Poland’s highest court has ruled that kosher and halal slaughter violate the country’s laws against cruelty to animals. The court’s ruling, however, goes against EU laws on religious freedom, and Muslim and Jewish groups say they will appeal the decision.

In other news, the Lesser Prairie Chicken may be listed as a “threatened species” in Oklahoma by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Such a decision could harm the wind farm industry, since the habitat of the chickens is in the same area as the wind turbines. Lesser Prairie Chickens instinctively avoid tall structures, and the growth of wind farms thus reduces their available breeding areas.

Meanwhile, roadside bombs in Afghanistan killed twelve people and wounded sixteen others.

To see the headlines and the articles, open the full news post.

Thanks to C. Cantoni, Caroline Glick, Diana West, DS, Insubria, JD, Jerry Gordon, JP, Kitman, Lurker from Tulsa, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Commenters are advised to leave their comments at this post (rather than with the news articles) so that they are more easily accessible.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Is that why the Austrian newspaper Die Presse has published two recent articles that exhibit common sense about Islam?

Or are the Austrian media beginning to come around to the point of view of Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff? The authors of these articles say things that sound almost like what you might read here, at a site whose mission is to defend the ramparts of Vienna.

Elisabeth had this to say about these two articles, both of which have been kindly translated by JLH:

Die Presse, a supposedly liberal paper (liberal in the European sense, as opposed to the American context), now and then still permits the publication of the truth outside the religion of multiculturalism, tolerance and mutual inclusion. Detlef Kleinert, a retired correspondent for a German newspaper who lives in Austria, has once again managed to sneak in a commentary that in the eyes of the establishment must be felt as a punch in the head.

I was told that in the face of this commentary, my conviction appears even more ludicrous, since Kleinert’s words are but a very shortened version of my seminars. I can’t disagree.

The second article should be read with the first one in mind. On the less than auspicious occasion of the opening of the Saudi-sponsored, Austrian- and Spanish-supported tolerance center, its Saudi secretary general was interviewed by Christian Ultsch, also of Die Presse. Ultsch has exhibited knowledge of Islamic doctrine in the past, and, though he could have pushed even harder, he was able to expose the general secretary for what he is: a taqiyya artist using his finest painting techniques. Mr. GenSec is the Michelangelo of Taqiyya. Read for yourself.

First, an examination by Detlef Kleinert of Islamic intolerance and violence:

We Muslims Cannot Co-Exist With You

by Detlef Kleinert

Why the persecution of Christians in the Muslim world is increasing. Where sharia reigns, non-Muslims have lost all rights.

In Tahrir Square in Cairo, a recent placard announced: “85 million people want the implementation of sharia.” About 10,000 Salafists had gathered to demand strict adherence to the Koran in the constitution. What this means in practice was explained by a terrorist, after he and others had murdered 60 Catholics in Iraq: “You Christians are all ‘kuffar’ (infidels); we cannot co-exist with you!”

So it is that, worldwide, about 100 million Christians are being persecuted, humiliated, and ultimately murdered. Especially in Islamic countries. The more strictly the Koran is enforced, the more merciless is the systematic displacement, the murderous terror.

Some examples: In Indonesia in recent years, more than 1,000 churches were burned. In the last 30 years in Egypt, more than 1,800 Copts have been murdered for religious reasons. In the Fall of 2011, imams in more than 20 Upper Egyptian mosques called for an assault against churches and the murder of Christians. Security forces withdrew.

Religious Hate Propaganda

Religious hate propaganda is not confined to mosques. It is played on tapes everywhere, in bazaars, in taxis and in private residences. Islam researcher, Rita Breuer: “In most Muslim-leaning countries, it is no longer necessary to be secretive about spreading anti-Christian propaganda. It is acceptable and in many places even in good taste.”

The consequence, according to Breuer: “Equal rights for non-Muslim citizens cannot exist in an explicitly Islamic-tilted country.” Where sharia reigns, non-Muslims have lost all rights. “There has never been an Islamic state without religious discrimination.”

Rita Breuer, who has long been active as an aid worker in Islamic countries, also explains Islamic hate of Christians theologically. Sura 4, verse 171 says unmistakably: “Jesus, son of Mary, is the envoy of Allah.” Naturally, the religious founder of Christianity, God’s son, cannot, may not be more divine than Mohammed, who was “only” a human being. Therefore, belief in Jesus Christ challenges the entire Islamic belief structure. So the “idolaters,” according to sura 9, verse 17, “will abide forever in the fire.”

Religious Freedom is only Theoretical

Here there is nothing of the compassion which Mouhanad Khorchide believes he sees in Islam. (“Islam is Compassion,” Herder Publications). And when he says contemporary Muslims should regard the Koran in a historical context, that may apply to educated Muslims in Western lands. But, where Islam is the state doctrine, other principals are in control.

In Turkey, for example, where there theoretically is religious freedom. Rita Breuer: “In nominally laicist Turkey, you can observe an outright hysterical persecution of the Christian mission and whatever it is assumed to be.” In 2007 in eastern Turkish Malatya, two Turks who had converted to Christianity and a German pastor were “gruesomely butchered.”

It’s not an isolated case. In sharia, apostasy — dropping out of the Islamic faith — is punishable by death. In many Islamic countries, apostates are under sentence of death; elsewhere, the “merciful” representatives of the faith call for lynch justice. In Egypt, for example, “many imams call the faithful to the killing of converts,” says Breuer. “Whoever follows their call need fear no punishment.”

However, while it is churches in the Western world that preach tolerance and many theologians babble about a “dialogue between equals,” the climate of hostility finds ever more adherents in the Islamic world. Breuer: “The wave of re-Islamization in the Islamic world and renewed politicization of religion is like a creeping poison for the inter-religious climate, and works considerably to the disadvantage of Christians.”

The liberals have not prevailed in the internal Islamic dispute — the radical Islamists have. There is no question — this will also have its effects on the varied trends in Islam in the Western world.

Pseudo-Dialogue is no Good for Anyone

And let us not forget: the sham dialogue here at home is not helping endangered Christians in the Islamic world. They are directed to a clear position taken by Western churches. It is like a denial of reality, when theologians — as in the Catholic Church in Vienna — repeatedly paint a positive and idealized picture of Islam. An Islam which is compatible with Christian values — the “true Islam of peace and freedom, of equal rights for all people, of tolerance and pluralism.”

Except, as Rita Breuer knows, “This allegedly true Islam does not exist.” On the contrary, the hate campaign against Christians is growing, here as well. “Even though actively militant Muslims are a minority, passive acceptance of violence is very high.” This is a sentence which should make everyone ponder migration and integration.

Next, an interview with the general secretary of the new King Abdullah center in Vienna:

“Is There Another Chance With Dialogue?”

by Christian Ultsch

November 16, 2012

There is no religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, King Abdullah is financing an international dialogue center in Vienna. General Secretary Faisal A. bin Muaamar bridles at the charge of hypocrisy.

Presse:		Saudi Arabia has initiated an inter-religious dialogue center that will soon open here in Vienna. In Saudi Arabia itself there is no tolerance of other religions. I would like to talk with you about this hypocrisy, this contradiction.
Faisal:		This initiative was presented to 57 Islamic states and accepted by them. King Abdullah included 500 Islamic religious leaders. When he suggested the dialogue center, he was speaking as the Keeper of he sacred places of Islam for the entire Islamic world: Sunni, Ismaili, Sufi.
Presse:		Would it not be a good idea to begin in your own land, Saudi Arabia?
Faisal:		I invite you to take a look at the national dialogue center in Saudi Arabia. You have the right to ask any question. But if you want to talk only about Saudi Arabia, a better conversational partner would be the Saudi Arabian foreign minister or the ambassador. I represent the international dialogue center which has been founded by three nations: Saudi Arabia, Austria and Spain. The Holy See has observer status. The center is run by nine directing members: Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. I am a Saudi citizen. I saw many reforms recently, but it would not be correct to confuse my position as general secretary of the center with what happens in Saudi Arabia.
Presse:		At any rate, the center bears the name of the Saudi Arabian king.
Faisal:		Do you know who wanted to give it that name? The members of the directorate asked King Abdullah to have it named after him.
Presse:		Why is it simpler for the king to begin this dialogue with leaders of other religions than to tell the Grand Mufti not to demand the destruction of churches on the Arabian peninsula?
Faisal:		You have to understand the nature of Saudi society. Reforms have always gone out from the government and always encountered resistance in society. Saudi society is afraid of imported changes. And that is the last thing I have to say on Saudi Arabia. When someone says he will accept no initiative from another country as long as it does not change itself is setting impossible conditions.
Presse:		Is it asking too much that people of other faiths in Saudi Arabia should be allowed to practice their religions publicly before the great international dialogue begins?
Faisal:		This center will be a perfect place to bring religious leaders. And I am sure that and assistant of the Grand Mufti will come.
Presse:		Why does the Grand Mufti not have to resign, when he demands the destruction of churches?
Faisal:		That was not a fatwa (legal opinion).
Presse:		Then what was it?
Faisal:		An interview with a journalist. Unfortunately, the journalist reported it falsely.
Presse:		As general secretary of the dialogue center, do you wish Christians to be allowed to practice their religion in Saudi Arabia.?
Faisal:		That is not a wish; that is the right of every religion.
Presse:		So you say that it is a human right for people to practice their religion.
Faisal:		It is not a human right. In every religion there are…
Presse:		Of course religious freedom is a universal human right.
Faisal:		Sharia acknowledges all prophets and religions. The only way to achieve recognition and respect is to bring people to dialogue.
Presse:		Will there be a meeting of the dialogue center in Riyadh?
Faisal:		Yes, soon. How soon, I cannot say, but there will be a meeting.
Presse:		And will the Jewish representative, Rabbi Rosen, be allowed to enter the country?
Faisal:		He is a member of the directorate and an American Jew. It is not true that Jews are not allowed to enter the country. A delegation from Europe or the USA comes almost every week. The problem is Israel, which is not recognized by Saudi Arabia.
Presse:		I understand that Israeli citizens are not allowed to enter the country. And will Christians be allowed to bring along bibles or rosaries? That is usually a problem with Saudi customs.
Faisal:		The dialogue will bring much good news. Will we have another chance with dialogue? Do you believe that people can be compelled to change?
Presse:		No, but I believe in deeds more than words. So it would be a good start if there were religious freedom in Saudi Arabia.
Faisal:		I would like you to ask 1.6 million Muslims what they have to say about the French ban on head covering.
Presse:		I don’t understand. France is a secular state and therefore forbids religious symbols in public buildings and spaces.
Faisal:		Yes, the law must be respected — the separation of religion and state.
Presse:		Exactly the opposite is true for most of the Islamic world.
Faisal:		Yes, and after the Arab Spring, you will see what happens in Egypt and Syria. This problem will continue. It can only be solved by dialogue. In most Islamic countries, the constitution is based on Islamic law. Not even democratic countries believe in the separation of religion and state. Western culture must have a dialogue about that with Islamic countries.
Presse:		I think that one of the reasons your government is sponsoring the center is to burnish its image abroad.
Faisal:		Saudi Arabia is making great contributions in many world organizations. Ask UNESCO, to which Saudi Arabia has made significant donations after the USA ceased its giving.
Presse:		How is the center being financed?
Faisal:		Saudi Arabia will support the budget for three years. The annual budget will be between ten and fifteen million euros. The center will have a maximum of 25 employees. We want the most qualified people in the world.
Presse:		How many officials of the Austrian foreign ministry will move to the center?
Faisal:		From Austria, only representative Bandion-Ortner, who was nominated with the help of a headhunter, with a co-worker. I guarantee that there will be no influence from the three foreign offices.
Presse:		Perhaps the influence will come first.
Faisal:		I will not allow that.
Presse:		That is difficult, when Saudi Arabia is paying for everything and you — a Saudi Arabian citizen — are the general secretary of the center.
Faisal:		The nine members of the directorate are very tough. We want to create a crystal-clear, transparent system.
Presse:		You were vice minister of education in Saudi Arabia. Do you know what Saudi Arabian students can read about other religions?
Faisal:		Yes, and you would be astonished at what has happened in the past three years.
Presse:		So there is no fundamentalist Wahhabi rabble-rousing against other religions in the schoolbooks?
Faisal:		You will hardly find anything. But there are extremist activities outside the schools. There are extremists everywhere.
Presse:		Thank you for the open dialogue.

Pat Condell talks about Islamophobia Awareness Month:

Hat tip: Tundra Tabloids.

When I read about Ludovic Lütfi Zahed’s quixotic project, my first thought was: “Suicide by fatwa”.

But if he is serious, and his gay mosque flourishes, what happens next? Will millions of (ostensibly straight) devout Muslims in France ignore his actions, and leave him alone? Or will they react as they would in, say, Peshawar? And if they do act against him, how will the French authorities respond?

Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for uploading this video:

Below is an article on the same topic from Hürriyet Daily News:

Mosque for Gays to Open in France

Daily Hürriyet reporter Arzu Çakir Morin has conducted an interview with an unusual Muslim man in France, who has been trying to open a “mosque for gays.”

“When I was 12 years old, I started exploring Islam and performing prayers. At first, I was impressed by the Salafists in Algeria, afterwards I became distant from them because of the terrorist attacks they performed,” Mohammed Ludovic Lütfi Zahed said, explaining his approaching to Islam.

“After my first night with a man, I realized that I was gay. I have found out that I had been pushing down my feelings with the help of Islam,” he said.

Çakir questioned the reason why Zahed felt he needed a “mosque for gays.”

“In normal mosques, women have to sit in the back seats and wear a headscarf and gay men are afraid of both verbal and physical aggression. After performing the Hajj, I realized that a mosque for gays was a must for gay Muslims who want to perform their prayers,” Zahed said.

“We will use a hall in a Buddhist chapel, which will be opened on Nov. 30th” he said, adding that in the new mosque women and men would be able to perform their prayers together in the same space.

In response to a question as to whether same-sex marriage ceremonies would be performed, Zahed said: “We will start with Friday prayers, but we will perform marriages afterwards.”

Hat tip for the article: Fjordman.

A few weeks ago we presented a subtitled version of a four-part Israeli documentary about the Islamization of Europe. For readers who understand German, here is Part 1 of the same series subtitled in German

Many thanks to Der Prophet des Islam for the translation.

Die Eroberung Europas durch den Islam…

…ist eine 4-teilige Dokumentarserie von Zvi Yehezkeli und David Deryi über die Islamisierung Europas.

Der Filmemacher ist ein arabisch sprechender Israeli dessen äussere Erscheinung und makelloser arabischer Akzent genügten, um ihm freien Zugang in verschiedene muslimische “no-go” Gebiete in Schweden und Frankreich zu verschaffen und gewährten ihm einen Insider-Einblick in die islamische Geistesverfassung des Grossraumes Europa.

Der Originaltext ist in Hebräisch und wurde ins Englische übersetzt. Der Prophet des Islam präsentiert die Serie nun mit deutschen Untertiteln.

1. Teil: Isolation

Autumn Fundraiser 2012, Day Five

This week’s “Aftermath” fundraiser theme has produced a lot of gloom and grimness — especially when considering the aftermath of the recent presidential election. And just think how much worse it could get if we were to focus on, say, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New York City.

So, for a change of pace, this morning I’ll veer off into a different sort of aftermath, one that is more mundane and even has a happy ending. It will also tell our readers what their generous donations actually pay for here in the drafty old halls of Schloss Bodissey.

“But Baron,” you say, “we already know what you spend our donations on: wine, women, and song! OK, maybe not women, not at your advanced age. But I’ll bet you’re awash in Chateau Plonque while you and Dymphna get down and boogie all night with the stereo turned up full blast.”

Well. Yes, that does sound nice. And every now and then a bottle of Chianti from the wine section at Food Lion certainly helps take the edge off reading about the Muslim Brotherhood, or the prospect of four more years of ObamaNation. Pass that bottle again, would you…

However, sometimes more urgent necessities intervene. One such moment arrived a couple of months ago, late on a Thursday night, when our electric water heater suddenly developed a breach in its containment vessel. The heater is in our mud room — I don’t know if that’s a regional expression or not; it means a grubby little room between the back porch and the main house where you keep your boots and antifreeze and so on. When I went out there to get something, I put my bare foot into a squishy puddle of water where no water had any right to be.

I quickly tracked the flow back to its source: the top of the water heater where the outflow pipe exits the tank. I turned off the water valve, cut the breaker on the heater, and then Dymphna and I gathered as many rags and towels as we could find to pile around the base of the tank.

That heater held forty gallons, however, and by the time it bled out the following morning it had exceeded the capacity of all those rags. The floor of the mud room was sodden from wall to wall. It looked like a duck pond in training.

I called the main plumbing outfit in the small town nearest us as soon as they opened. They’re pretty good about fast action in emergencies, and the woman at the desk managed to track down a forty-gallon heater in Charlottesville, and then sent a guy out to install it that afternoon — we didn’t have to wait until Monday, thank the Lord!

The old heater was inside a cabinet, which had to be dismantled first. Then the new heater was brought in, and a couple of hours later we had hot water again.

Thanks to the generosity of Gates of Vienna readers, that is. We still had enough money in the bank account left over from the summer fundraiser to write the check for that water heater.

Since the old heater was in bad shape — we had to take 30-second showers or baths in a half-filled tub — we now have the luxury of an ample hot water supply.

All of our generous readers may picture me now, sitting in a tub full of steamy hot water, still wearing my pickelhaube whilst pushing my rubber duckie around in a billowing cloud of lavender-scented bubble bath.

That’s your doing. It’s your donation dollars at work.

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The story of the Great Schloss Bodissey Boiler Explosion doesn’t end there, however. The aftermath continued for almost a week.

We were fortunate that the incident occurred while the autumn weather was still warm and extremely dry. Central Virginia was in near-drought conditions at that time, so opening the door and the storm door 24/7 was feasible, starting before the new heater was even installed.

After the plumber had finished his work no standing water remained. But the utility carpet (no pad underneath, thank goodness) was soaked through and squishy to walk on everywhere in the room. Not enough for a Shop Vac to suck up, but too much to leave to its own devices.

First we had to haul out all the gear that rested on the floor. The more or less rainproof items went outside for the duration, and everything else came inside to clutter up the laundry room.

Next I brought in two electric fans. One of them was an ordinary three-speed window fan, but the other was a high-powered industrial-strength exhaust fan. The latter had been donated to us by our good friends Wally and Hulla Ballou last July after our loss of air conditioning, when the hundred-degree temperatures reminded us that you can’t have too many fans in the house.

I set those two fans up in such a way that they were angled towards the floor and boosted each other’s air flow. They stayed on night and day for five days, and every morning I shifted them around to cover a different part of the room. The door opens to the south, so the sun came in every morning for several hours to help the drying process.

The weather stayed mostly clear, the humidity remained low, and that carpet dried out completely. No mold appeared, and a week later we were back to normal — with a cleaner mud room than before we started.

All in all, a satisfactory resolution to the aftermath of the crisis. And, once again, thanks to our generous donors.

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Yesterday’s donations came in from an unusually eclectic set of places. As far as I can recall, this is the first time we have ever received donations from India or Indonesia:

Stateside: Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia

Near Abroad: Canada

Far Abroad: Australia, Austria, Croatia, Denmark, India, Indonesia, and the UK

Many thanks to everyone who gave so generously to help keep the Gates of Vienna operation going.

The tip jar in the text above is just for decoration. To donate, click the tin cup on our sidebar, or the donate button. If you prefer a monthly subscription, click the “subscribe” button.

An afterthought:

I spent an entertaining couple of hours researching boiler explosions to find the images for this post. There are some fascinating accounts on the web of boilers and boiler-related disasters. The drawing at the top is of a Scotch marine boiler like the one that was in use on the U.S.S. Maine when it exploded and sank in Havana harbor in 1898.

The other photo shows the final resting place of the boiler from the Grover Shoe Factory in Brockton, Massachusetts, which exploded in 1905, leveling the factory building plus a number of surrounding structures and killing 58 people.

There were numerous other interesting photos of boiler disasters, most of them involving locomotives or steamships. For anyone interested in the topic, I suggest a google image search using the search words “boiler explosion”.

The poet Mohammad Ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami has been sentenced to life in prison in Qatar for insulting the emir. The trial was held in secret, and the defendant was not allowed to have counsel. He has a week to appeal his conviction.

In other news, the UN General Assembly voted to upgrade the non-member observer status of “Palestine”. The United States voted against the resolution, but many Western countries, including Italy, voted in favor of it. Others such as Britain abstained from voting to avoid angering their Muslim minorities.

To see the headlines and the articles, open the full news post.

Thanks to C. Cantoni, Insubria, JD, JP, KGS, Kitman, McR, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Commenters are advised to leave their comments at this post (rather than with the news articles) so that they are more easily accessible.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

The following guest-essay by Cynthia Yacowar-Sweeney was published previously in a somewhat shorter form at FrontPage Mag.

Freedom of Expression Challenged in Montreal Classroom
by Cynthia Yacowar-Sweeney

Indoctrinating high school students with anti-American and socialist bias is just the beginning when it comes to losing our right to freedom of expression

It has just come to my attention that the Bush-bashing 2004 documentary film Fahrenheit 9/11, written and directed by American liberal filmmaker and political commentator Michael Moore, has been added to my daughter’s high school curriculum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Surprisingly, no other viewpoints were presented to counterbalance this extremely anti-American biased film, in which Moore directs all his disapproval against American society. By showing only one side, the school has not only endorsed Moore’s film and all it represents, but it has also denied its students freedom of expression.

Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 accuses former President George W. Bush of looking the other way while terrorists were plotting 9/11 and while they were reorganizing after the attack, for his own political and financial gain. No blame is placed on al-Qaeda or any other Islamic terrorist group, which suggests that the United States is as morally corrupt as al-Qaeda, the Taliban or any other jihadist terrorist organization. The students of Current Politics walked out of this film with a very one-sided biased viewpoint, hating America. And this view is further reinforced by a socialist agenda that is being pushed in class by the same teacher who, like the multi-millionaire Moore, is against the capitalist nature of American society.

Is this how we want to raise our children, exposing them to only one narrow viewpoint that hates Western values? We live in a country that gives us the right to express our opinions and beliefs freely without censorship. So why not expose students to a fuller spectrum of thought with alternative views? This is especially significant today, when Western values such as free speech are being threatened — as evidenced by last year’s adoption of hate speech laws in the form of UN Resolution 16/18, thanks to the support of the Obama administration.

This resolution, sponsored by the Saudi-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which consists of 57 Islamic states, seeks to restrict free speech by criminalizing any criticism of Islam, whether that criticism is true or false. Here’s some context for the OIC: its main goal has been to make Islamophobia an international crime. For decades it has been relentlessly pursuing UN resolutions that would criminalize any speech about Islam. Finally in 2005, the OIC drafted its “ten-year plan” that lists the many challenges Islam must overcome, free speech being one of them.

According to author and expert on Islam Robert Spencer, “punishing those who criticize Islam is in accord with classic elements of Islamic law, which mandates that criticism of Allah or Mohammed or the Koran is punishable by death.” Shariah or Islamic Law, which forbids any criticism of Islam, has therefore been implemented with the adoption of this resolution. Although not “legally” binding and not proclaimed into full force — not just yet — this resolution could very likely become international law if it passes repeatedly in future years, especially if it passes in more than one UN body. In fact, earlier this year, UN Resolution 16/18 passed once again in the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council, as Resolution 19/25.

For those of us living in Western democracies who think we need not worry about losing our right to free speech, under the naïve assumption that it is fully and permanently protected by our country’s set of rules that govern speech laws (like the First Amendment in the US or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms) — well, think again. These sets of rules do not necessarily grant our rights and freedoms permanent immunity from the implacable resolve of Islamic organizations such as the OIC that seek to restrict our freedoms with their Shariah agenda. There are ways around the First Amendment that could make this resolution legally binding, thereby reducing free speech protection. According to Robert Spencer, “all it takes is five judges on the Supreme Court and the First Amendment can be effectively defanged.”

The terms of UN Resolution 16/18 to suppress free speech about Islam have already taken effect in the US: counter-terrorism training material for the US military, law enforcement and intelligence, as well as curriculum material for the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, are in the process of being purged of any reference to Islamic terrorism or to Islam in general. So far, hundreds of documents and presentations have been discarded because the OIC and Islamic organizations like CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) and ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) do not want Americans to know the truth about Islam, its history of violent jihad against non-Muslims, and its draconian laws against women and gays. These organizations are working together to divorce Islam from terrorism in all aspects of life, including the media and the educational system, and to end free speech by eliminating any criticism of Islam. Their ultimate goal is to eventually replace the US Constitution with Sharia and to establish an Islamic State.

Here’s some context for CAIR and ISNA: both were named by the US Justice Department as unindicted co-conspirators in the 2007-2008 Holy Land terror funding trial (to smuggle money to Hamas), the largest terrorist financing case in US history. Both are listed as affiliated organizations of the Muslim Brotherhood in its Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Brotherhood in North America that was published in 1991, whose stated goal is to subjugate America to Shariah and destroy Western civilization from within. And so far they seem to be doing a great job, simply because they are allowed to, advancing at a gradual pace, using tactics different from al-Qaeda’s, but with the same agenda. CAIR and ISNA, two of the most important Brotherhood affiliates in America, seem to be deeply involved in affecting US policy against Islamic terror.

Censoring critical information regarding Islamic terrorism or Islam in general — which is in accordance with Shariah — jeopardizes US national security and makes it impossible to effectively combat terrorism, from within the country and abroad. To make matters even worse, US military and intelligence counter-terrorism training instructors, who are experts in Islamic law, have been fired for speaking out against Islamic Jihad, Islamic Law and the dangers of radical Islam. So much for our freedom of expression.

And just when you think it cannot get any worse, it does: Islamic groups supportive of Hamas are now invited into FBI and CIA counter-terrorism meetings and training sessions, not only to approve or disapprove of the curriculum, but also to lead the training programs. All this remains unknown to the students of the Current Politics class, and probably to most US citizens as well.

You can bet your bottom dollar that any material containing views contrary to those expressed by Moore will not be shown to the students of Current Politics, despite its stated aim in the course description to “help students grasp the complexity of the world today and be open to the diversity of the societies that make it up.” Again, only one extreme viewpoint was shown, no diversity was presented.

Indoctrinating and exposing students to only a “truther” and socialist point of view, and leaving them in the dark when it comes to anything else — such as how Shariah is creeping into institutions across the Western world, and sometimes even under the guise of UN resolutions — make it impossible to achieve the stated goals of this school program.

Exposing students to a fuller spectrum of thought is what school education should be about. Why not remain true to the stated goals of the handbook and embrace diversity by presenting “other” perspectives to counter those of Michael Moore — such as Michael Moore Hates America by filmmaker Mike Wilson, or Michael and Me by radio and TV talk show host Larry Elder, or better yet, Steve Emerson’s Jihad in America — The Grand Deception.

After all, free and critical thinking, objective discussion about controversial issues, and the pursuit of truth are essential to prepare students for higher education. And this is only possible by disseminating more than one viewpoint to show that alternative views do exist by — that is, as long as we still have Freedom of Expression to do so.

Below is a subtitled video of Alain Wagner’s speech in Paris last Saturday (November 24, 2012) condemning the British government’s political persecution of Tommy Robinson.

The occasion was a demonstration in solidarity with Tommy in front of the statue of Sir Winston Churchill, with several different anti-sharia organizations in attendance.

A translated transcript is below, followed by the original French:

Hello and thank you for coming.

We are gathered here to talk about Tommy Robinson, an advocate of human rights who denounces Sharia law in his country and the fact that political activists and religious leaders threaten the safety of their citizens, the security of their country, and at the same time the security of democracy, freedom of expression, to which we are all committed.

We are here to say that the British government is unworthy of a democratic country, and violates the freedom of expression of its citizens, locked them up in prison to prevent them from telling the truth, lock them up in prison in violation of the basic rights of citizens in the EU.

Today in Britain, Human rights are violated. Shame to Britain ! The country of Democracy, of the Parliament, which now behaves as a country of the communist era. And throw in prison people who have done nothing but expressing themselves, giving their opinions on what is right, which is part of human rights, and thus locking people up for crimes of opinion, in isolation in harsh conditions, while at the same time they release terrorists. Tommy Robinson is a political prisoner. Today, in a democratic country we have political prisoners. We are here to show our support and say to the British government: “we know what you’re doing”. Britain is a country that has signed international agreements. This is Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights signed by Britain. This is an international treaty that Britain is required to comply with. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right includes freedom to express opinions and freedom to receive and impart information and ideas, without any interference from a public authority.

This was signed by Britain. Britain violates treaties that it has signed. Britain has lost its democratic legitimacy. Today a citizen can express his opinion as long as he does not call for violence. Tommy Robinson has always demonstrated peacefully. His organization always has been attacked by fascist activists. And it is Tommy Robinson who is locked up in jail! Shame on the British government, shame on Britain, shame on Europe !Today, democracy is no longer supported by our governments, and at any rate, not by the British government. It must return to reason, and we are here to shame the government that is unworthy of a democratic state, and violates human rights European citizens concerned with human rights and freedom are beginning to mobilize across Europe. What happens in Britain is a mechanism which is being implemented throughout Europe under the leadership of foreign organizations such as the OIC, seeking to restrict the right to freedom of expression. Some countries resist some do not resist. Britain clearly has bowed to pressure. And today we are going to send a message to Britain

Shame on you shame on you …… UK 8 times

Shame on you, Britain, for violating the rights of your citizens, violating of the fundamental rights of democracy and freedom of expression. Shame on them!

We know what they are doing; we show it today and will continue to show it as long as Tommy Robinson has not been released and has not regained the right to free speech, the inalienable right of each European citizen. We will continue to support and defend him. Governments cannot silence the defenders of freedom. We will make communications to the British Embassy; on a diplomatic level we will bring up the issue of Tommy Robinson at international forums such as the OSCE and the Council of Human Rights at the UN in Geneva. We will point out our finger to the British government and shame them and especially force them to respect what they are supposed to do, defend Human rights, something they are clearly not doing today.

Original French:

Bonjour et merci d’être venus

Nous sommes rassemblés ici pour parler de Tommy Robinson, un défenseur (activistes) des droits de l’homme qui dénonce la charia dans son pays et le fait que des activistes politiques, des leaders religieux menacent la sécurité de leurs concitoyens, la sécurité de leurs pays et en même temps la sécurité de la démocratie, de la libre expression à laquelle nous sommes tous attachés.

Nous sommes ici pour dire que le gouvernement anglais est indigne d’un pays démocratique, viole la liberté d’expression de ses citoyens, les enferme en prison pour les empêcher de dire la vérité, en prison au détriment des droits élémentaires des citoyens l’UE

Aujourd’hui en Angleterre les droits de l’homme sont bafoués, honte à l’Angleterre, pays de la démocratie et du parlement, de se conduire ainsi comme un pays de l’est à l’époque communiste.

Ils empêchent les gens qui ont le seul tort de s’exprimer, de dire leurs opinions, ce qui est un droit, qui fait partie des droits de l’homme ; donc d’enfermer les gens pour délit d’opinion, à l’isolement dans des conditions extrêmement dures, alors qu’au même moment ils libèrent des terroristes. Tommy Robinson est un prisonnier politique. Dans un pays démocratique nous avons aujourd’hui des prisonniers politiques

Nous sommes ici pour le soutenir et dire au gouvernement anglais nous savons ce que vous faites. L’Angleterre est un pays qui a signé des accords internationaux. Ceci est l’article 10 de la convention européenne des droits de l’homme signée par l’Angleterre. C’est un traité international qui oblige l’Angleterre à le respecter. Toute personne a le droit à la liberté d’expression. Ce droit comprend la liberté d’opinion et la liberté de recevoir ou de communiquer des informations, des idées, sans qu’il puisse y avoir ingérence de l’autorité publique.

Ceci a été signé par l’Angleterre. L’Angleterre viole les traités qu’elle a signés

L’Angleterre a perdu sa légitimité d’un pays démocratique qui fait qu’aujourd’hui un citoyen peut exprimer son opinion du moment qu’il n’appelle pas à la violence

Tommy Robinson a toujours manifesté pacifiquement. C’est toujours son organisation qui a été attaquée par des activistes fascistes. Et c’est Tommy Robinson qui se retrouve en prison

Honte sur le gouvernement anglais, à l’Angleterre, honte à l’Europe

Aujourd’hui la démocratie n’est plus soutenue par nos gouvernements en tous cas par pas par le gouvernement anglais. Il doit revenir à la raison et nous sommes là pour faire honte à ce gouvernement indigne qui bafoue les droits de l’homme

Les citoyens européens soucieux des droits de l’homme et de la liberté commencent à se mobiliser partout en Europe.

Ce qui se passe en Angleterre est aussi un mécanisme qui se met en place partout en Europe sous l’impulsion d’organisations étrangères comme l’OCI qui cherchent à restreindre le droit à la liberté d’expression, certains pays résistent, certains ne résistent pas. L’Angleterre manifestement a cédé aux pressions. Nous allons envoyer un message à l’Angleterre

UK Shame on you , UK shame on you ……8 fois

Honte à l’Angleterre de bafouer le droit de ses citoyens, de bafouer le droit fondamental de la démocratie qui est celui liberté d’expression honte à eux

Nous savons ce qu’ils sont en train de faire, nous le montrons aujourd’hui et nous continuerons à le montrer tant que Tommy Robinson n’aura pas été libéré et n’aura pas retrouvé le droit de la libre expression, droit imprescriptible de chacun des citoyens européens nous continuerons, nous le défendrons et le soutiendrons

Les gouvernements ne pourront pas faire taire les défenseurs de la liberté

Nous allons faire des communications auprès de l’ambassade, au niveau diplomatique, nous allons porter le problème de Tommy Robinson dans les forums internationaux comme l’OSCE, le Conseil des DH de l’ONU à Genève. Nous allons désigner du doigt le gouvernement anglais et leur faire honte et surtout les forcer à respecter ce qu’ils sont censés faire, défendre les droits de l’homme, ce qu’ils ne font manifestement pas aujourd’hui.

Tommy Robinson is being moved from Wandsworth to Bedford. Here’s the latest news from the EDL:

Update from Tommy

Tommy was at Luton Magistrates today for failing to hand his passport in on time, relating to a football incident. The Judge threw it out and said it was a waste of time.

One down and several more to go! But the good news is that from Luton Magistrates he has been moved to Bedford Prison until his January hearing, when he will more than likely end up back at Wandsworth.

He is en route from the Court to the Prison and should be arriving about 1730 UK time [i.e. about 15 minutes from the time of this posting].

Local leaders of the EDL say they will be arranging demos outside Bedford Prison for Tommy.

Our British correspondent JP sends his contribution to the Free Tommy movement.

As he says, “The following quotation seems appropriate to Tommy Robinson’s incarceration — ‘abilities and enthusiasm of the common man’.”

From On War, by Carl von Clausewitz, Everyman’s Library, 1993, pp.9-10:

States wishing to preserve their independence must become more efficient in tapping the energies of their populations. Elites existed in every society, and were justified so long as they strengthened the community, remained open to talent, and rewarded merit. But nothing could justify the continuation of privilege that protected mediocrity while depriving the state of the abilities and enthusiasm of the common man.

Autumn Fundraiser 2012, Day Four

The Situation

It’s Day Four of our Autumn Quarterly Fundraiser. I was feeling rather down about the level of donations during the first part of our bleg; things were slower than usual and I wondered if post-election depression had set in. Were our readers truly bummed by Obama’s re-election? Had they finally thrown in the towel, essentially saying “what the hell; my efforts make no difference?”

Then the Baron wrote his begging post yesterday and things picked up today. I am most heartened by those who read his words and responded so promptly; y’all provided a real boost when he needed it. Not that we’re yet at our usual quarterly level we need to survive, but it looks a lot more hopeful than it did when he wrote his piece early yesterday morning.

Here’s the main problem from my point of view: Gates of Vienna is the Baron’s central reason for getting up in the morning. It is his child, his present and his future; in it is contained his intense hope that Gates of Vienna’s contribution to the larger effort to salvage our culture will make a difference. No, we do NOT work alone, nor would we ever want to do that. How sad that would be, to feel that Gates of Vienna was just about him.

There are so many people streaming through the Gates from all over the world! This phenomenon never fails to amaze and to move me: that each year the numbers of knowledge-brokers who show up, information in hand and ready to share, increases so remarkably. Yet I also can’t help but notice the price he pays, the toll it is taking on the Baron over time.

My favorite philosopher said that the worst thing about poverty is the way it limits your choices. In this case, the lack of funding he’d need simply to hire an assistant, someone who would be the first filter for the mountains of emails and information that comes over the transom in order to get it in shape more quickly so that it could be disseminated that much faster. Alas, that’s not going to happen. We are not independently wealthy, nor are we ever likely to be funded by wealthy groups, given our outspoken views on cultural issues. Of necessity, we remain dependent on our donors to keep the lights on.

So we are fortunate that the Baron has a talent for organizing information, not to mention the many streamlining tricks and shortcuts he’s developed in order to continue this as a one-person operation. It has gotten to the point, though, that sometimes now he has to turn down requests, or asks those who would contribute their ideas to wait in line while he deals with what is in front of him. It can be a long wait. Some things simply fall through the cracks, but it can’t be helped. He already works seven days a week never less than twelve hours a day, and often more. If he didn’t have that stamina, or if he didn’t have the skill for creating shortcuts and workarounds, or if he didn’t believe deeply in what he does, Gates of Vienna wouldn’t be able to maintain the output it does with the consistency that it does.

When you donate money to keep this project going, you are energizing him and you’re building on the certainty he has that what he’s doing is exactly what he should be doing. Most important, you are pushing back against a determined enemy who would like to shut us (and other Counterjihadists) down permanently.

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I asked for the theme we’re using for our Autumn Fundraiser: the Aftermath. Among other things, I wanted to focus on the disaster of the recent presidential campaign and its likely effects on conservatism in this country. Not Republican office holders but conservative citizens who care deeply about preserving what is left of our Constitution.

Like many conservatives who voted for Mitt Romney, I did so only because I wasn’t given another choice. I swore that if he lost — and given his utterly inept campaign, I didn’t think he deserved to win — then I would be joining the millions of other frustrated, angry people on the right who are sick unto death of the current Republican Party. Along with them, I would find some other way to eject from power the malignant socialist juggernaut bent on smashing our republic.

Bill Whittle spoke recently to a group gathered for David Horowitz’ Restoration Weekend. What he had to say aligns exactly with the feelings of many of us who watched Mitt Romney fumble repeatedly, as though he were bent on losing. I love this fantasy of Whittle’s — what a conservative president, would say were he in charge:

This was not Romney’s fantasy nor his reality. Our recent GOP nominee was simply another big government RINO. The only difference between Romney and most politicians is that he is a man of deep integrity and character. No matter how hard the Democrats and the media searched, there was no dirt to be found on the man; he led a spotless life. Unfortunately his sterling character didn’t make him a competent presidential candidate. Which is not to say he didn’t talk the talk it took to get the nomination. Sterling? Yes. Perfect? Heavens, no!

IN NO WAY DID ROMNEY REPRESENT THE RIGHT. He was simply a mouthpiece for the Beltway GOP in-crowd, and you’d be hard put to tell them from the Democrat in-crowd. Opportunists all. That’s why Romney ran away from any issue that touched on conservative cultural values. He passed up dozens of opportunities to speak to the issues that concern the electorate and stuck to his chorus of financial issues.

As Richard Faulknor put it in his essay about this post-Romney world [emphases are his]:

Time is fast running out for us — as conservatives — to come to terms with our relationship with the Republican Party which is an increasingly abusive partner for us.

Conservatives, we hasten to add, are those citizens who support our ancient constitutional liberties; free markets (as opposed to business-friendly government deals); low taxes and only essential regulation; our national sovereignty; a strong national defense; and a color-blind (but not culture-blind) America. Conservatives understand our freedom can only endure if our society draws its strength from our Judaeo-Christian heritage, and that new generations of our students must learn that cultural heritage as well as our founding constitutional principles.

But these concerns seem light years from the priorities of most of the Beltway GOP.

Whether that tight circle is using the Romney defeat as an excuse for amnesty for illegals, or whether some GOP senators, with their keen appetite for public theater and with the help of some supposed GOP-friendly media, are denouncing the no-new-taxes pledge — that circle seems quite content with the prospect of an expanding government.

One can see how they try to eke out Washington, D. C. ‘respectability’ through crumbs of approval from the Government Class and its compliant media. One unanswered question, of course, is whether the Beltway GOP would be pursing the same course with Mr. Romney’s blessing were he the president elect today.

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Conservatives across America are angry. The statist, socialist Democrat Party and the public sector unions from California to New York are hell-bent on bankrupting the public coffers and walking away with the money. The poor? Who cares? They don’t vote anyway.

In America, we have elections every two years. This next Congressional tryout, in 2014, will be a good indicator for what’s in store in 2016. But more importantly, it’s a chance for the Tea Party to go to work on the local level, cutting the cords to the Beltway GOP. There is enough time to do this, and it appears there is enough energy. It depends on the extent to which people allow themselves to be distracted by the scandals in Washington. Those are going to continue unabated as long as Obama is in office. So far, the scandals he’s created have worked well for him, even as they prove his venality and mendacity. Nope, he doesn’t have Romney’s sterling character and he never will. But then he doesn’t have to. As he famously said, “I won”.

I leave you with a blast from the past someone reminded me of today: a post from November 2008, as the world was getting used to the idea of Obama. That post generated a lot of interest — almost a hundred comments back then. Here’s one:

Opposition is a time for statesmanship. It is a time for visionary thinking. It is a time to consider what we want the future to become, knowing that we are unencumbered by any responsibility for the present. The present may belong to Obama, but the future belongs those who oppose his presidency. Let’s make sure the post-Obama era becomes something we can be proud of.

Sounds ironic four years later, doesn’t it? But it remains true. The pushback against Obama’s signature bills has been fierce. ObamaCare will end up a mangled version of his original intent. Cap ’n’ Tax failed too, but he and his EPA have figured workarounds for that. So he pushes us further into poverty for the moment, just as Australia is being mauled down that same road. But both of us can fight our way back to sanity.

And I remain confident that we will. The question is, if you weren’t happy with the results of this election, what are you personally, going to do about it?

I’ll be telling you of some of our plans in the near future. Plans close to home…and I’ll be asking our American conservative readers to chime in with their own ideas.

You’ll be seeing more of Bill Whittle, et al, as he lines up speaking engagements with Tea Party groups. You’ll also hear about ACT! For America and Brigitte Gabriel’s plans for organizing her groups.

There is a lot to be done and there are people to do the work if they are willing to take the risk while risk is still possible.

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Yesterday’s donations came in from the following places:

Stateside: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, and Virginia

Near Abroad: Canada

Far Abroad: Australia, Israel, Sweden, and the UK

The tip jar in the text above is just for decoration. To donate, click the tin cup on our sidebar, or the donate button. If you prefer a monthly subscription, click the “subscribe” button.

Hat tip for Bill Whittle’s video: Andrea Shea King.

Germany is about to outlaw sex with animals. The old law against bestiality was repealed in 1969, but a recent craze for barnyard romance plus the rise of animal “pimping” has made the new law necessary. Zoophile advocacy groups are protesting the government’s decision.

In other news, as a solution to its fiscal difficulties, the city of Detroit is considering dissolving itself and merging with the surrounding Wayne County.

To see the headlines and the articles, open the full news post.

Thanks to C. Cantoni, Insubria, JD, JP, Kitman, Steen, The Observer, TV, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Commenters are advised to leave their comments at this post (rather than with the news articles) so that they are more easily accessible.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

Not all Swedish schools are willing to surrender to the demands and provide halal food in their cafeterias. The school commissioner in this news story from Eskilstuna says that the food they serve is adequate for all children, and refuses to consider the additional expense and trouble of providing halal.

Needless to say, local Muslims are unhappy with his “intolerance”, and are threatening a lawsuit.

Many thanks to Michael Laudahn for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling: