Why did Europe do it?

[betsy]

This topic is about Europe. Trying to understand why those cartoons had re-surfaced yet again, inspite of the protest voiced out after they got published in Denmark.

I do not believe that there is no reason behind what seems to be an intentional action on European media's controversial reaction. DEFIANCE is the word that springs to my mind right now.

I remembered reading a murder case a couple of years back about a movie person murdered by a Muslim who found offense with his movie. In that news articles, members of the press were quoted about their concern for freedom.

This might have something to do with what had caused the media to "provoke" the Muslims. This is just an excerpt.

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November 07, 2004

Trifkovic: Europa Delenda: Muslim immigrant murders Dutch maker of a movie about Islam

The threats on van Gogh's life started ten weeks ago, after the premiere of his film. It was scripted by a Somali-born woman, Hirsi Ali (34), who grew up as a Muslim but has denounced the cult. She is now a Dutch national assembly deputy, and vociferous in her criticism of Islamic obscurantism and violence. She says the goal of the film was to draw attention to rampant but concealed violence against Muslim women, including those living in Europe, who are routinely subjected to rape, incest, forced marriages, and the suicides. "Muslims deny it," she says, "and many Dutch are afraid of taking it on, of causing religious tension, of being called racists."

Van Gogh insisted that he could not see why so many Muslims expressed outrage with his movie. It opens with a Muslim prayer; the narrator then tells stories of four women who ask for Allah's help to lighten their suffering. One was forced to marry a man she hates, one was raped and made pregnant by her uncle, one was whipped after she had sex with her boyfriend, and one is repeatedly beaten by her husband. The women feel abandoned by Allah despite their devotion to him. As a close-up shot of a battered and bruised face appears, the narrator says:

"Oh, Allah, most high. You say that men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because you have given one more strength than the other. Yet I feel at least once a week the strength of my husband's fist on my face."

In addition to his film, van Gogh also wrote columns about Islam that were published on his website and in the Dutch newspaper Metro.

All that appears to have sufficed for a fatwa, a death sentence, and an execution-style murder, in broad daylight, deep inside the Western world. There but for the grace of God go I. Lord have mercy.

Mijnheer Balkenende seems to be implying that "this brutal murder" will be deemed less "unacceptable" if it turns out to have been caused not by "a difference of opinion" but by some more profound reason—by the sense of pain and grievance in the Muslim community, perhaps, caused by the late filmmaker's insensitive and inappropriate words and actions. His reference to Van Gogh's "outspoken opinions" is already echoed in a hundred obituaries describing the victim as "controversial." This brings to mind a Dutch journalist's New York Times obituary of Pim Fortuyn, which called his views "a curious mixture of right, center and left." In today's Holland, no less than in America, it is obvious that notions described as "outspoken," "controversial," and "curious" denote thoughts, as opposed to programmed responses.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/003828.php

[scribblet]

Europe is afraid, I see this as the press taking a stand against radicalism and the expansion of Islam.

They need to take their collective heads out of the sand and head this off at the pass. Islam is expanding and if there isn't a major course correction Europe could be Islamized in our kid's lifetimes. The birth rates of Western Europeans are low Muslims high. As Mark Steyn writes after … might like to ponder demographic realities." As he says, the chances of Gloria Steinem's successors being able to chant "Keep your Bush off my bush" from under burkas are slim.

Clearly there is more to it than the cartoons.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=15435

A Danish employee of the European Union in Brussels confides that she is so fearful of Muslim anger over the now-infamous cartoons of the prophet Mohammed in a Danish newspaper that she is afraid to go home.

Unnerved Danish members of the European Parliament refuse to comment on the violent protests in the Arab world and even normally chatty European analysts said in interviews that they are withholding speculation for fear of fanning the flames.

snip

Ottolenghi noted that the Muslim demonstrations were occurring nearly five months after the cartoons appeared.

“So why now? There is nothing spontaneous about what is happening,” he said. “Denmark is going to be the chair of the U.N. Security Council when the decision about Iran’s nuclear activities is made and these protests are intended to make the Danes feel the heat.”

Ottolenghi said he suspects the riots are also intended as a message to those E.U. leaders hoping to maintain a hard line with Hamas.

“This violence is clearly intended to intimidate Denmark in particular and Europe in general and to push them to have a more accommodating attitude toward Hamas,” he said.

[Durgan]

I suggest Ibn Warraq has a good reason for printing the cartoons. Below is an extract from one of his articles.

"Peace in our Time" Neville Chamberlain 1939 This little piece of paper Chamberlain (PM of UK) got from Hitler cost 50 million lives, because of heads burried in the sand.

By Ibn Warraq

A democracy cannot survive long without freedom of expression, the freedom to argue, to dissent, even to insult and offend. It is a freedom sorely lacking in the Islamic world, and without it Islam will remain unassailed in its dogmatic, fanatical, medieval fortress; ossified, totalitarian and intolerant. Without this fundamental freedom, Islam will continue to stifle thought, human rights, individuality; originality and truth.

[betsy]

The Fall of Europe

________________________________________

Ali Sina

May, 25, 2005

In an act of total insanity, the Council of Europe, decided to ban criticism of Islam equating it to anti-Semitism.

Selcuk Gultasli in zaman.com wrote: “Anti-Islamism has been included in the text as a “dangerous inclination” that has to be fought against upon the insistence of Turkey at the summit that 46 Council members attended. The conclusion draft of the summit included the notion of "Islamophobia". The inclusion of this notion in the European organizations' documents for the first time is described as the success of Turkey.

This is the beginning of the fall of Europe. Anti-Islamism is not the same as anti-Semitism. Islam is a belief system, Semites are a race. We can’t equate a race to a doctrine. Racism is sheer evil. Apart from the fact that no race is better or worse than other races, unless one is Michael Jackson, one can’t change his race. Instigating hate against a race is instigating hate against mankind. Doctrines that instigate racial hate must be condemned and those who engage in racial slurs must be brought to justice.

http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/sina50525.htm

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It is interesting and worrying to see what's happening to Europe.

[scribblet]

Europe will fall if it doesn't take a stronger stand, some countries are starting to wake up - we hope.

In France, hard-line Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who in October characterized France's urban rioters as "rabble," will require non-European immigrants to sign a new "Contract of Welcome and Integration" that spells out their obligations. Among other reforms, the French government will be free to expel immigrants after 10 years. Insular Muslim communities -- commonplace today -- are outlawed. For immigrants to stay, they will have to demonstrate respect for French norms, such as equality between men and women. "If a wife is kept hostage at home without learning French, the whole family will be asked to leave [the country]," said Mr. Sarkozy, who proposes to rank countries to determine the desirability of their immigrants.

http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/en/inf...e-on_54514.html

Danish migration rules target Muslims

Wednesday 18 February 2004, 9:18 Makka Time, 6:18 GMT

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A36...6B9B8F304E8.htm

Danish PM Anders Rasmussen has announced various changes to immigration aimed at curbing the number of Muslim leaders allowed into the country.

Germans argue over integration

By Ray Furlong BBC News, Berlin

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4056109.stm

Decades of consensus about a multicultural society have been thrown into question recently as leading German politicians suggest that minorities living in the country need to do more to fit in.

"The notion of multiculturalism has fallen apart," said opposition conservative leader Angela Merkel in a recent interview.

"Anyone coming here must respect our constitution and tolerate our Western and Christian roots."

TNetherlands:

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_articl...ion+law%3A+2005

MVV visa and integration (inburgering) test abroad

A proposal regarding the integration law for foreigners abroad has been presented to the parliament which is supposed to enter into force next year.

According to this proposal, nationals not exempted from the MVV requirement and willing to come to the Netherlands on a permanent basis should take an integration test abroad as one the requirements to obtain an MVV. Knowledge migrants, their families, au pairs and students will be exempted of this requirement.