Grand Mufti of Syria Threatens Europeans at EU Parliament, EU Media Silent
From the desk of Fjordman on Wed, 2008-01-16 22:33
This information was brought to my attention by the blog Snaphanen. As a part of the deliberate merger of Europe and the Islamic world that is the policy of the European Union at the highest levels, yet almost never debated in European media, 2008 will be a "Year of Intercultural Dialogue," which means that Europeans will be bombarded with propaganda about how good it will be to submit to Islamic rule, and some veiled threats about what happens if we don't. The visiting Grand Mufti of Syria threatened Europeans over the "misuse" of free speech to criticize Islam. This has been carefully left out of the official EU reports from his speech at the EU Parliament.
One of the EU Commissioners, or unelected pan-European Ministers, addressed the European press a while ago, hoping that they would participate in this brainwashing of the public. Not in those exact words, of course, but the journalists got the message, and disturbingly enough didn't seem to protest. This is the hallmark of a totalitarian state, where the authorities instruct the press on what to write and which ideologies to broadcast. That is what the EUSSR is rapidly becoming, as former Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky has warned.
Perhaps the most shameful aspect of the history of Eurabia is how the supposedly critical media has allowed itself to be corrupted or deceived by the Eurabians. Most of the documents about the Euro-Arab Dialogue place particular emphasis on working with the media, and the Eurabians have played the European media like a Stradivarius. A conference on "Racism, Xenophobia and the Media" in Vienna in May 2006 was coordinated by the EU. By the end of 2006, the network of media practitioners involved in the Euro-Arab Dialogue had grown to over 500 (pdf). These included people, media and organizations from all 37 countries of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. European and Arab journalists produced dozens of recommendations on how to enhance their cooperation and promote "mutual understanding" between their cultures and religions in the media.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy (read: Eurabian affairs), addressed the assembly of journalists. According to her, "we do not believe the media should be regulated from outside, but rather that you find ways to regulate yourselves. [...] 2008 is the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, and I am determined that by then we will have made significant improvements in the level of mutual respect and understanding our communities have for one another. In the months and years to come we must reach beyond the elites to the man and woman on the street. That is a vital part of the fight against racism and xenophobia. And you will be the key to achieving that."
This document is available on the Internet, but I doubt most Europeans have heard about it. Ferrero-Waldner also stated that "Freedom of expression is not the freedom to insult or offend. Hate speech is always abhorrent." The EU has in numerous agreements with Muslim countries made it clear that "Islamophobia" is a form of racism and hate speech.
The EU is now practicing this media censorship. According to Dutch blogger Klein Verzet, the Grand Mufti of Syria threatened Holland: "Should it come to riots, bloodshed and violence after broadcasting the Quran movie by PVV-leader Geert Wilders, then Wilders will be responsible. This was said by the Grand Mufti of Syria, Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun, Tuesday in the European Parliament, where he gave a speech at the invitation of the fraction presidents. If Wilders tears up or burn a Quran in his film 'this will simply mean he is inciting wars and bloodshed. And he will be responsible', according to the Grand Mufti. Al Hassoun thinks it is 'the responsibility of the Dutch people to stop Wilders'."
If you read the official texts by the EU media, this threat has been totally removed. Euractiv.com, a website subsidized by the EU, reports today:
No 'conflict of cultures', Islamic leader tells EU Parliament
The Grand Mufti of Syria yesterday told MEPs that he did not believe in the conflict of cultures because "we are all building one culture", becoming the first religious leader to address the Parliament during the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. A series of eminent religious and cultural leaders are set to address the plenary session of the European Parliament on the subject of intercultural dialogue throughout 2008. The Grand Mufti of Syria, Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun, yesterday (15 January) told Parliament's Strasbourg plenary that perceived clashes of culture were instead conflicts of "ignorance, terrorism and backwardness".
He stressed that although religion gave culture its moral values, "it is we who build civilisation", arguing that "we must create states on a civil basis" rather than a religious one. Moreover, he said there was "no such thing" as a holy war. Meanwhile, around 400 Muslim groups signed a charter last week (10 January) outlining their rights and responsibilities in European society. The charter contains 26 points, among which are clauses aimed at dispelling myths surrounding the link between Islam and violence and clarifying the term 'jihad'.
In a separate development, a UN project designed to combat terrorism by promoting "cross-cultural understanding", particularly between the West and the Islamic world, began its first forum yesterday in Madrid. The 'Alliance of Civilisations' initiative, co-sponsored by Turkey and adopted by the UN in 2005, was proposed by Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in the wake of the Madrid bombings in 2004.
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was brought to power by the Islamic terror attacks in Madrid in 2004 and has been appeasing Muslims through his "Alliance of Civilizations" idea ever since. He has pledged to drum up EU support for building an undersea tunnel physically connecting Spain and Morocco, and thus Europe and Muslim North Africa. Zapatero claims this project will "change Africa and Europe." He's certainly right about that.
Yesterday, the EU Commission’s website for intercultural dialogue wrote:
Grand Mufti of Syria: a single culture unites us all
In a speech to MEPs on Tuesday on the subject of intercultural dialogue, the Grand Mufti of Syria, Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun, stressed the value of culture as a unifying rather than a dividing force. Dr Hassoun was addressing a formal sitting of Parliament as the first speaker in a series of visits by eminent religious and cultural leaders in 2008, which has been designated European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Opening his address, the Grand Mufti stressed that "there is one single culture" in the world, the culture of humankind. Indeed, he said, "we are all building one culture, so I do not believe in the conflict of cultures". Closing his speech, Dr Hassoun praised Europe today as embodying "a miracle" in overcoming two world wars and bringing down the Berlin wall without bloodshed. Seeing the European Parliament as a model, he called on the EP "to help us build a universal parliament". And since Damascus is this year the Cultural Capital of the Arab World, he asked the EP, as a practical gesture, to hold a meeting there "to show that the world is one".
In his introductory speech, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering said "peaceful coexistence between cultures and religions, both in the European Union and in relations with peoples in all parts of the world, in particular on the other side of the Mediterranean, in the Middle East, is both possible and essential". He added "we must build an intellectual and cultural bridge across the Mediterranean, one founded on mutual enrichment and shared values".
In 2006, the above mentioned German Christian Democrat Hans-Gert Pöttering stated that European school textbooks should be reviewed for intolerant depictions of Islam to ensure they don't propagate prejudice. He suggested that the EU could co-operate with the 56-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference to create a textbook review committee. Islamic countries are thus supposed to decide what is taught about Islam throughout the European Union. One would assume that "prejudice" against Islam will include any mention of almost 1400 years of continuous Jihad warfare on several continents, including Europe. This confirms my view that the only way to save Europe now, or even parts of it, is to totally dismantle the entire European Union.
conflict of ignorance ,terrorism,backwardness
Submitted by achille on Tue, 2008-03-11 00:08.
But there is no culture clash says the syrian immam!
I agree on the constat with the immam but not on the analysis on causes.
There is no real positive "culture" in the today muslim world as a whole but precisely ignorance,terrorism,irrational hatred,backwardness
the grand mufti is insane
Submitted by Citizen Z on Fri, 2008-01-18 00:58.
GW already reacted on the rants by the mufti, he said "hij is een grote gek (sorry, article in Dutch, means something like he's a big lunatic)
By the way, news of this evening that the AEL are also going to make a movie about Islam, as an answer on the movie of Wilders.
They will show the good things about Islam, it almost made me laugh.
Movie on Islam
Submitted by atheling on Fri, 2008-01-18 01:25.
"By the way, news of this evening that the AEL are also going to make a movie about Islam, as an answer on the movie of Wilders.
They will show the good things about Islam, it almost made me laugh."
If that's the case, then the "movie" will be more like a commercial.
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” – Thomas Paine
One culture?
Submitted by logicalman on Thu, 2008-01-17 19:56.
"Opening his address, the Grand Mufti stressed that "there is one single culture" in the world, the culture of humankind. Indeed, he said, "we are all building one culture, so I do not believe in the conflict of cultures"."
Henry Ford said "you can have any car color as long as it's black"
Grand Liar sair: "There is one single culture, and it's Muslim (or will be Muslim)"
It is foolishness to say
Submitted by Dr. D on Thu, 2008-01-17 17:27.
It is foolishness to say that there is only one culture, the culture of humankind. This makes just about as much since as to say that we are all animals. No, culture is developed by people, and Europe has many different, related but different, cultures developed by the many, different peoples of Europe. All European cultures are vastly different from the primitive, crude cultures of the Middle East. It is deceptive (or stupid) to say that there is only one, and only the blind will be fooled by this. Some one needs to tell this idiot to sit down and shut up; he has insulted Europe too much with his presumptuous lies. Only the cover Political Correctness allows him to continue this idiocy without challenge. We are not all the same; we are different. Is this not obvious?
Someone said, "Papa Ratzi needs to say something to Geert Wilders." I agree, but what he needs to say is, "Here, let me help you with that."
right to offend
Submitted by kappert on Thu, 2008-01-17 19:37.
The Pope is burning the al-Quran. I bet you get an orgasm only thinking of it.
Freedom of Speech
Submitted by Dr. D on Thu, 2008-01-17 17:16.
Ferrero-Waldner says "Freedom of expression is not the freedom to insult or offend". In point of fact, this is exactly what freedom of speech must mean in some cases, the right to insult or offend.
The Euro Press
Submitted by tskier on Thu, 2008-01-17 15:32.
For years Islamics have been buying their way into leadership positions of the major media. They now control it. Unless Europe wakes up in a hurry, it's too late.
no conflict of cultures
Submitted by kappert on Thu, 2008-01-17 13:00.
It is hightime to enhance Europe's cooperation and promote mutual understanding between cultures and religions at the Mediterranean shorelines. And if Geert Wilders burns the al-Quran, Papa Ratzi should say something to him in person.
Just wait until Turkey joins the EU
Submitted by onecent on Thu, 2008-01-17 01:51.
After the EU admits Turkey, count on it happening, the Muslims can hammer the European Human Rights courts with impunity.
Dhimmitude is the left's last laugh at the sheeple that so love them.
Meanwhile, the Italian dhimmis cancelled the Pope's visit to a college campus:
"Students opposed to the visit kicked off "an anti-clergy week" on Monday by showing a film on Galileo, the 17th-century physicist who ran afoul of Church doctrine by insisting that the Earth orbits the Sun."
Oriana Fallaci was too good for them.
It is time to stop inviting these idiots to be honored guests
Submitted by Zen Master on Thu, 2008-01-17 01:03.
It is surprising the MEP would invite such an ignorant person who insults and threatens his hosts. They have no concept of what free speech is about. The problems would be reduced if the primitive people from Muslim countries remained at home. If they stay at home they suffer from having to live in poverty and live without jobs or welfare payments. When they arrive in a free country they always wish to change it.
‘Should it come to riots, bloodshed and violence after broadcating the Quran movie by PVV-leader Geert Wilders, then Wilders will be responsible.’
The grand mufti does understand fear and he can smell it on the MEP who are terrified thinking of offending Muslims.
It's a bit late to stop invitig these idiots, they're here
Submitted by costin on Thu, 2008-01-17 02:39.
This article sounds to me like the climax (for the time being) of a ongoing process started about three decades ago.
Now these guys are welcomed in the EU parliament to give threads and open remarks against free speach and (classical) liberalism.
- They are invited, they do their part of the job (give threats with riots and killings) and the Socialists (read Communists) in European Parliament do THEIR part of the job: hide the threats to the public and put in it's place their Marxist-Leninist propaganda of "one culture for all people all over the world", "all happy together" multiculti neo-Communist dream.
I found this article chilling and the conclusion that Fjordman draws at the end terrifying and plausible...