It’s not easy being an atheist blogger in Bangladesh. Last month, we heard that riots occurred there over things written on the Internet (where, apparently, you can only say things in support of Muhammad).

The bloggers were subject to calls for their execution for having blasphemed online. One blogger was, in fact, brutally killed for what he wrote.

And now the government is finally taking action.

By siding with the Muslim extremists…

The telecommunications regulator ordered two leading Internet sites to remove hundreds of posts by seven bloggers whose writings it said offended Muslims, according to its assistant director Rahman Khan. “These writings have defamed Islam and the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). The two sites have removed most of the posts,” Khan told AFP. … The government has blocked about a dozen websites and blogs to stem the anti-blasphemy violence that left eight people dead. It also set up a panel, which included intelligence chiefs, to snoop for blasphemy in the social media.

Throughout these stories, you hear the bloggers described as “militant” atheists. Meanwhile, the killers, murderers, terrorists, and freedom-of-speech-haters avoid that label.

The government really is more afraid of the pen than the sword.

There’s no real way I know of to help the bloggers except to show my support from afar. So… a la the Out Campaign, here’s a Zapfino B:

Spread it far and wide. Or blaspheme in honor of our fellow bloggers. Or do whatever you can to show your support.



