Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed to death on Friday, said that he is now in hospital and would be back within two weeks. “very normal”He would have been in much greater danger if social media existed when his novel was written. The Satanic VersesPublication was made in 1988. Death threats against public figures were now commonplace. “normal.”
In an interview with Stern magazine, the author explained of having the fatwa declared against him by Iran’s then spiritual leader Ayatolloah Khomeini:
“A fatwa is a serious thing. Luckily we didn’t have the internet back then. The Iranians had to send the fatwa to the mosques by fax. That’s all a long time ago. Nowadays my life is very normal again.”
Rushdie stated that he was inspired to act by young people today but was scared now not by religious fanaticism but the loss and destruction of democracy.
“Since the supreme court abortion verdict I have been seriously concerned that the US won’t manage that. The problems are too serious and the country is at risk of falling apart. Today’s greatest danger facing us is this kind of cryptofascism that we see in America and elsewhere.
“Oh, we live in scary times. That’s true even though I always tell people: don’t be afraid. But the bad thing is that death threats have become more normal. Not only politicians get them, even American teachers who take certain books off the syllabus.”
Rushdie is currently being treated at hospital for multiple stabbings he sustained while attending a conference regarding free speech. According to Rushdie’s agent, he may lose his eye and possibly have damage to his liver or arm. An updated report states that Rushdie is now able to speak and has been removed from a ventilator.