The Foreigner in Formosa

Speech Codes

The exquisitely-sensitive European elites are starting to write up a list of what can and can't be said about Islamofascism.

Out - "Islamic terrorism"

In - "Terrorism abusing Islam"

As usual, science may have the answer.  Recent advances in stem-cell technology have raised the possibility that even an EUnuch might one day be able to grow a pair.

Albanian Statue Controversy

Finally got around to reading Saturday's edition of the Taipei Times, and my jaw hit the floor when I saw a one paragraph piece on Albania.  WTF?  Muslim groups in Albania are opposing plans to erect a statue in honor of their country's most famous daughter: Mother Teresa.

You heard me.  Mother-freakin'-Teresa.

(Image via Nobelprize.org.)

At this point, I'm thinkin' it's one of those April Fool's Day stories.  Gotta be.  But no, Reuters reported it as well:

...Muslim groups in [the Albanian city of] Shkoder rejected the local council plan for a Teresa statue, saying it "would offend the feelings of Muslims."

[...]

"We do not want this statue to be erected in a public place because we see her as a religious figure," said Bashkim Bajraktari, Shkoder's mufti or Muslim religious leader.

...men in one Shkoder bar said they would prefer a monument to an Albanian fighter who blew himself up in order to avoid being captured by enemy Serbs...

So, Muslim clerics are opposed, as are the faithful.  At least, the pub-crawling beer-drinkers among them, anyways.

Now, what's wrong with this picture?  Democratic Taiwanese can't TAKE DOWN down statues of dictators, while Muslim Albanians can't PUT UP statues of saints?*

This one's filed under 'Islamofascism', although I realize that's a bit of an exaggeration.  What I SHOULD do is create a new category called, "Muslim Lack of Graciousness Towards Other Religions," and put the post there.

But I'm much too lazy to do all that.  Sue me.

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* My first post on the failed efforts to remove Chiang Kai-Shek and Chiang Ching-Gwoh statues from Taiwanese military bases can be found here.  The second is here.

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UPDATE:  ABC News places a more positive spin on the story, stating that the city's largest Muslim group has given the proposed bust of the Roman Catholic nun their blessing, despite the objections of three smaller organizations.  Still, the other groups ARE busy doing their best impression of communist China, warning everyone that social peace could be shattered by green-lighting the "provocative" memorial.

Man Of God

Ahmed Akkari, one of the Danish Muslim clerics responsible for instigating the "The Battle of Khartoon" earlier this year, recently suggested murdering a moderate Muslim leader in Denmark.  He was quoted in Arabic:

"If [Naser Khader] becomes the Minister of Foreigners or Integration, why don’t we send out two guys to blow up him and his ministry?"

When he heard the news, Akkari gave a little smile and replied: Oh yeah?  Prove it.

Well, Ahmed, you're busted.  Turns out you were being secretly taped in an automobile when you said it.  The tape'll soon be part of a French documentary.

Akkari's reaction to the news?  Backpedallin' time!

"If they think I have said that, then I must have been jesting.
[…]
You also need to understand, from the context, that I wasn’t being serious because I usually don’t say stuff like that - not even in jest. But sometimes things happen."

So your excuse is that you were just joking?  About what?  About whether the moderate would actually GET a cabinet post?  Or about whether you would only need TWO of your terrorist buddies to blow up the building?

As you might guess, Danish journalists could just SMELL the blood in the water:

Interviewer: Do you understand that it might be hard for Danes to accept that it’s not okay to make caricatures of Muhammed, but that it’s okay to threaten - in jest - to kill a Danish politician?  (emphasis added)

Akkari: That’s a wrong conclusion and comparison to make of this.

Interviewer: Isn’t it very natural? You’ve been very angry, very offended that your prophet has been offended, but now you’ve - in jest - threatened to kill a politician. 

There's more, but you get the idea.  Word is that the Danish "Islamic Faith Community" organization is now looking for a new spokesman. 

Y'know, if members of the Religion of Peace™ need spokesmen, they really ought to start rejecting job applications from Imams who've lost their jobs as student teachers because they pinned 4th grade pupils to the ground and beat them until their faces were bloody.

But, they know their business...

Welcome Danes

(Photos from supportdenmark.com and No Pasaran!)

The Francifada

No Pasaran and The Brussels Journal have had some very good reports about the intifada in France, so I've added them to the blog links.  I see that some cars have been torched in Berlin now.  Check it out.