But Don’t Do It in Pittsburgh, Please. (h/t Little Green Footballs)

A community debate over religious freedom surfaced in Western Pennsylvania last week when Dutch feminist author Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali refugee who has lived under the threat of death for denouncing her Muslim upbringing, made an appearance at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Islamic leaders tried to block the lecture…They argued that Hirsi Ali’s attacks against the Muslim faith in her book, “Infidel,” and movie, “Submission,” are “poisonous and unjustified” and create dissension in their community. Although university officials listened to Islamic leaders’ concerns, the lecture…took place Tuesday evening under tight security, with no incidents. Imam Fouad ElBayly, president of the Johnstown Islamic Center, was among those who objected to Hirsi Ali’s appearance. “She has been identified as one who has defamed the faith. If you come into the faith, you must abide by the laws, and when you decide to defame it deliberately, the sentence is death,” said ElBayly, who came to the U.S. from Egypt in 1976.

The description of Ayaan as “feminist author” does no credit to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review or its journalist Robin Acton. “Political philosopher” is rather closer to the truth. But then, Ms Acton and her editors clearly don’t want trouble from Imam ElBayly or his folks, since no sooner do we hear that they want the infidel dead, we get several graphs explaining the profoundly peaceful nature of Islam. And anyway, no one’s talking about killing her HERE, you know. Not at all.

Although ElBayly believes a death sentence is warranted for Hirsi Ali, he stressed that America is not the jurisdiction where such a crime should be punished. Instead, Hirsi Ali should be judged in a Muslim country after being given a trial, he added.
“If it is found that a person is mentally unstable, or a child or disabled, there should be no punishment,” he said. “It’s a very merciful religion if you try to understand it.”

One wonders what ever happened those people who wanted to punish hate speech. You know, the ones who wanted to expel an undergraduate (in Pennsylvania, if memory serves) for calling women “buffaloes.”

I hasten to add that I am not one of those; I am pleased to have the imam speak his mind. It helps clear ours, if you see what I mean…