Rushdie, Botham Get Knighted

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has issued the list of Birthday Honours for 2007. Once again, this journal’s efforts have gone unnoticed (could it be that the desire to abolish of the monarchy plays badly at the palace?), but other worthies have not. Salman Rushdie, author and offender of the late and unlamented Ayatollah Khomeini, will be knighted, as will former cricketing hero Ian Botham. Australian comedian Barry Humphries, better known as Dame Edna Everage, receives a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), since knighting a dame creates all kinds of protocol problems. And most of all, Edward Joseph Cooper, from east Belfast, was made an MBE for being a better human being than most.

The knighting of Salman Rushdie has annoyed Iran and Pakistan since his bookThe Satanic Verses allegedly insults Islam. His earlier work Midnight’s Children won the Booker Prize in 1981, and the Booker of Bookers in 1993 as the best novel in the 25 years of the Booker competition. One will leave it to others to debate this. Sir Salman fictionalizes history in a rather obvious way, and his merit derives more from the stories he tells rather than the craft of his writing. He is not Truman Capote or Hunter Thompson who never put a word wrong; still, one would be happy for him to receive the K for no other reason than his resistance to Fascislam all these years.

Ian “Beefy” Botham was one of England’s great cricketers in the 1980s. For 15 years, he played at the international Test level for 102 matches. Sir Ian averaged 33.54 runs an innings, totaling 5,200 career runs. As a bowler he took 383 wickets at an average of 28.40; and holding 120 catches. He captained England for 12 tests in 1980 and 1981, but is generally judged a failure there: no wins, 8 draws and 4 losses. That said, 9 of his 12 matches were against the West Indies back when they were the greatest (Sir Viv leading the way). Raising £10 million for Leukaemia Research got him some notice for charity as well.

Barry Humphreys, CBE, is an Australian who dresses up as a woman and makes people laugh. At least, that’s what most people think. In truth, he satirizes his homeland with a love and affection that “encourage[s] people to look at Australia critically and with affection and humour, which is what all comedians should do.” His snobbish Sir Les Paterson along with Dame Edna Everage, are cultural icons who will outlive their creators(who happens to be a damn fine landscape painter, too). Although these two characters outrank him, he said of the CBE, “I’m deeply honoured. At last I can address Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna on an improved footing.”

Finally, and best of all, is Ulsterman Edward Joseph Cooper, MBE. For the last 54 years, he has bought Christmas toys for underprivileged kids in Northern Ireland. Ulster Television reported, “Since starting work at the age of 14 he has bought toys every week and stored them up to give to the children over the festive season. Since his retirement he has continued the practice. His generosity extends to Easter - when he donates Easter eggs to orphaned children. He is a one man charity who works independently of any organisation and hasn’t made it known publicly that he was doing what he did. As Mr Cooper maintained his silence, one person who knows about his activities said: ‘He doesn’t talk about what he does. Many of the organisations who receive his gifts don’t know they are from him - they will now’.” Any further comment is pointless.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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