If a big, fat city council president wants to fracture the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and allegedly put a sex offender over at the Medford Housing Authority, perhaps Mr. R.C. Cola should go rule in Pakistan!
What was Asia Bibi accused of?
The trial stems from an argument Asia Bibi had with a group of women in June 2009.
They were harvesting fruit when a row broke out about a bucket of water. The women said that because she had used a cup, they could no longer touch it, as her faith had made it unclean.
Prosecutors alleged that in the row which followed, the women said Asia Bibi should convert to Islam and that she made offensive comments about the Prophet Muhammad in response.
She was later beaten up at her home, during which her accusers say she confessed to blasphemy. She was arrested after a police investigation.
Acquitting her, the Supreme Court said that the case was based on unreliable evidence and her confession was delivered in front of a crowd "threatening to kill her".
Why is this case so divisive?
Islam is Pakistan's national religion and underpins its legal system. Public support for the strict blasphemy laws is strong.
Hard-line politicians have often backed severe punishments, partly as a way of shoring up their support base. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46130189
