Question: THE SATANIC VERSES
In early 1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran decreed that Salman Rushdie, the British author of The Satanic Verses, should be put to death. In many ways, Rushdie's novel satirized Islam and the Prophet Muhammed. Khomeini declared that Rushdie should die and that whoever killed him would go to Heaven. Many bookstores in both Europe and the United States that carried The Satanic Verses found themselves in a bind. Some Muslims threatened violence unless the bookstores stopped selling the book.
Some booksellers removed the book from their shelves and sold it only to customers who specifically asked for it. Others refused to sell it altogether on the grounds that it was too risky. Still others defied the threats. One bookseller in Berkeley, California, continued selling the book on the grounds that he would not allow anyone to interfere with the principle of freedom of the press. His store was bombed, and damage was substantial. His reaction? He increased security.
1. Imagine that you are the owner of a bookstore faced with the decision of what to do about The Satanic Verses. In deciding on a course of action, there are several conflicting objectives. Develop an objectives hierarchy and operational attribute scales.
2. What alternatives do you have?
3. What risks do you face? Do the risks differ depending on the alternative you choose? Sketch a simple influence diagram or decision tree for your problem.