Paris
Four Muslim groups have taken the best-selling French novelist Michel Houellebecq to court for “inciting religious hatred.” They cite an interview with the literary magazine Lire in which Houellebecq said that Islam is “the dumbest religion” of all. “When you read the Koran, you’re shattered,” he said. “The Bible, at least, is beautifully written because the Jews have a heck of a literary talent.” The groups also charge that in Houellebecq’s latest novel, Platform, the protagonist—a man who admits to feeling “a quiver of glee” whenever a Palestinian terrorist is killed—is anti-Arab. If convicted under France’s hate-speech laws, the award-winning writer could face a $50,000 fine or a year in jail.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
-
-
talking pointsAfter Pike disaster, is it time to rethink death penalty? -
QUOTE OF THE DAY‘What it actually means in the American context is you want to replace American workers with foreign workers and you want boys to play in girls’ sports.’ -
the explainerJustice Dept. launches largest-ever effort to strip citizenship
-
-
-
talking pointsAfter Pike disaster, is it time to rethink death penalty?
-
QUOTE OF THE DAY‘What it actually means in the American context is you want to replace American workers with foreign workers and you want boys to play in girls’ sports.’
-
the explainerJustice Dept. launches largest-ever effort to strip citizenship
-