It violates Sharia to depict Muhammad — especially as a fruit! Absurd Britannia Update: “Reading University Union ejects atheist society over ‘blasphemous’ pineapple,” from Student Rights, October 4 (thanks to all who sent this in):
In January this year several student atheist societies in London caused controversy when they posted a picture from the popular “˜Jesus and Mo” web comic on their Facebook pages.
This was followed at the London School of Economics (LSE) by the passing of a motion during a Student Union EGM which noted “recent Islamophobic incidents at the LSE”.
This was clearly targeted at the LSE Atheist Society, with one student speaking for the motion claiming that this publication was an Islamophobic act as “it is deeply insulting to a Muslim to depict the prophet Muhammad”.
By labelling the depiction of Muhammad as racist, the LSE Union essentially passed a blasphemy law, limiting student’s ability to criticise or mock religions and threatening punishment to those that do.
At the time, Student Rights were extremely disappointed, with Raheem Kassam stating that “the criticism or parody of religious figures, while objectionable to some, is not outside the purview of freedom of speech. Religions, like any philosophy should be and indeed remain open to scrutiny”.
Yesterday, as a new academic year begins, a similar attack on student’s freedom of expression took place at the University of Reading Freshers” Fayre.
Students from the university Atheist, Humanist, and Secularist Society (RAHS) were forced to leave the Fayre after they included a pineapple labelled “˜Mohammed” on their stall.
Staff from the Reading University Student Union (RUSU), as well as a number of Muslim students objected to this and asked the society to remove it, with a statement from the society stating that they were told “Either the pineapple goes, or you do”.
Considering that the pineapple was labelled in this way “to celebrate the fact that we live in a country in which free speech is protected, and where it is lawful to call a pineapple by whatever name one chooses” it is deeply concerning that RUSU have acted in this way.
In a statement given to Student Rights, RUSU said that “The Atheist, Humanist & Secularist society were asked to leave the Freshers” Fayre after receiving complaints from individual students about a display they had on their stall. They were initially asked to remove the display and after refusal were asked to leave.”…