By Michelle Moshelian
Random House is ``postponing'' (in reality canceling) the publishing of a book about A'isha, the wife of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, due to fears that it may be offensive to Muslims and could ``incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.''
Random House is a private publishing company and is free to make any business decision that it chooses. But it should be just that ― a business decision. This cancellation flies directly in the face of the company's goal ― to make a profit from publishing books.
The prospect that a book of this nature might have the potential to incite violence can't have just dawned on them. If they didn't wish to participate in the project and potentially stand accused of insulting the prophet, then the time to reject the book was months ago when they received the manuscript. What Random House should have done is publish the book and, if need be, take any safety measures required such as providing security for its staff.
Living in Israel, I identify strongly with the concept that the choices you make on a daily basis can affect your personal safety. Getting on a bus or going to eat in a cafe literally means putting yourself at risk from an Islamic terrorist attack.
However, I also know that not getting on that bus or not going out to eat is acquiescing to the terrorists. The terrorists' aim, (apart from the obvious killing and maiming as many as they can), is to strike terror into the souls of the masses and inhibit them from going about their daily lives. The Israeli public doesn't cave in to terror. Israeli buses are always full ― though one may argue that this is due to the necessity of traveling from A to B. But so are Israeli cafes ― and going to a cafe isn't a necessity of life as far as I recall.
If you change your plans to accommodate terrorists, then you are letting them win. It is as simple as that. And that is exactly what Random House is doing. I expect prominent book publishers to be on the front lines of the fight for freedom of expression, not cowering in the shadow of those opposed to it.
Will Random House now cancel the publishing of other books that may cause offense to other people? I don't think so. If they were to publish a book that may cause offense to Christians, for example, they might expect a few angry emails or nasty phone calls. But they won't fear physical violence. It is sad and telling that the expected response of the Muslim world to some alleged or real insult is violence.
Perhaps this is all a marketing ploy by Random House. All the publicity surrounding the book provides exposure and guarantees that far more people will buy it than may otherwise have done so. If they now issue a statement retracting their decision not to publish the book, then should one assume this is the case?
The decision to cancel the book insults their profit, insults the intellect of the Muslim world in its capacity to respond to any real or imagined affront, and insults all those who fight for freedom on our behalf.
The writer is a free lancer living in Israel. She can be reached at mmoshelian@hotmail.com.