ad cut off’,” he said. […]
[D]espite the government’s assurances of support, Redeker accused the authorities of leaving him “alone and abandoned”.
Interviewed over the telephone from a safe house by Europe 1 radio Friday, he said that “the education ministry has not even contacted me, has not deigned to get in touch to see if I need any help.”
On Thursday Education Minister Gilles de Robien expressed “solidarity” with the teacher, but also warned that “a state employee must show prudence and moderation in all circumstances.”
Redeker said that “if Robien is correct, then we would never have had any intellectual life in France. The function of politics is not tell us what we are allowed to think, but to defend our freedom to think and speak out.”
According to The Brussels Journal, the editor of Figaro, Pierre Rousselin, has apologised on Al-Jazeera TV:
A number of Islamic countries, including Egypt, banned Le Figaro following the publication of Redeker’s piece. Mr Rousselin said the publication of the op-ed was a mistake. He said the article did not express the paper’s opinion. The article is no longer available on the Figaro website.
For saying Islam is a religion which exalts violence, they’re threatening to cut his head off….a paradox that a philosophy teacher might relish under happier circumstances.
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