Salman Rushdie was born on this date in 1947. Famous for having death threats leveled at him by extremists for writing The Satanic Verses, here are some things he said. Brexiters should note #8 and stop calling anyone who argues with them "enemies of democracy".
- What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.
- A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return.
- Sometimes legends make reality, and become more useful than the facts.
- One of the problems with defending free speech is you often have to defend people that you find to be outrageous and unpleasant and disgusting.
- It is very, very easy not to be offended by a book. You just have to shut it.
- Free societies are societies in motion, and with motion comes friction.
- Every family has stories: some funny, some proud, some embarrassing, some shameful. Knowing them is proof of belonging to the family.
- A mature society understands that at the heart of democracy is argument.
- When thought becomes excessively painful, action is the finest remedy.
- An attack upon our ability to tell stories is not just censorship - it is a crime against our nature as human beings.
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