The attempted murder of author Salman Rushdie continues to stir the world and this evening (Saturday) the President of the United States, Joe Biden, officially condemned the event. In his message, Biden claimed that “when we stand in solidarity with him, we reaffirm our commitment to American values.”
“Jill and I were shocked and saddened when we heard about the evil attack in New York,” the president began his words and added that “along with the entire United States and the people of the world, we pray for his recovery and health. I am grateful to the people who responded immediately and provided assistance to Rushdi and subdued the attacker.”
“Salman, with his wisdom about humanity, with his sense of story, with his refusal to be afraid or silent, presents us with essential, universal ideals of truth, courage and resilience. He represents the ability to share ideas without fear, these are the building blocks of any free and open society. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to those American values as we stand in solidarity with Rushdie and all those who work for free speech,” Biden concluded.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid also condemned the incident when he tweeted: “The attack on Salman is an attack on our freedoms and values. It is the result of decades of incitement led by the extremist regime in Tehran. On behalf of the people of Israel, we wish him a speedy and full recovery.”