[Buzz]

Much as most of us are royally, rightfully pi$$ed off when someone - eg. a Muslim - living in our country expects to operate according to Sharia law, a Westerner living in a Muslim state has to respect their laws or ship out. The principle remains unchanged no matter which side of the issue I happen to stand on. Even though by our standards the transgression appears incredibly trivial, knowing what we all know about Islamic fundamentalism, that teacher is at the very least guilty of a severe lapse in judgement and common sense. Barbaric as lashing sounds to us, it is their law and I must admit that I occasionally catch myself wishing flogging would be reinstated to deal with some of the ridiculously delinquent crimes that some people repeatedly commit. If a Muslim teacher working in a Christian school in a small, bible belt town had the kids name the class mascot "Jesus Christ" or "Jehova", she surely wouldn't be flogged or prosecuted under law because of the very nature of the prevailing social and legal structure (and I suppose that's the major difference), but I'm sure some of the same sentiments and emotions would understandably be aroused.