerve then I’m afraid that others will follow suit. The big publishers ought to set a good example. The fanatics have won.”
A Serbian publisher had also decided to print the book, but after protests from Muslim circles, is withdrew 1.000 books from the bookstores. Muslims in Serbia have subsequently accepted the publisher’s apology.
The Free Speech Library is an independent company under its own management but with close ties to Denmark’s Free Press Society — an organisation devoted to the protection of free speech.
Among the Library’s coming publications is a up-dated Danish translation of Bruce Bawer’s noted book entitled While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam Is Destroying the West from Within.