Yesterday I posted about Leo Igwe, contributor to Culture Kitchen, being attacked and beaten on July 30th because he was standing up to religious fanatics in Nigeria who were abusing children. I will reiterated and expand upon the details below. But first, I have now heard from Leo by email and he seems to be doing fine and still eager to fight the good fight. Here is his message:

Thanks for your message and concern As you may know both islamic and christian fanatics are holding Nigeria hostage You must have heard what is happening in Northern Nigeria where islamists have been battling with the police and the army for control in a region where an islamic dark age is already in place The situation makes me sad and to put it literally it makes me angry And my simple ambition is to create and to keep organizing fora where these dark age ideas and their influence can be challenged, debated, discussed and criticized.

Any help I can get to realize this objective will be greatly appreciated  read more »

Back in 2006 a horrible example of religious intolerance occurred in Indian River, Delaware where two non-Christian families (one Jewish and one Muslim) were driven out of town by threats and abuse by religious fanatics because they wanted the community to follow the Constitution of the United States. Indian River's school board had instituted specifically Christian prayer in their PUBLIC schools, forcing everyone's tax money to support Christian prayer. This wasn't a "moment of silence," it was specifically sectarian prayer, explicitly prohibited by the Constitution and legal precedent.

These two families objected, as any patriotic American should when the Constitution is being violated. The response of the community, including school officials on school property, was to humiliate the Jewish and Muslim children, threaten the parents and a whole slew of anti-Semitic rhetoric including the age-old "Christ Killer" accusation. In the end both families were driven from town. A good old fashioned pogrom to shame all of America. Yes, let me say it. Delaware has shamed America with this intolerance.  read more »