Muslim professor plans to keep teaching at VCU - Richmond Times Dispatch: "Despite concerns about her safety, the Virginia Commonwealth University professor who ignited an international firestorm and defied Islamic tradition by leading a prayer service attended by men and women says she will continue to teach at VCU. Amina Wadud, an associate professor of Islamic studies, was on campus yesterday but declined to be interviewed, other than to maintain that she has no intention of leaving the classroom. The soft-spoken Wadud, speaking barely above a whisper, said she was staying unless she was fired. The university seems to have no plans to do that. In fact, VCU President Eugene P. Trani sent a universitywide e-mail Thursday emphasizing 'that VCU respects the academic freedom and rights of free speech and religious expression of all our faculty and students.' "

Some people are inflamed. From the Chicago Tribune comes this story (reg. req.) with this quote: "Only a handful of protesters showed up outside the event, and they conducted a counter prayer service on the sidewalk, led by a young American man who would only give his name as Nussruh. 'These people do not represent Islam,' said the clearly furious Nussruh. 'If this was an Islamic state, this woman would be hanged, she would be killed, she would be diced into pieces.' "

Fortunately:

1. Nussruh is not representative.
2. The U.S. is not the kind of state he has in mind.
3. Others have different opinions of what an Islamic state is.