The Guardian is reporting that one Adel Smith, a ‘Muslim rights advocate,’ has just won a court ruling in Italy that will remove crucifixes from the state primary school attended by his children. I can understand the legal principle behind the judge’s decision (Roman Catholicism is no longer the state religion), although it seems a remarkably petty matter to litigate. It’s interesting, however, to read a little bit more about what this ‘advocate’ (a Scot, intriguingly) really stands for.
“He wanted Koran prayers displayed at his children’s school and lobbied to have an “offensive” 15th century Giovanni di Modena fresco removed from Bologna cathedral and Dante’s Divine Comedy deleted from the school syllabus. He said both showed the prophet Mohammed cast into hell.” At the same time we are told that this oh so sensitive individual has referred to the crucifix as “a small body on two sticks.”
Something tells me that Mr. Smith is not exactly the voice of tolerance.