Brussels
is a city you simply don't want to miss out on. As
the
headquarters to the EU (European Union) and NATO it is often referred
to as The Capital of Europe.
It is an international metropolis – a mosaic of languages, cultures,
and traditions. Aside from the spectacular and unique
architectural styles of the city, Brussels also hosts over 80
museums, numerous tourist attractions, a vibrant nightlife, and more
restaurants than you could count.
The
starting point for any visit to Brussels is the Grand Place which was
built as a merchant’s market in the 13th century. It serves as the
center of the city and hosts a variety of festivals including
the
Ommegang pageant held every July .
Shopping in
the distinctive fashion boutiques, lingering over a delicious lunch in
a bistro or a top restaurant, people watching from a street cafe, or
picking up an original antique on the Sablon -
Brussels is a
city you can call your own.
For
more information on what to see please check out Brussels Highlights.
Historic
& Cultural Overview of Brussels.
The
popular image of Brussels is that of a capital of European
bureaucracy, with the city centre densely packed with EU
office buildings and thousands of uniformly-dressed Eurocrats pacing
the busy streets.
The truth is, there's much more to the city than the steady rhythm of
business life, for Brussels is a rare gem of cultural and social
uniqueness.
Many
inhabitants of Brussels complain that the presence of the numerous EU
institutions and NATO headquarters overshadows the true spirit of the
Belgian capital, making it look stiff and formal. One stroll down a
street in central Brussels is enough to make one believe that the city
is anything but boring. It's estimated that over 20 percent of
Brussels' population are foreigners, mostly working for the
international institutions and companies. Even the natives of Brussels
are divided into speakers of French and Dutch, and all of the places
and street names in the city are given in those two languages. A
colourful, multicultural crowd fills the streets day and night, giving
the city a unique, cosmopolitan feeling.
The
earliest records of a settlement in the area come from the late 7th
Century, when a chapel was established on a river island. The official
date of establishment of the town is 979, when relics of St. Gudula
from Moorsel were transferred to the chapel. Permanent fortifications
around the settlement were constructed by Charles, the banished son of
French King Louis IV. Brussels developed fast thanks to its strategic
location on the banks of the Senne, and on a major trade route running
from Bruges and Ghent to Cologne. By the Middle Ages, it was no less a
cosmopolitan city than it is today.
Throughout
its history, Brussels has witnessed a number of important events. The
magnificent Palace Coudenberg, the traditional residence of the Belgian
rulers, was an important stopover for diplomats from all over the
continent. In 1555, the palace saw the abdication of the Holy Roman
Emperor Charles V. In 1731, it was destroyed in a disastrous fire and
never rebuilt. An archaeological site is all that remains of it. A
great part of Brussels' beautiful Medieval architecture was also
destroyed in a French attack in 1695, during which the houses around
the Grand Place were set on fire.
Previously
a part of the Netherlands, France and the Habsburg Empire, Brussels
became capital of Belgium only after the Revolution of 1831.
Because of the city's potential and continuous prosperity, it was
always a desirable location for major European powers. The city survived
World War II largely intact.
After
the end of the Second World War, moves towards European integration
were seen by many as an escape from the extreme forms of
nationalism which had devastated the continent. One such
attempt
to unite Europeans was the European
Coal and Steel Community
which, while having the modest aim of centralised control of
the
previously national coal and steel industries of its member states, was
declared to be "a first step in the federation of Europe". The
originators and supporters of the Community include Jean
Monnet,Robert Schuman, Paul
Henri Spaak and Alcide de Gasperi.
The founding members of the Community were Belgium,
France, Italy, Luxembourg,
the Netherlands and West
germany.
Belgium actively participated
in the creation of the European Union
(then the European
Economic Community), and as a result its
capital was designated as the administrative core of the organisation.
Brussels
celebrates its rich and varied cultural, social and economic history in
the more than 100 museums and galleries scattered around the city.
The
Royal Museum of Fine Arts (Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts) displays a
magnificent collection of works by Dutch and Flemish masters, including
Memling, Bosch, Cranach, Brueghel, Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck and
Frans Hal; paintings by van Gogh, Chagall, Miro, Dali, Matisse can also
be found. The Horta Museum is devoted to the life and works of noted
Belgian architect Victor Horta, who introduced the Art Nouveau style in
the city.
A
city as diverse as Brussels has such museums as the Royal Museum for
Central Africa (Musée Royaux d'Afrique Centrale, RMCA) and the comics
shrine Musée BD sit almost side by side. The former holds a unique
collection of African ethnographic artefacts. Experts claim it's the
only one of its kind in the world. The latter, located in Europe's
earliest shopping mall, Jugendstil Palais, holds a permanent exposition
presenting the beginnings and development of comics.
Prominent
Brussels landmarks include cultural icons recognisable all over the
world. The Grand-Place, also known as the Grote Markt, is a true
spectacle at night, when carefully arranged lights illuminate the
façades of beautiful old buildings. The legendary figure of the peeing
boy, Manneken Pis, is located very nearby. Inhabitants of Brussels
believe that the small bronze statue symbolises the 'irreverent spirit'
of their city. Manneken Pis has a collection of outfits for all
occasion, each with a small hole placed strategically in order to let
the water flow.
The
Atomium, built for the Expo '58 (then known as the World’s Fair), is a
102-metre-tall construction representing a unit cell of an iron
crystal, enlarged 165 billion times. Nine giant spheres are connected
with enormous tubes through which passenger lifts move. The top-most
sphere provides an absolutely spectacular view of the Belgian capital,
making the Atomium the single most popular attraction in the city.
The
Belgian capital offers plenty of entertainment options with which to
fill your day. The lovely Parc du Cinquantenaire (Jubelpark), in
eastern Brussels, is a quiet and peaceful place, a true refuge from the
fast-paced centre. A viewing terrace above the Arc de Triomphe
(Triomfboog) offers a charming alternative to the view of the city
available from the Atomium. A fascinating day out might be an excursion
to the Waterloo Battlefield, located around 12 kilometres away from the
city centre. Napoleon's final battle against Wellington, which took
place there on June 18, 1815, forever changed the face of Europe.
Today, the site holds a memorial in the form of a mound upon which
stands a statue of lion looking towards France.
Whatever
you decide to fill your days in Brussels with, remember to embark upon
a delicious tour of the city's famous restaurants, offering the best of
what refined Belgian cuisine has to offer. Specialities such as rabbit
stewed in beer served with some of the famous kriek will make your stay
a memorable experience. While strolling around the city, don't forget
to have one of the Gauffre Liègoise (Luikse Wafel), the famous Belgian
waffles with caramelised sugar, a true delight on both a sunny
afternoon and a chilly evening.
The
Grand Place, with its ornate baroque and gothic guild houses, is listed
as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the most beautiful squares
in Europe. Built as a merchants market in the 13th century, it serves
as the city center and a great place to enjoy Belgian hospitality at
one of the many terrace cafes. It is also a venue for many concerts
& events throughout the year and during the warmer months has a
vibrant, daily flower market.
Town Hall (Hotel de Ville)
The
first building you notice upon entering the Grand Place is the striking
gothic town hall, which dates back to the 13th century. Its beautiful
facade features the famous needle-like crooked spire which is 315 feet
in height and is topped by the archangel St. Michael. Tours are
available of the interior, which contains 15th century tapestries and
works of art.
Manneken Pis
This
famous statue of a little boy peeing in a fountain is a perfect
representative of the irreverent Belgian humor. The unique Brussels
icon has been amusing visitors on the corner of Rue de L’Etuve
&
Stroofstraat since 1619. Over time it has become a tradition for
visiting heads of state to donate miniature versions of their national
costume for the little naked boy. The wardrobe of Mannekin Pis can be
seen at the Brussels museum and includes over 760 outfits – even an
authentic Elvis jumpsuit.
Galeries St Hubert
This
gorgeous, glass roofed arcade in the center of town, lined with cafes,
theaters and luxury stores has the distinction of being the first
shopping arcade in Europe. Built in 1847 and recently renovated, the
Royal Galleries (Galerie de la Reine, du Roi and du Prince) are one of
the most astonishing places to visit in Brussels.
Mont des Arts
Situated
half way between the broad avenues of Brussels’ Park and the pretty
gardens of Petit Sablon and Egmont, this area marks the transition
between the ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ town. It boasts a profusion of museums,
theaters and historical monuments, attracting locals and visitors alike
to Brussels.
On
any given day there are over 20,000 people working in the offices of
the EU. The infrastructure of the EU is divided into 3 big
institutions: the European
council, the European
commission and the European parliament.
Ommegang festival (Grand Place)
Take
a seat on the tiered stands or lean on the low barriers and find
yourself transported to 1549. Every year, the lavish Ommegang
procession commemorates the tribute paid to Emperor Charles V and his
VIP guests. Richly-colored costumes, horses, embroidered banners, flag
throwing and stilt jousting are always on the menu for this annual
event.
MIM (The Museum of Musical Instruments)
Architectural
styles of Neo-Classic and Art Nouveau. Housed in the museum is a
collection of more than 7000 instruments of varying kinds and origins.
On the top floor, the indoor & outdoor MIM Restaurant provides
visitors with a magnificent 360° view of Brussels.
The Cantillon Brewery
This
brewery, which uses the same brewing process as it did when it was
founded in 1900, has been converted into a working museum providing
visitors with tours and tastings throughout the year. In an hour and a
half the Van Roy-Cantillon family invites you to discover all the trade
secrets of making lambic beer, faro, kreik and the archetypal Brussels
beer known as geuze. Geuze is a blend of lambic beers and has the
dryness and sparkle of a good champagne.
Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule
This
magnificent cathedral, tactfully dedicated to the male and female
patron saints of Brussels, is located near Central Station. It was
completed by the end of the 15th century in the Brabant Gothic style,
but was damaged by the French shelling of 1695. The white stone façade
is from the year 1250 and the interior is splendidly proportioned and
stuffed with treasures.
The Belgian Center for Comic Strip Art
(Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinee)
Housed
in an art nouveau masterpiece designed by Victor Horta, this museum
pays homage to a particular Belgian passion, cartooning. Tintin and the
Smurfs are the most famous Belgian comic strip characters but the
museum also displays artwork from over 670 cartoonists. Other displays
detail the stages of putting together a comic strip, from examples of
initial ideas and pencil sketches through to final publication.
Arranged over three levels, the museum also has a library and an art
nouveau brewery.
The Dinosaur gallery at the Royal belgian
Institute of Natural Sciences
Explore
the largest dinosaur museum in Europe on permanent display at the
Museum of Natural Sciences starting on October 27. This is a great
exhibit for the whole family, with many new dinosaur skeletons to
discover and learn about as well as hands-on activities for children.
The Royal Palace (Palais Royal)
The
official home of the Belgian king, you will always know if he is in the
country when you see the Belgian flag flying on top of the building.
The building is a highlight of Neo-Classical architecture and overlooks
Brussels Park. The Royal Palace is open to the public during the summer
months.
Royal Greenhouses
Built
in 1874 by King Leopold II, it contains one of the largest &
finest
private botanical collections in the world. The complex itself consists
of 16 huge interconnected greenhouses, a dining hall, theater and
reception areas. Every year, usually from the last week of April
through the 1st week of May, the king invites the public to visit the
greenhouses & the exuberant display of flowers.
Place du Grand Sablon
This
picturesque square is situated on the slope that divides Brussels
between the upper and lower halves of the city. Decked out with chic
boutiques, al fresco cafes, fashionable restaurants, and trendy bars,
the Grand Sablon is most famous for its lively open-air antiques market
which attracts antiques dealers from all over the world. Open every
weekend (Sat 9-6, Sun 9-2).
Place du Petit Sablon
Just
above the Grand Sablon is the jewel of a square - Petit Sablon.
Originally a horse market, it was converted in 1890 into an elegant
& charming flower garden with lavish fountains, surrounded by
wrought-iron fences decorated with stone statuettes. Each figure
represents a medieval trade or craft that brought prosperity to
Brussels. Today it is a favorite area to relax while taking in the
pretty view.
Museum Horta
The
former home of Art Nouveau’s best-known architect, Victor Horta, is now
the Horta Museum - a showcase of stained glass and subway tile, pale
wood and wrought iron whose every corner seems magically bathed in
golden sunlight.
Comic Strip Route
There
are currently 38 large comic strip images decorating the sides of
buildings around Brussels city center. This outdoor exhibition is known
as the comic strip route and is organized by the Belgian
Center for Comic Strip Art and
the city of Brussels. Begun in 1991 as a tribute to Belgium’s talent
for comic strip art, this street art project continues to grow.
Palais de la Nation
Home
of the Belgian Parliament since the country’s independence in 1830,
this magnificent building was constructed in the late 18th century by
the Neo-Classical architect Guimard, who also designed the expansive
stone facade and many of the surrounding state buildings.
Cinquantenaire Arch
Erected
to mark the 50th anniversary of Belgium’s independence from Holland,
the monument is 144 ft high at the head of Ave. de Tervuren and is
topped by a bronze chariot being ridden by the female personification
of a triumphant Belgium. Adjacent are the Royal
Museum of Art & History, Royal Museum of Army
& Military History and the 90-acre Jubilee
Park forming a lush backdrop for all three.
Mini Europe
This
kitschy village houses over 300 doll-sized versions of the most famous
European monuments including the Eiffel Tower and Acropolis. This
popular family destination is located in Bruparck, which is in the
Heysel area of northern Brussels. Also found in Bruparck are an
assortment of themed restaurants, and IMEX movie theater (movies in
English) and Oceade, a tropically heated water park.
Atomium
Built
for the 1958 World Fair, the Atomium represents a molecule’s nine atoms
– magnified 165 billion times. Something of a symbol of the city, it
provides a panoramic view of Brussels and its surroundings. The 9
spheres that make up the “atom” are linked by escalators. The Atomium
hosts a museum and is also a venue for special events.
In
Summer : take part in a unique activity: a Death-Ride from the top
sphere of the Atomium! A breathtaking descent of more than 100 meters!
For
individual visitors, the European Parliament
offers audio-guided visits and, during part-sessions, the
chance to attend a parliamentary sitting. Visitors must be at
least 14 years old. Information visits are organized for groups
composed of a minimum of 20 people and a maximum of 45.
Rue de Bouchers
Known
more for the atmospheric charm than the cuisine, Rue de Boucher is a
walking thoroughfare abounding with 17th century stepped gables,
decorated doorways, cafes and restaurants with lavish pavement displays
of seafood, piled high on mounds of ice. It is not recommended to eat
there and is often called a "tourist trap" in regards to menu prices
and quality of food.
Christmas Markets
During
the month of December Brussels’ Grand Place is magically transformed
into a winter wonderland of holiday delights with an enormous Christmas
tree and nightly sound & light shows. Nearby on Place Sainte
Catherine resides a European Christmas Market village made up of wooden
cottages filled with Christmas goodies, European food specialties and
handicrafts.
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On sale from 9th to 12th March 2010.
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In a turbulent world and with development under huge stress, partnership between North and South is key to promoting more inclusive and effective global governance. The European Union (EU) is very vocal about partnerships in its policy statements, but still lacks the capacity to convert this discourse into reality. An urgent problem is that the EU remains a fragmented, isolated organisation, mostly looking inward without understanding the perceptions and priorities of its partners in the developing world.
A demonstration concerning Tibet passes through Brussels on Wednesday 10 March 2010. There will be traffic congestion in the centre of the city from 10 am to 4 pm. (Lire article)
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The European Commission signalled its willingness to swing into action with a plan for a monetary fund equipped with sufficient resources to assist highly indebted eurozone nations such as Greece
The International Monetary Fund might support a separate bail-out fund for European countries, depending on the nature of the agreement that is struck in Brussels
The European Investment Bank (EIB) today signed the Nigeria Framework Loan which will provide up to EUR 240m to three Nigerian banks: FirstBank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank and Stanbic IBTC. The funding will be used to facilitate private and public private partnership infrastructure in the country and ensure continued investment in the sector.
French officials welcomed the German proposal for a European Monetary Fund, but gave short shrift to the idea of new draconian penalties on governments that rack up excessive deficits
The EU is planning to pull together three intelligence-sharing bureaus based in Brussels to form a new department in the bloc's External Action Service (EAS). The EU's foreign relations chief, Catherine Ashton, is currently drafting a proposal for the future structure of the union's diplomatic corps, with a final paper expected in March.
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Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday dismissed the renewal of the European Union (EU) sanctions on his country as a futile attempt by the West to disrupt the country's developmental process.In his first public reaction after Tuesday's extension of the sanctions for another year, Mugabe said the sanctions were designed to curtail progress, but vowed these would not derail government efforts to revive the economy.
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht has met with the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation Pascal Lamy in his first official meeting after taking office. The visit underlines the importance that the European Commission places upon a rules-based multilateral free-trading system and the vital role the WTO plays in ensuring its effectiveness.
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EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs announced today the release of €100 millions to support recovery activities in Haiti. This amount will be used for the reconstruction of government buildings and key state infrastructures, budget support to help the government maintain essential expenditures such as the payment of salaries, rebuilding of schools and strengthening of the education system, consolidation of the main road around Port-au-Prince, enhancement of civil protection capabilities and technical assistance.
EU Member States must not only deliver on their international aid pledges, but also bring in a financial transactions tax and a temporary debt moratorium, to help developing countries to cope with the effects of the global financial and economic crisis, said the Development Committee on Monday. Member States are also urged to earmark at least 25% of the EU's CO2 emission trading revenue to help developing countries to deal with the effects of climate change.
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David Cameron has made it clear
that the Conservative party, of
which he is the head, has changed. Win or lose the upcoming election, there is
no going back. The Tory “dinosaurs”
are out. The party is now “progressive,” “bold” and “radical” – a party of
“ideas.”
Yet, its ideas were mostly
thought up by Tony Blair’s New Labour party. Issues of importance are off the
table:
- In his Spring
conference speech on Feb. 28, Cameron failed to mention uncontrolled
immigration even though the island nation (smaller then the state of Oregon) is
on track to hit 70 million by 2030.
- There was no mention of the
damage done to society by political correctness.
- No mention of the European
Union, which makes 75-80 percent of laws enacted in Britain.
- And the “bold” and “radical”
Cameron did not address the issue of political Islam in Britain – an issue that
is hardly out of the news these days.
Only the day before Cameron’s speech, the
Telegraph published an article revealing the Islamic Forum of
Europe’s infiltration into Britain’s governing Labour party,
especially in the East London, Tower Hamlets council. Much of the information
had been supplied by Jim Fitzpatrick, Britain’s Environment Minister. The
“bold” and “radical” Conservative party has yet to seize on this golden
opportunity to scoop up a huge number of votes, nor is it likely to.
There have been brief moments the
last few years when Cameron has shone. Certainly his observation
that far-Left London mayor, Ken Livingstone, had used ethnic minorities as “potential
agents of revolutionary change,” was one of them. The statement might easily
have been applied to the British Left almost in its entirety. It might well sum
up the New Labour era. But it also now sums up the Cameron “revolution.” He too
has decided to use minorities in general, and Muslims in particular, to
irrevocably change his party. It is not that Cameron expects Muslim MPs to do
anything differently, but that he recognizes that the liberal press will only
regard the party as “modern” (cosmopolitan, anti-racist, and skeptical about
war, the US, and Israel) if it includes a few prominent Muslim faces. He also
believes that this will aid community cohesion, illustrating that there are no
barriers for minorities in modern Britain.
“[I]f we win that general
election,” Cameron said in his Spring Conference speech, “instead of 18 women
MPs on the Conservative side, there will be more than 60 [as well as] black and
minority ethnic candidates, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, right
across our country. Not in Labour seats, not in marginal seats, but in safe
Conservative seats.”
In private, Cameron’s assessment has a different accent. He
credits the party’s Conservative Muslim Forum for aiding the process of
modernization. The CMF, he told an audience at the organization’s 2009 Eid
celebration [video],
“has done great things for the Conservative party, helping us to reach out to
people who had not been interested in the Conservative party before.” The CMF
has been instrumental in its “opening up.”
For Cameron, as for the Left, Muslims in particular have
been unfairly disadvantaged by Britain. An integrated society has to have more
Muslims who are prominent in business, in the armed forces, [video] “and, of course,
more Muslims in our parliament […] British Muslim all across government, in
positions of leadership and authority.”
There is nothing wrong with having more Muslims in
parliament, but the kind of social engineering articulated by Cameron, and the
implicit idea that Muslims have been oppressed, rather than welcomed, by the
nation, is precisely what made Labour so vulnerable to infiltration by
Islamists. Will this new Leftwing “progressive Conservative” party prove any
more resilient, or any more able to tell the moderate and reformist from the
“radical” Muslim?
Until late 2008, the CMF linked its website to Ta-Ha
publishing, the latter of which has published two books by former IFE president
Muhammad Abdul Bari.
Even if there are no IFE members in the Conservative party, ideas matter.
Political correctness and political multiculturalism are gifts to the
extremists, as Britain – excluding the majority of MPs – has learned to its
cost. Ordinary British Muslims are the first victims of the extremists, as the
Channel 4 Dispatches [video]
program on IFE infiltration showed:
One woman, who had set up a Muslim dating agency, was threatened, as
were Bengali Muslims for celebrating a cultural festival with music, dance, and
the free mixing of men and women.
The three major political parties all seems to have embraced
Islamists, as have some of the smaller parties.
The Labour government has given the impression of almost
being in league with the extremists -- financing dubious organizations in order
to prevent extremism, and employing radicals as advisers.
The IFE helped to get George Galloway elected. And, in 2005,
his (Leftist-Islamist) Respect party was financed by
Dr Mohammed Naseem. Peculiarly, Naseem stood as a Respect candidate, even
though he was then a board member of the little-known Islamic Party of Britain,
which advocated the death penalty for “public acts of lewdness,” and whose
leader, David Pidcock, promoted the notion of a worldwide “Zionist” plot
against Islam.
From calling for executions for “lewdness” to blood libels,
the more “modern” Britain becomes the more medieval it appears – although that
is certainly “bold” and “radical.”
While the major parties are
ignoring the issue of political Islam in Britain, however, the subject was
thrust into the media spotlight in mid January, when the United Kingdom
Independence Party (UKIP) called
for a ban on wearing the burka in public. The issue is far less
controversial among the general public than it is among the major parties. According
to one poll, 70 percent want to ban the burka in public, with nearly 80
percent wanting it banned at airports. Similar enthusiasm can be found among
the public for curbing immigration – another election unmentionable.
A few weeks after the party
announced its proposed burka ban, and in response to it, UKIP MEP Gerard Batten
received
two threatening emails from within the IFE-infiltrated Tower Hamlets
council. In the emails, UKIP was accused of trying to “stoke a religious war on
the streets of Britain,” and Batten was also told that “Islam is the dominant
religion in the United Kingdom. If you don't like it, go live somewhere else.”
With the transformation of the
Conservatives into a virtual carbon copy of the much-hated Labour party, there
have been several defections, from the former, to UKIP, in recent months alone,
although not apparently because of the issue of Islamism. One of the more
noteworthy defections is James
Pryor, a former advisor to Margaret Thatcher, who will run UKIP’s election
campaign.
Political Islam is a new issue
for UKIP, which has broadened its platform under Lord Pearson, who
replaced Nigel
Farage in late 2009. The party that has become synonymous with protesting
against Islam, however, is the British National Party (BNP). It has campaigned as the party of the White
working class (the party only voted
to accept ethnic minorities as members in February, after it was threatened
with a court injunction by the by the Equality and Human Rights Commission),
and has succeeded in scooping up the disaffected Labour vote in particular. The
BNP won its first two seats in the
EU elections last year, while UKIP – which has traditionally campaigned to
withdraw the UK from the EU – won 13 (up one).
These parties are each hoping to
get at least a few seats in the UK parliament, with the upcoming election. Although this would be a breakthrough
for either party, the Labour and the Conservatives are concerned. Lord Tebbit
even openly
worried recently that traditionalist Conservative voters might “defect to
UKIP in the same way a lot of old Labour voters defected to the BNP.”
Even though only a small number
of seats are likely to fall to UKIP or the BNP, these parties are undoubtedly
already looking to the following election, perhaps five years away, when, with
even one or two seats in parliament, they would have far greater electoral
credibility.
Talk of radicalism is cheap. With
the Conservative party having now having fully embraced the same old political
correctness, political multiculturalism, and “positive discrimination,” the
electorate may well be as disillusioned and angry with it in a few years, as it
is now with Labour -- and for similar reasons.
David Cameron has made it clear
that the Conservative party, of
which he is the head, has changed. Win or lose the upcoming election, there is
no going back. The Tory “dinosaurs”
are out. The party is now “progressive,” “bold” and “radical” – a party of
“ideas.”
Yet, its ideas were mostly
thought up by Tony Blair’s New Labour party. Issues of importance are off the
table:
- In his Spring
conference speech on Feb. 28, Cameron failed to mention uncontrolled
immigration even though the island nation (smaller then the state of Oregon) is
on track to hit 70 million by 2030.
- There was no mention of the
damage done to society by political correctness.
- No mention of the European
Union, which makes 75-80 percent of laws enacted in Britain.
- And the “bold” and “radical”
Cameron did not address the issue of political Islam in Britain – an issue that
is hardly out of the news these days.
Only the day before Cameron’s speech, the
Telegraph published an article revealing the Islamic Forum of
Europe’s infiltration into Britain’s governing Labour party,
especially in the East London, Tower Hamlets council. Much of the information
had been supplied by Jim Fitzpatrick, Britain’s Environment Minister. The
“bold” and “radical” Conservative party has yet to seize on this golden
opportunity to scoop up a huge number of votes, nor is it likely to.
There have been brief moments the
last few years when Cameron has shone. Certainly his observation
that far-Left London mayor, Ken Livingstone, had used ethnic minorities as “potential
agents of revolutionary change,” was one of them. The statement might easily
have been applied to the British Left almost in its entirety. It might well sum
up the New Labour era. But it also now sums up the Cameron “revolution.” He too
has decided to use minorities in general, and Muslims in particular, to
irrevocably change his party. It is not that Cameron expects Muslim MPs to do
anything differently, but that he recognizes that the liberal press will only
regard the party as “modern” (cosmopolitan, anti-racist, and skeptical about
war, the US, and Israel) if it includes a few prominent Muslim faces. He also
believes that this will aid community cohesion, illustrating that there are no
barriers for minorities in modern Britain.
“[I]f we win that general
election,” Cameron said in his Spring Conference speech, “instead of 18 women
MPs on the Conservative side, there will be more than 60 [as well as] black and
minority ethnic candidates, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, right
across our country. Not in Labour seats, not in marginal seats, but in safe
Conservative seats.”
In private, Cameron’s assessment has a different accent. He
credits the party’s Conservative Muslim Forum for aiding the process of
modernization. The CMF, he told an audience at the organization’s 2009 Eid
celebration [video],
“has done great things for the Conservative party, helping us to reach out to
people who had not been interested in the Conservative party before.” The CMF
has been instrumental in its “opening up.”
For Cameron, as for the Left, Muslims in particular have
been unfairly disadvantaged by Britain. An integrated society has to have more
Muslims who are prominent in business, in the armed forces, [video] “and, of course,
more Muslims in our parliament […] British Muslim all across government, in
positions of leadership and authority.”
There is nothing wrong with having more Muslims in
parliament, but the kind of social engineering articulated by Cameron, and the
implicit idea that Muslims have been oppressed, rather than welcomed, by the
nation, is precisely what made Labour so vulnerable to infiltration by
Islamists. Will this new Leftwing “progressive Conservative” party prove any
more resilient, or any more able to tell the moderate and reformist from the
“radical” Muslim?
Until late 2008, the CMF linked its website to Ta-Ha
publishing, the latter of which has published two books by former IFE president
Muhammad Abdul Bari.
Even if there are no IFE members in the Conservative party, ideas matter.
Political correctness and political multiculturalism are gifts to the
extremists, as Britain – excluding the majority of MPs – has learned to its
cost. Ordinary British Muslims are the first victims of the extremists, as the
Channel 4 Dispatches [video]
program on IFE infiltration showed:
One woman, who had set up a Muslim dating agency, was threatened, as
were Bengali Muslims for celebrating a cultural festival with music, dance, and
the free mixing of men and women.
The three major political parties all seems to have embraced
Islamists, as have some of the smaller parties.
The Labour government has given the impression of almost
being in league with the extremists -- financing dubious organizations in order
to prevent extremism, and employing radicals as advisers.
The IFE helped to get George Galloway elected. And, in 2005,
his (Leftist-Islamist) Respect party was financed by
Dr Mohammed Naseem. Peculiarly, Naseem stood as a Respect candidate, even
though he was then a board member of the little-known Islamic Party of Britain,
which advocated the death penalty for “public acts of lewdness,” and whose
leader, David Pidcock, promoted the notion of a worldwide “Zionist” plot
against Islam.
From calling for executions for “lewdness” to blood libels,
the more “modern” Britain becomes the more medieval it appears – although that
is certainly “bold” and “radical.”
While the major parties are
ignoring the issue of political Islam in Britain, however, the subject was
thrust into the media spotlight in mid January, when the United Kingdom
Independence Party (UKIP) called
for a ban on wearing the burka in public. The issue is far less
controversial among the general public than it is among the major parties. According
to one poll, 70 percent want to ban the burka in public, with nearly 80
percent wanting it banned at airports. Similar enthusiasm can be found among
the public for curbing immigration – another election unmentionable.
A few weeks after the party
announced its proposed burka ban, and in response to it, UKIP MEP Gerard Batten
received
two threatening emails from within the IFE-infiltrated Tower Hamlets
council. In the emails, UKIP was accused of trying to “stoke a religious war on
the streets of Britain,” and Batten was also told that “Islam is the dominant
religion in the United Kingdom. If you don't like it, go live somewhere else.”
With the transformation of the
Conservatives into a virtual carbon copy of the much-hated Labour party, there
have been several defections, from the former, to UKIP, in recent months alone,
although not apparently because of the issue of Islamism. One of the more
noteworthy defections is James
Pryor, a former advisor to Margaret Thatcher, who will run UKIP’s election
campaign.
Political Islam is a new issue
for UKIP, which has broadened its platform under Lord Pearson, who
replaced Nigel
Farage in late 2009. The party that has become synonymous with protesting
against Islam, however, is the British National Party (BNP). It has campaigned as the party of the White
working class (the party only voted
to accept ethnic minorities as members in February, after it was threatened
with a court injunction by the by the Equality and Human Rights Commission),
and has succeeded in scooping up the disaffected Labour vote in particular. The
BNP won its first two seats in the
EU elections last year, while UKIP – which has traditionally campaigned to
withdraw the UK from the EU – won 13 (up one).
These parties are each hoping to
get at least a few seats in the UK parliament, with the upcoming election. Although this would be a breakthrough
for either party, the Labour and the Conservatives are concerned. Lord Tebbit
even openly
worried recently that traditionalist Conservative voters might “defect to
UKIP in the same way a lot of old Labour voters defected to the BNP.”
Even though only a small number
of seats are likely to fall to UKIP or the BNP, these parties are undoubtedly
already looking to the following election, perhaps five years away, when, with
even one or two seats in parliament, they would have far greater electoral
credibility.
Talk of radicalism is cheap. With
the Conservative party having now having fully embraced the same old political
correctness, political multiculturalism, and “positive discrimination,” the
electorate may well be as disillusioned and angry with it in a few years, as it
is now with Labour -- and for similar reasons.
The European Union needs to raise its economic growth potential - on that, at least, the bloc’s 27 member-states and the European Commission agree. Otherwise Europe risks a speedy descent into relative economic decline, and its cherished “social model” - combining a liberal market economy with cradle-to-grave public services - will be increasingly unaffordable. Will [...]
George
Handlery about the week that was. It is smart to help folks vote for you. The
constitutional right to disrupt speeches. The nuclear bomb clock is ticking.
The Euro in hot water. The EU in trouble. “Help! We have a surplus!”
1. Comrade
Lumengo is, as one would expect, ready to help
the troubled. In this case, not the victims of capitalism received assistance
but individuals that thought that they do not know how to mark their ballots.
(Voting by mail, therefore not in a controlled booth, is the rule in Switzerland.)
Lumengo claims he was not aware of doing something wrong by being as helpful as
a candidate can be. This is surprising. The man holds a law degree. In the past
Lumengo has already fought a similar charge. Then the case was dismissed. Now Lumengo
will have to face a judge. If everything would be “as usual”, the consequences
would be the obvious. However, there is a complication. His own party will
hardly insist on effective sanctions. Under the circumstances, other parties
will also feel inhibited. Lumengo is from Angola. Regardless of the case, that
exposes those that demand more than a symbolic reprimand to the charge of
racism.
2.
This writer has seen a stunning recording of the attempted speech of Israel’s
ambassador at the UC’s Irvine campus. Pro-Palestinians – visibly mainly
non-Americans – in the audience have attempted to prevent the speaker through
their unruly behavior from presenting his case. What their opposition did not
entail was to debate so as to demonstrate the logical inconsistency of whatever
the diplomat wished to allege. What we got was clearly a preference for
disputation by violence and not through reasoned arguments. Had it been the
other way around, had a compact Jewish group been attending a speech with the
obvious intention to sabotage a Palestinian, the outcry would have been loud.
Obviously, in the light of not only unstated but also repressed expectations,
the standards by which the parties to the Near Eastern controversy are being
judged are chosen according to the dictate of convenience. Leniency correlates
with the inclination to use violence to support positions that might be
difficult to defend in a purely cerebral context.
Several
points are provoked by the clip. 1) Those who tell Israel to make a compromise
with the loudest representatives of the Palestinians should view this. The
images and the soundtrack suggest that no imaginable concession – short of
liquidating the Jewish state and its population – will appease people that are
represented in this action.
2)
Questions. How were these guests revolting against the “culture of discussion”
of their host country admitted to a university? Are they recipients of
scholarships? How could they get study visas? The selection criteria the
consulates apply seem crucial because the presence of comparable persons in an
advanced open society is unlikely to civilize them. All they do is to learn
about the easy-to-abuse rules of the game of the host-country’s politics.
Democratic give-and-take will be interpreted as a sign of exploitable weakness.
3) Revealingly,
the disturbance was carefully filmed by the proud perpetrators. An instinct
such as that of the Nazis who documented everything they did manifests itself
in the action. These activists are proud of their comportment and regard such
performances as a demonstration of strength. Advertised strength, as
totalitarian marching songs suggest, is excellent propaganda. People happen to
want to be on the winning side.
4)
The political criminals filmed have failed to learn lessons from the system
that supports their studies. They seem to be unable to comprehend that they
will be condemned for their actions, which could become thereby, depending on
the political development of their host, a liability.
3. It
is popular to allege that to achieve real peace in the Near East it is
essential that Israel return the Golan Heights to Syria. If this is serious, then
the stabilization of Europe can be said to hinge upon the return of East Prussia
to Germany, or to Poland, possibly Lithuania. Here a long list, enumerating
other possibly analogous territorial transfers could have followed. Could the
Golan’s fate be one of the PR-effective issues with which the reluctance to
seek and accept makeable peace is justified?
4.
After el Baradei’s departure, the IAEA, under “new management”, makes unexpected
revelations. According to the report,
Iran is developing an advanced rocket capable to carry heavy weights. “Heavy”, such
as in “nuclear payload”. It would seem
that the CIA’s earlier certification that Iran had ceased to pursue the weaponization
of her nuclear capabilities has been at best an intentional and tactical
exaggeration. Even more likely is the speculation that the clean bill of health
which had already been questioned at the time of its issue, was politically
motivated. Let us hope that the error indicated by recent developments, has
been a purposeful lie to mislead Tehran regarding what is known about its
projects. An interesting corollary appeared on March 1st. Iran now finds that
the IAEA is western-dominated. This will be a reason to hinder the already
curtailed activities of the organization.
5.
Greece’s newly publicized economic troubles that are of old standing hide some
unpleasant facts. One is that the true situation, hidden under the data created
by creative bookkeeping has been, for some time, no secret to insiders. The bad
news is that Greece is not the only country that manages to cover up reality
through falsified data. It is alleged that Greece’s entrance in the EU has been
known to be based on economic information created by wishful thinking.
Therefore, the surprised reactions appear to be somewhat artificial exhibitions
meant for public use. EU countries have knowingly allowed cosmetically improved
presentations to stand. Regarding the revelations the future is likely to
bring, we will find out that such manipulations were not only resorted to by
Greece. Such unpleasant facts – and the fear of what could be known but was
kept under cover – points at great problems embedded in the Euro as a currency.
Not having a state to back it up, this artificial “money” invites manipulators.
They are exploiting suckers that are unaware of any risk they take through
their government’s preferred membership. Essentially the € exists because the
Germans pay and the others get. What a retroactive wisdom this attests to those
countries that had, and are still refusing, to join the € -Zone!
6. A
stubborn holdout against EU membership and a real economic heavyweight with
sustainable status is, regardless of its size, Switzerland. If you live here,
the inclination to throw money at problems and to tolerate parasites seems
striking. The more surprising is the news that, regardless of self-made and
unavoidable inadequacies that prevent better results, the budget surplus
exceeds the plan three times. 2.7 billion above projections had been achieved.
Regardless of prunable expenditures, such a penetration of the black zone, and
generated by seven million people, amounts to a respectable performance. Round
this out by mentioning that, the public debt has been reduced. Since comparable
economies are swimming in red, these numbers, if compared, have a lot to say about
misgovernment. However, those who feel attacked by success and desire uniform failure
can rejoice. Audaciously, since they think they are spending the funds of
others, the Social Democrats have managed to suggest a pork-laden budget that
has a 13 billion deficit.
7. A
Europe based on voluntarism and committed to guarantee the democratic internal
order and the independence of its constituents is a commendable idea. The
writer must confess to a conditioned reflex here. When he did forced labor some
of the adults liked to start sentences with “if only there would be a united
Europe, then…” The practical problem with the attractive theory is that a
bureaucracy has kidnapped Europe. It tries to replace a spontaneous sense for
the community with administrative institutions. Thus for many Europe is not
there to protect the independence of member states but to become a state
itself. This overrides self-determination on all levels including those that
reach down to the individual. The other man-made weakness is economic. After
having gobbled up politically too diverse, and by virtue of their government
praxis unfitting states, economically unprepared members were also admitted.
Now doubts emerge whether the assumption behind the Euro that, the rich will
pay, holds water and if it does, then for how long. Spain, Ireland and Greece
are regarded as infected men camping in the sterile ward. It is only by
courtesy that the publicized list of candidates is not longer. It remains to be
seen whether the policy of overlooking infections will bring recovery.
George
Handlery about the week that was. It is smart to help folks vote for you. The
constitutional right to disrupt speeches. The nuclear bomb clock is ticking.
The Euro in hot water. The EU in trouble. “Help! We have a surplus!”
1. Comrade
Lumengo is, as one would expect, ready to help
the troubled. In this case, not the victims of capitalism received assistance
but individuals that thought that they do not know how to mark their ballots.
(Voting by mail, therefore not in a controlled booth, is the rule in Switzerland.)
Lumengo claims he was not aware of doing something wrong by being as helpful as
a candidate can be. This is surprising. The man holds a law degree. In the past
Lumengo has already fought a similar charge. Then the case was dismissed. Now Lumengo
will have to face a judge. If everything would be “as usual”, the consequences
would be the obvious. However, there is a complication. His own party will
hardly insist on effective sanctions. Under the circumstances, other parties
will also feel inhibited. Lumengo is from Angola. Regardless of the case, that
exposes those that demand more than a symbolic reprimand to the charge of
racism.
2.
This writer has seen a stunning recording of the attempted speech of Israel’s
ambassador at the UC’s Irvine campus. Pro-Palestinians – visibly mainly
non-Americans – in the audience have attempted to prevent the speaker through
their unruly behavior from presenting his case. What their opposition did not
entail was to debate so as to demonstrate the logical inconsistency of whatever
the diplomat wished to allege. What we got was clearly a preference for
disputation by violence and not through reasoned arguments. Had it been the
other way around, had a compact Jewish group been attending a speech with the
obvious intention to sabotage a Palestinian, the outcry would have been loud.
Obviously, in the light of not only unstated but also repressed expectations,
the standards by which the parties to the Near Eastern controversy are being
judged are chosen according to the dictate of convenience. Leniency correlates
with the inclination to use violence to support positions that might be
difficult to defend in a purely cerebral context.
Several
points are provoked by the clip. 1) Those who tell Israel to make a compromise
with the loudest representatives of the Palestinians should view this. The
images and the soundtrack suggest that no imaginable concession – short of
liquidating the Jewish state and its population – will appease people that are
represented in this action.
2)
Questions. How were these guests revolting against the “culture of discussion”
of their host country admitted to a university? Are they recipients of
scholarships? How could they get study visas? The selection criteria the
consulates apply seem crucial because the presence of comparable persons in an
advanced open society is unlikely to civilize them. All they do is to learn
about the easy-to-abuse rules of the game of the host-country’s politics.
Democratic give-and-take will be interpreted as a sign of exploitable weakness.
3) Revealingly,
the disturbance was carefully filmed by the proud perpetrators. An instinct
such as that of the Nazis who documented everything they did manifests itself
in the action. These activists are proud of their comportment and regard such
performances as a demonstration of strength. Advertised strength, as
totalitarian marching songs suggest, is excellent propaganda. People happen to
want to be on the winning side.
4)
The political criminals filmed have failed to learn lessons from the system
that supports their studies. They seem to be unable to comprehend that they
will be condemned for their actions, which could become thereby, depending on
the political development of their host, a liability.
3. It
is popular to allege that to achieve real peace in the Near East it is
essential that Israel return the Golan Heights to Syria. If this is serious, then
the stabilization of Europe can be said to hinge upon the return of East Prussia
to Germany, or to Poland, possibly Lithuania. Here a long list, enumerating
other possibly analogous territorial transfers could have followed. Could the
Golan’s fate be one of the PR-effective issues with which the reluctance to
seek and accept makeable peace is justified?
4.
After el Baradei’s departure, the IAEA, under “new management”, makes unexpected
revelations. According to the report,
Iran is developing an advanced rocket capable to carry heavy weights. “Heavy”, such
as in “nuclear payload”. It would seem
that the CIA’s earlier certification that Iran had ceased to pursue the weaponization
of her nuclear capabilities has been at best an intentional and tactical
exaggeration. Even more likely is the speculation that the clean bill of health
which had already been questioned at the time of its issue, was politically
motivated. Let us hope that the error indicated by recent developments, has
been a purposeful lie to mislead Tehran regarding what is known about its
projects. An interesting corollary appeared on March 1st. Iran now finds that
the IAEA is western-dominated. This will be a reason to hinder the already
curtailed activities of the organization.
5.
Greece’s newly publicized economic troubles that are of old standing hide some
unpleasant facts. One is that the true situation, hidden under the data created
by creative bookkeeping has been, for some time, no secret to insiders. The bad
news is that Greece is not the only country that manages to cover up reality
through falsified data. It is alleged that Greece’s entrance in the EU has been
known to be based on economic information created by wishful thinking.
Therefore, the surprised reactions appear to be somewhat artificial exhibitions
meant for public use. EU countries have knowingly allowed cosmetically improved
presentations to stand. Regarding the revelations the future is likely to
bring, we will find out that such manipulations were not only resorted to by
Greece. Such unpleasant facts – and the fear of what could be known but was
kept under cover – points at great problems embedded in the Euro as a currency.
Not having a state to back it up, this artificial “money” invites manipulators.
They are exploiting suckers that are unaware of any risk they take through
their government’s preferred membership. Essentially the € exists because the
Germans pay and the others get. What a retroactive wisdom this attests to those
countries that had, and are still refusing, to join the € -Zone!
6. A
stubborn holdout against EU membership and a real economic heavyweight with
sustainable status is, regardless of its size, Switzerland. If you live here,
the inclination to throw money at problems and to tolerate parasites seems
striking. The more surprising is the news that, regardless of self-made and
unavoidable inadequacies that prevent better results, the budget surplus
exceeds the plan three times. 2.7 billion above projections had been achieved.
Regardless of prunable expenditures, such a penetration of the black zone, and
generated by seven million people, amounts to a respectable performance. Round
this out by mentioning that, the public debt has been reduced. Since comparable
economies are swimming in red, these numbers, if compared, have a lot to say about
misgovernment. However, those who feel attacked by success and desire uniform failure
can rejoice. Audaciously, since they think they are spending the funds of
others, the Social Democrats have managed to suggest a pork-laden budget that
has a 13 billion deficit.
7. A
Europe based on voluntarism and committed to guarantee the democratic internal
order and the independence of its constituents is a commendable idea. The
writer must confess to a conditioned reflex here. When he did forced labor some
of the adults liked to start sentences with “if only there would be a united
Europe, then…” The practical problem with the attractive theory is that a
bureaucracy has kidnapped Europe. It tries to replace a spontaneous sense for
the community with administrative institutions. Thus for many Europe is not
there to protect the independence of member states but to become a state
itself. This overrides self-determination on all levels including those that
reach down to the individual. The other man-made weakness is economic. After
having gobbled up politically too diverse, and by virtue of their government
praxis unfitting states, economically unprepared members were also admitted.
Now doubts emerge whether the assumption behind the Euro that, the rich will
pay, holds water and if it does, then for how long. Spain, Ireland and Greece
are regarded as infected men camping in the sterile ward. It is only by
courtesy that the publicized list of candidates is not longer. It remains to be
seen whether the policy of overlooking infections will bring recovery.
The country’s National Development Plan 10 (NDP 10) got a shot in the arm after the European Union (EU) increased its aid to Botswana by 15 percent to P650 million just before the presentation of the 2010/11 Development budget. The financing agreements are for the Human Resources Development Sector Policy Support (HRD SPSP) and the Support to Botswana – EU Cooperation (BEUC) Projects funded under the European Development Fund (EDF) 10.
The City of Brussels caught 37 people for illegal dumping in the week of 1 March 2010. The action took place in the neighborhood of the Boulevard d'Ypres and the Boulevard de Dixmude. (Lire article)
Trade and climate change issues are intricately linked, especially in Africa, whose economies rest on agriculture, a sector that is highly vulnerable to climate change. The cumulative evidence shows that sub-Saharan Africa will be the most affected region of the world. Climate change-induced events, such as droughts, global warming and sea-level rise, will have substantial impacts on Africa’s agricultural crops, livestock and fisheries, water resources, coastal zones, infrastructure, as well as human health.
When the Netherlands' Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders
recently addressed voters in Almere, a Dutch city of 200,000 where his party
handily won elections this week, he told them what to expect as his once-tiny,
anti-Islamization party started flexing its new political muscle. Aside from
lower taxes and other political staples, his plans for this city not far from
Amsterdam include a ban on Muslim headscarves.
Wilders' ban would apply to "headscarves in municipal
bodies and all other institutions (that) receive even one penny of subsidy from
the municipality." He continued: "And for all clarity: This (ban) is
not meant for crosses or yarmulkes because those are symbols of religions that
belong to our own culture and are not – as is the case with headscarves – a
sign of an oppressive totalitarian ideology."
Here, Wilders is distinguishing between the religions of
Christianity and Judaism, and the religio-political ideology of Islam, noting
not only the near-indigenous nature of the former, but also the encroaching
totalitarianism of the latter. This is the crucial cultural argument to make if
a cultural Reconquista of Europe from Islamization is to be successful.
Certainly, we have seen glimmers. Last year, Filip Dewinter
of the Vlaams Belang party of Belgium led a winning campaign to ban the hijab –
what he calls "the propaganda weapon of choice for the establishment of
Islamic society in Europe" – in the Flemish schools of his country, making
the same vital judgment call that Wilders did.
"(He) who defends the headscarf out of reasons of
tolerance and pluralism has little or no understanding of Islam," Dewinter
said. "The hidden agenda behind the veil leads to segregation," a
veritable apartheid-regime, he explained, with which Islam seeks to control and
dominate the West. Equating the Muslim head scarf with the Christian cross or
the Jewish yamulke is "therefore incorrect," Dewinter continued,
identifying the headscarf as "the flag of a political ideology" in
which it is not the individual religious experience that is central, but rather
"the realization of a theocratic society based on sharia, or Islamic
law."
Maybe that's a lot for Americans to take in, but they
haven't lived through the Islamization Decades that their European cousins
have. As Europe's neighborhoods, banlieues and cities have repeatedly seen,
headscarf-friendly zones yield to other Muslim demands, from single-sex
recreation and medicine, to a refusal to tolerate certain Western texts or
foods, to the institution of Islamic banking, to the acceptance of jihadist
treason in the mosques, to the entrenchment of Islamic marriage (forced and
polygamous), to the ultimate recognition of Islamic courtrooms run according to
sharia.
But take the French approach. After determining that the
Muslim headscarf inserted religion into state-run secular schools, the French
government in 2003 banned the headscarf in the public schools along with the
Star of David, the yamulke, "large" crucifixes and the turban of the
Sikhs. This decision made it appear as though the hijab hadn't been singled out
as a symbol of a specifically Muslim way of life that seeks to extend sharia.
Thus, in the name of tolerance, all religious symbols were deemed provocative.
In the name of inclusion, all were banned. This is precisely how the
traditional (pre-Islamic) society dismantles itself, symbol by symbol, law by
law.
And this is precisely why acknowledging and affirming the
differences -- "discriminating" -- between Western religions and
Islamic religio-political ideology is so important. Alas, it is also
unthinkable for the average post-modern, multicultural Westerner. Rather than
reject the symbols of imperial Islam, he capitulates, further stripping his
civilization of its own identity, further enabling the Islamization process.
Now, the French government seeks to ban the full veil, or burka,
in public buildings, a measure, as a recent Harris Poll tells us, that garners
support from a whopping 70 percent of French respondents. Large majorities also
support a ban in Italy (65 percent), Spain (63 percent), and the United Kingdom
(57 percent). (A burka ban draws 33 percent support in the United States.)
Notably, that support plummets when other religious symbols
are included in the burka ban. French support drops to 22 percent. Italian (10
percent), Spanish (9 percent) and British (4 percent) support follows.
(American support drops to about 1 percent.)
Defiance of the multicultural orthodoxy is more popular in
Europe than anyone imagined.