Over the years I have come across many, many defaced books in libraries. Defaced in all sorts of ways, for all sorts of reasons. There are all sorts of jerks and dweebs everywhere who do this sort of thing. What is noteworthy about this story is not — horror of horrors! — the slice of bacon in the Qur’an, but the furious dhimmi overreaction of Sandra Barnsley. They are not going to “win”? Who? The pork lobby? No, of course she means the fiendish defacers of Qur’ans. But how does she propose to make good on her assurance that “nothing like this ever happens again”? Is she going to post a full-time anti-bacon guard in front of the library’s Qur’ans? Will police search all those who enter the library and confiscate any stray rashers? (I guess you could call those strip searches.)
Maybe Prince Charles could get involved in this. He could appoint a whole Qur’an-protection force. They could be outfitted like the guards in front of the Buckingham Palace, except that their uniforms would feature brown-and-beige stripes, a la a slice of bacon. He could call them The Royal Qur’an Bacon Guards, and commission them in an elaborate ceremony at the Palace, after which they would march in formation to the nation’s libraries and take up their exalted posts. Retirees from the Bacon Guard would, of course, be awarded the United Kingdom’s highest honor, The Sacred Order of the Dhimmi. From Rugby Today, with thanks to JS:
THE ANGRY manager of Rugby Library has apologised to Muslims after a slice of bacon was found in a copy of The Koran.
The rasher had been placed in the pages of a reference copy of the book, which is available for general use.
Library manager Sandra Barnsley said: “I cannot believe anyone would do this, but they’re not going to win.
“I apologise to all members of the Muslim community and we will do everything in our power to prevent any repeat of this incident.”
A customer who was using the book for research found the bacon on Monday.
He alerted library staff, who got rid of the book immediately.
Under the terms of Islam, Muslims do not eat any pork-based products.
Sandra said: “We don’t know how long the bacon had been there but obviously we were all very upset by this incident as well.
“We welcome all faiths and cultures into the library and we have never had any problems of this nature before.”
“It is difficult to be vigilant at all times but I can assure all our customers we will make every effort to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”