Statement From Salman Rushdie on Attack

Viva la libertà!

THE author Salman Rushdie has released a statement blaming 'religious totalitarianism' for the attack and speaking of 'a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam.'

Thank you, @SalmanRushdie http://t.co/R9GDwgk6oZ #JeSuisCharlie — English PEN (@englishpen) 7 Jan 15

Mr. Rushdie, who was forced to spend nearly a decade in hiding after the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called for his death in 1989, for basing a fictional character on the Prophet Muhammad in his novel 'The Satanic Verses', added:
'I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. ‘Respect for religion’ has become a code phrase meaning "fear of religion." Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect.' — ROBERT MACKEY

Northern Voices has no hard party line on politics or religion but in the light of the attack in Paris on journalists and cartoonists we welcome the sentiments of Mr. Rushdie as expressed above. Viva la libertà!