From: joedees@bellsouth.net
Date: Fri 22 Nov 2002 - 04:37:21 GMT
Salman Rushdie Signs Humanist
Manifesto 2000
or How I Met the Great but Distant Man
Paris: Oct. 7
Salman Rushdie was in Paris on the occasion of the publication of
the French edition of his latest novel, The Ground Beneath Her
Feet, (" La Terre Sous Ses Pieds"). Just a few days before his
public appearance, a friend phoned to ask me whether I wanted to
go and meet Rushdie at a press conference in the famous Parisian
bookshop of FNAC “St.Lazare. I jumped at the idea, and
immediately set out for the capital. But on arriving at the
bookshop, we were told that only those who had special
invitations were permitted to get anywhere near the great man,
who was heavily guarded. I was greatly disappointed, and made
my way to my friend™s flat which was quite a distance from the
FNAC “St.Lazare. Just before reaching her flat, I walked past a
bookshop, and noticed an enormous photo of Rushdie in the
window. The shop was obviously stocking a large number of
copies of Rushdie's latest book, and almost all his other titles
available in French. I was about to turn away thinking Rushdie
was mocking me and rubbing in my failure to meet him, when I
noticed an unassuming little note at the bottom of the photo
saying Rushdie would be present to sign copies of his book in this
particular bookshop in two days time. I entered to check to see
whether Rushdie himself would really turn up at this tiny little
bookshop, almost unannounced. Yes indeed, he would. Sheer
luck! Sheer coincidence! I waited in the cold, third person in the
queue on Thursday, October 7th at 20 .00 hours outside the
bookshop; The elderly French couple in front of me said they had
not read anything by Rushdie but they were there on principle to
support Rushdie morally.
About fifteen bodyguards were placed in front of the bookshop,
and at promptly 20.30 Rushdie turned up in a large car with two
more policemen. He was rushed into the bookshop, and then
placed, rather illogically, right in front of the bookshop window,
where any assassin would have had no problem in firing directly
from a car or motorcycle from the road. Again, rather illogically,
given all the fuss surrounding Rushdie™s security, the public were
let in without any rigorous body search ; they did not even check
my briefcase as I sauntered in.
As I suddenly found myself in front of Rushdie, I asked him to
sign a copy of his book ( French edition), and then I blurted out
breathlessly and as quickly as possible that I was Ibn Warraq, that
I had sent him a copy of my book over two years ago, had he
heard of it? had he read it ? here was yet another copy? Yes, he
had heard of it, but did not think he had ever received a copy. No
he would not have much time to see me after the signing but I
could wait and see.
So, at the end when about 45 - 50 people had filed past, and the
field was clear, I again approached Rushdie. He was a little more
relaxed this time but still hardly very friendly. He confessed that
he had after all received a copy of my book but in manuscript
form! I showed him the copy of Free Inquiry with the Humanist
Manifesto 2000, explained to him very quickly what it and the
Council of Secular Humanism was all about, and invited him to
sign the manifesto and come to the Congress in Los Angeles in
May 2000.He said he would look at it and let me know. I asked
his permission to write to him via email, as I had his email
address from Taslima Nasrin. He gave his permission, and as I
left, I added, "Mr. Rushdie, thank you very much, you are an
inspiration to all of us." There for the first time, he showed some
sort of human warmth, as he smiled spontaneously at my generous
tribute.
I wrote to him via email giving more details about the conference
in L.A. A few weeks later, I received a terse email note saying I
could add his name to the Manifesto but that he was unable to
attend the meeting in L.A.
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