Thursday, November 29, 2007

Losing the Name Game

I mentioned the name game in a previous post. The bad news, of course, is that Gillian Gibbons played the Name Game... and lost. She has been sentenced to 15 days in jail. And this is considered lenient--she could have received 40 lashes. Yes, 40 lashes. Yes, in 2007.

Now, I'm not the sort that bashes
a religion "just because".
But the sentence "Forty Lashes"
Gives the average person pause.

When a teacher names a Teddy
Bear "Muhammad", and is jailed,
Then the Cuttlefish stands ready
To declare "Your system's failed."

If the naming of a Teddy Bear
Means this (or any) length
Of prison term, just be aware:
I doubt Muhammad's strength.

If Allah's Greatest Prophet
Finds this teacher in the wrong,
We're justified to scoff at
Him--in poetry or song.

Muhammad's weakness is a flaw--
Sudan cannot be trusted--
I don't feel worship, trust, or awe,
I simply feel disgusted.

They had the chance to do it right
To let this teacher go;
From where I sit, Sudan tonight
Is lowest of the low.

My little voice will not be heard
They'll stick with what they're doing;
The rules have changed, though--mark my word--
The whole world, now, is viewing.

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