Hate begets hate, and defending freedom of expression against too many who want to crush it under the boot of intolerance is a dangerous exercise. JK Rowling has very bitter experience of this today. After the terrible attack, of which Salman Rushdie was the victim, the author of the satanic versesbetween life and death after being stabbed on stage in the United States, in Chautuqua, near New York, the novelist, creator of the successful saga of Harry Potterdecided to show his support for his fellow novelist on social networks, like many other personalities around the world.
On Saturday, August 13, she posted a message saying she felt “very sick” after hearing this sad news and hoping that Rushdie, under a fatwa sentencing him to death, issued in 1989 by the Iranian head of state at the time, Ayatollah Khomeini, and placed under police protection ever since , “I’ll get out of this eventually”. The simple message of support from a woman shocked that one can be killed for her ideas, and not a call for revenge against the author of this act of incredible violence. However, a few hours later, JK Rowling received on Twitter a post that sends shivers down your spine “Don’t worry, you’ll be next.”
In shock, she appealed to her community, relaying this threat, and wanted to thank all those who had answered her a little later to bring her some comfort, before adding, for the benefit of her followers: “The police are on the case, because I have already received other threats”.
.@TwitterSupport These are your guidelines, right?”Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence… “Terrorism/violent extremism: You may not threaten or promote terrorism… ” pic.twitter.com/BzM6WopzHa
—JK Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 13, 2022
Clearly, like Rushdie and, in a sense, for the same reason, she will find herself under the protection of law enforcement, who take the matter very seriously. As if history, alas, only stutters, through the fault of all those who believe that any being who does not think like them does not deserve to live. And it’s not Harry Potter who can make them disappear with a wave of a magic wand!
See also: JK Rowling accused of transphobia on Twitter, Daniel Radcliffe reacts!
FL