Now it's Sir Salman Rushdie

The decision to knight Salman Rushdie is not universally popular, to say the least. But it's a welcome honor for a fine writer who has spent most of his career making the English-speaking world think about other cultures, especially the cultures Britain once conquered and what has become of them with the British gone. Since then, he has become a symbol of the need for open and honest discourse, rather than political suppression of speech including through violence. For his literary output and for his speaking out openly through his stories, even when forced into hiding, Rushdie is a worthy recipient. Congratulations to Sir Salman Rushdie. And congratulations to the Queen on a most worthy selection.