Muslim taxi-drivers refuse to carry passengers with alcohol or seeing-eye dogs. Checkout clerks at supermarkets won’t touch pork. There must be footbaths and prayer rooms in airports, universities, public buildings, and… well, just about everywhere.
When local customs clash with the tenets of sharia, local customs must yield.
However, thanks to the efforts of grassroots anti-Islamization activists in Vienna, a small victory has been chalked up for common sense against sharia. Our Austrian correspondent ESW has translated an article from today’s oe24.at, and follows it with her commentary:
Professional School: Muslims must also eat Schnitzel (made of pork)- - - - - - - - -
There is some excitement among Muslim parents in Vienna: Training to become a restaurant worker can only take place if principles of faith are violated.
There are piles of protest letters of Muslim parents in the Vienna editorial department of the Turkish newspaper Zaman. “People are upset. They say it is against human rights and the Austrian constitution, what is expected of students at this school for business professions,” explains Aynur Kirci, editor of the newspaper.
The headmistress of the school for business professions in Meidling [district of Vienna], Elisabeth Berger, is forcing parents of students for next year’s classes, including those of the Muslim faith, to sign a form.
The content of this form: In the class called “Kitchen and Service” all students must learn how to prepare Viennese food and drinks as well as how to advise guests on their food and drink choices. This includes a “proper appearance”, which means: no headscarf while working as a waitress. And because pork is part of Viennese cuisine, students must be able to prepare and to taste pork. In addition, the form says, every student has to — at least — taste alcoholic drinks.
Muslim parents deem all this “a scandal, politically and democratically”.
Vienna school president, Susanne Brandsteidl [a Social Democrat], believes this procedure is absolutely justifiable. “All students must adhere to the house rules, in this case the syllabus. The same rights and responsibilities apply to all.”
It is not possible for students to attend instruction to become a restaurant worker and then refuse to adhere to the curriculum or refuse certain parts of it due to reasons of faith. Brandsteidl also stands behind the school’s headmistress with a legal opinion: “The aim of the curriculum must be adhered to. It is not possible to relieve students from parts of the curriculum for reasons of faith.”
Adds the school president: “Austrian cuisine, a major component of which is pork, is prominently featured in the class curriculum. Advising guests also includes the tasting of alcoholic beverages.” Furthermore, the job description of a restaurant waitress includes “the wearing of proper clothing.” In plain text: If a Muslim girl works as a waitress in a restaurant, she is not allowed to wear a headscarf.
The Turkish daily Zaman is announcing plans to report widely about this “scandal”, perhaps even worldwide. Especially interesting about this: The Turkish media company, active all over the globe, awards an annual prize for “International Understanding”. Current Zaman award-winner in the category politics is: Vienna’s mayor, Michael Häupl.
Comments by ESW:
This is an interesting story, especially since the protagonists are from the Social Democratic party. Susanne Brandsteidl is a known fan of political correctness, multifaith, multi-everything. However, true to Turkish behavior, Zaman is already threatening to expose this “scandal”. This may well turn into a litmus test for the socialist-run city of Vienna about its reaction to Muslim pressure.
18 comments:
Good for Vienna!! Yaaaaaaayyyyyy. Now lets see if the Englanders grow some cahunas.
It may be a horror for a muslim.
It is a horror for a non-muslim to see some woman in a scarf/burqa publically calling for her enslavement, inferiority status, arranged marriage, beheading, clitoris amputation, unconditional submission.
In fact I should call police each time I see a muslim woman.
I have this theory that the war will start in Western Europe when they start banning beer. Europeans do absolutely nothing when they take away our freedom of speech, but don't take away our beers, or there will be hell to pay. Then again, maybe that's just wishful thinking.
It's interesting to notice, though, that the Middle East still produced sophisticated cultures as long as beer was a natural part of their culture, as it was in ancient times. Wine and beer. The few pockets of civilization you have left in the ME produce wine, and Omar Khayyam, who was a talented mathematician, loved wine. Civilization equals wine and beer. Iraq doesn't need democracy, Iraq needs good beer. You can call that the beer hypothesis of civilization. Beats Jared Diamond any day of the week.
Think about it: Imagine if you had no freedom of speech, your country was in shambles and your girlfriend looked like a tent. If I lived like that and somebody took away my beer on top of it, I'd consider blowing myself up, too.
Alcohol is such a part of european culture that I can hardly see it being taken away without a fight. However, many europeans has been thoroughly domesticated through the last few decades, so you'll never know. One thing is for sure, we will find out pretty soon.
I am right now sitting in a Prague pub. My response is a beered one.
Iraqis like beer. We should send them some "clear beer meassage".
Focus on Basra, then take over Baghdad.
The beer resistance in Iraq outlived
the worst attacks. No brewery I know dared to turn it into a valid add.
Fjordman,
Remember that homeless Belgian who was assaulted and sent to hospital by a Muslim and his son, just because he was having a beer in the street during Ramadan?
I did not notice hordes of natives taking it to the streets afterwards.
Muslim parents deem all this “a scandal, politically and democratically”.
And it goes right over their heads that "democracy" means that the wishes of the majority determine what happens.
Robert, you're making the mistake of assuming that most people would react to an assault against a homeless man in that way. It was an assault, not a government diktat. It also took place at a time when people understood less about Islam, and so would probably have assumed it was an isolated incident.
If the government set about trying to abolish alcohol there'd be a much more obvious reaction.
Italy passes emergency rape law
Italy's government has rushed through a decree to crack down on sexual violence and illegal immigration after a spate of rapes blamed on foreigners.
The decree sets a mandatory life sentence for the rape of minors or attacks where the victim is killed.
It also establishes rules for citizen street patrols to be conducted by unarmed and unpaid volunteers.
The number of sexual assaults fell last year, but three high-profile rapes last weekend sparked national outrage.
These included the rape of 14-year-old girl in a park in Rome on Saturday, allegedly by two men from Eastern Europe.
A Bolivian woman was raped in Milan by a man described as North African, while in Bologna, a Tunisian who had just been released from prison was re-arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl.
It also sets rules for citizen street patrols, in which officials said retired police and soldiers would play a major role.
Italy passes emergency rape law
North African? Tunisian?
Italy is taking the right steps in the right direction.
Abu Abdullah --
It is unacceptable to link to a site like that from GoV.
Fjordman, I have always argued the same theory, that people will revolt when their beer and Bratwurst are taken away. It is hard to imagine a city like Vienna without beer and Bratwurst.
You are also right about civilization and beer (or wine). I vividly remember there being an Austrian beer brewery in Tehran before the Islamic Revolution. When my family and I enjoyed one of your trips to the desert outside Tehran, I remember asking my father for some water to quench my thirst. And I recall him saying: "We brought the water to clean ourselves; drink some beer." I was about 6 years old at the time! Needless to say, I have loved beer ever since!
There were also many beer breweries in Iraq. When I was stuck there in 1990, there was plenty of beer available at hotel bars in both Baghdad and Mosul. And what else does one do when stuck as a guest of Saddam Hussein's?
The next time someone says civilization arose in the Middle East does he really mean the Middle [Y]east?
Graham, you're trying to rationalise too much. I suppose Fjordman's comment was made in jest -- up to a point. Mine certainly was -- up to a point. And I didn't assume anything. Fjordman did.
However I would like to share Fjordman's apparent optimism (you only have to read him to understand how pessimistic he really is), I don't think the present situation allows anybody to be confident that there's a tipping point past which Westerners will revolt, be it a ban on alcohol or anything else.
Plenty of tipping points have already been passed, and barely anyone noticed. Those things do not happen overnight. You bring the frog to a boil by warming up the water.
Beating up a hapless Christian for disobeying Sharia, however extreme and isolated an act, is a very powerful way to instill fear among the general population (Muslims included). Don't think for a minute that the stick-wielding thugs did not have a strategy when they accomplished their vile crime.
And why are we talking of a ban? You don't need to ban anything once intimidation has done its work. People will "voluntarily" quit alcohol.
That's the "beauty" of the Islamic totalitarian method. Remember it has been refined during 14 centuries. We have some catching up to do.
Maybe so. I'm not in a particularly good mood right now (personal reasons, no need to inflict it on you people) so my ability to spot humour of any sort is pretty much gone. I shall try and cheer up a bit.
Fjordman said...
I have this theory that the war will start in Western Europe when they start banning beer. Europeans do absolutely nothing when they take away our freedom of speech, but don't take away our beers, or there will be hell to pay. Then again, maybe that's just wishful thinking.
Wishfull thinking and too late.
I could take you to at LEAST 10 buildings in Berlin that USED to be pubs, but, due to the preassure of local muslim groups complaining "we dissagree with the sale of alcohol in "our" area." have been closed down.
Even where ther has been no preassure, the amount of kabab shps that are now in old pub buildings is astronomical. We are talking a good 90% in some areas.
Now there is something else to note here. ALL these buildings are now open as kebab shops. AND Kebab shops run by the very people from the very communities that complained, are selling....want to guess?
You were PROBABLY correct;
Beers, wines and spirits.
Furor Teutonicus.
Adds the school president: “Austrian cuisine, a major component of which is pork, is prominently featured in the class curriculum. Advising guests also includes the tasting of alcoholic beverages.” Furthermore, the job description of a restaurant waitress includes “the wearing of proper clothing.” In plain text: If a Muslim girl works as a waitress in a restaurant, she is not allowed to wear a headscarf.
Priceless, effing priceless! Finally, a line in the sand. Even if it is "just" schnitzel. (See recipe below.)
Some background: Schnitzel essentially means "parts". While most of us are used to this dish being a veal or pork cutlet, usually from the loin, its name actually refers to a bit of chef's magic.
One principal process involved in making schnitzel is hammering out the meat in order to tenderize it. A resourceful chef can fabricate a proper schnitzel from several collops of meat and still arrive at a reasonable semblance of a tenderized cutlet. Ergo, the term, "schnitzel" and its reference to parts.
It is difficult to imagine that Austria will abandon anytime soon such an economical and toothesome article of its national cuisine. Both its history and the economical nature of its preparation make schnitzel a delicious and venerated cultural institution.
For those who would like to try this wonderful recipe, here is a guide to the preparation of this dish:
Wiener Schnitzel
Breaded Cutlets
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4 - 8 People
Ingredients:
2 Lbs. Boneless Veal or Pork Cutlets
2-3 Large Eggs
1-2 Cups Fresh White Bread Crumbs*
1/2-1 Stick Butter
2-4 TBS Water or Milk
1/2-1 Cup White Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Ground White Pepper
1 - 2 Lemons
*The key to this recipe is to use fresh bread crumbs. Avoid using dry crumbs as they will soak up the oils and become heavy in texture.
Preparation:
Bring the meat and eggs to room temperature. Mix the flour, salt and white pepper. Using a tenderizing mallet, hammer the cutlets until they are one half their original thickness. Give extra attention to fatty areas of the meat. If the cutlets are small, use a slight sideways dragging motion during the hammering action to spread the meat outwards from its center.
Dredge both sides of the cutlets in the flour mixture and place them on waxed paper. After a few minutes, repeat this dredging one or two more times to build up a good coating. Remove the crusts from the (~6-8) slices of white bread, cut them into small squares and use a hand blender or food processor to shred into them medium size crumbs. Break the eggs into a shallow bowl, add the water or milk and beat thoroughly.
Take each cutlet and drag it through the egg wash before coating it with breadcrumbs. Allow the breaded cutlets to rest for at least fifteen minutes before frying. This permits the breading to set and adhere better to the meat while it cooks.
Preheat a large skillet over low heat. Melt half the butter in the pan and wait for it to foam. Place each piece in the pan and continue until all of the cutlets are frying. Shake the pan when each cutlet is introduced to prevent it from sticking. All of the pieces should slide freely in the skillet. If necessary, increase the heat to high while introducing the cutlets into the pan.
It is important that the skillet does not lose its heat during the initial stages of frying. Return the heat to medium or low but be sure to maintain a good sizzle in the pan. Watch closely to avoid scorching the meat. Turn each cutlet as soon as it is a golden brown underneath. Add more butter as needed. Finish frying off the cutlets and place them on a platter lined with paper towels to drain. Let the cooked meat rest for five minutes before garnishing with wedges of lemon. Capers may also be served on the side with this dish.
Accompany this dish with boiled red creamers or mashed potatoes. White asparagus is an excellent side vegetable or serve a more traditional steamed cabbage.
Note: Thanks to Jacques Pepin for the hint on using fresh breadcrumbs. His method takes this dish to the next level of quality and flavor.
Zenster, thanks for posting the recipe for Schnitzel. It's such a tasty dish, I love it!
Allow me to add, though, that the side dish for Wiener Schnitzel consists of either potato salad or hot buttered potatoes with parsley.
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