Sweden’s conservative prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, is set to meet with 20 representatives from Muslim countries in Stockholm today, over the recent Swedish Mohamed “Mo-Hound” cartoon brouhaha. According to the Egyptian ambassador, Mohamed Sotouhi, and his fellow ambassadors:
“A list of demands Sweden needed to take if it was to secure a long-term solution to the Muhammad cartoon controversy. According to Sotouhi, “comprehensive measures” were required if Sweden was to prevent some “amateur artist” from reawakening tensions every other month. “We want to see action, not just nice words. We have to push for a change in the law,” he said.”Muslims need legal protection against the desecration of the Prophet Muhammad, maybe something similar to the protection enjoyed by Jews and homosexuals.”
First of all, the protection afforded to both Jews and homosexuals is the same protection that is afforded to all citizens in Sweden, it’s called Swedish law. However, there is no such law in place that safeguards either religion or ideologies from criticism, good or bad. And there shouldn’t be.
Christians and Jews can be and are criticized, on a regular basis. What these ambassadors are aiming for, is to place Islam in an unassailable position in Swedish society, free of critique. In such a scenario, Muslims would be able to freely promote a wide range of dangerous initiatives that would almost be exempt from debate and criticism.
If you think that many European politicians are spineless now, you can only imagine how far backward they would lean later on. For proof, just look at the staggering decisions rendered by German judges in courts of law. The Egyptian ambassador goes on to further add:
“In the long term the school curriculum has to convince pupils that if they want to express their opinion they should do so in such a way that it doesn’t cause offence or hurt. This should also be part of journalism training,”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. But he’s not joking, he’s deadly serious. He actually believes that Islam deserves that status of preeminence that’s not allowed (and for good reason) to any other religious belief or ideology. Lets give Christianity and Judaism and the homosexuals some credit here. They’re not demanding any such elevated position that the ambassador alledges, jokes and cartoons about Jews, Christians and Homosexuals are not an issue with these groups.
I also doubt very seriously that the Egyptian ambassador could care less about Jews, Christians and homosexuals. If he did, then he would be then demanding the Egyptian government to protect all three groups in his own society as well.
Egyptian Jews are still unable to free their religious artifacts from the Egyptian government, while Egyptian state sponsored anti-Semitism is an everyday fact of life. Christian Coptic’s are still being victimized, plundered and forcibly converted to Islam. Homosexuals, well, that they remain “in the closet” for fear of their lives speaks for itself. Here is some more stinking taqqiya:
“A permanent parliamentary committee also needs to be established to tackle islamophobia,” he added.The ambassador urged Reinfeldt to strive towards “reaching a balance between freedom of speech and taking responsibility to avoid offending Muslims or other religious groups in this society”.
There isn’t any “Islamophobia”, that’s just a euphemism for anyone critiquing Islam. His reference to “other religions”, is just another disingenuous attempt to get Islam “special protection”. The same “special protection” it receives in Muslim countries, while all other religions must “do as they are told or face the consequences“. And lastly:
Sotouhi described Sweden as a sophisticated country containing talented and creative diplomats. “They know that proactive measures are necessary and we are ready to cooperate with them,” he said.
Well perhaps after the disasterous Social Democrats were removed from office by the Swedish voters, there are now talented and creative diplomats who can properly address the situation as it should be. But old habits die hard. I agree with the Baron at the Gates of Vienna that the last line is the most telling of all:
Algeria’s ambassador to Sweden, Merzak Bedjaoui, said the meeting “was an excellent initiative taken in a spirit of appeasement.”
Nuff said. More here *L* KGS
UPDATE:
According to the Local, The Swedish PM just finished his meeting with the Muslim ambassadors, and insists that no list of demands were given.
“Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt met on Friday with ambassadors from twenty Muslim countries for talks surrounding the publication in a Swedish newspaper of a caricature of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The envoys are not reported to have called for Sweden to change its laws to protect against the desecration of the Muslim prophet. After a meeting with his Muslim colleagues on Thursday, the Egyptian ambassador indicated that the group wanted to see “action, not just nice words.” But Reinfeldt said that the ambassadors did not present a list of demands at government offices in Rosenbad. “There were no demands in that sense. We had a very positive dialogue,” said Reinfeldt. “
I believe that perhaps some resolve was indeed shown by the Swedish PM after all, more than likely sending a message through “diplomatic channels” in advance of the meeting, that the prime minister would not be receiving any “list of suggested changes” to Swedish law from any of the ambassadors.
Swedish PM Reinfeldt met with the 20 cry baby representatives of state, let them vent, and said so long, have a nice weekend. At least that’s how I see it. *L* KGS
