Soup Nazis
| By August J. Pollak - Jan 25th, 2006 at 6:31 pm EST |
| Also listed in: Campus Progress Blog |
Well, it looks like America can't even be #1 in distorted religious bigotry anymore. The tension between European French and immigrant Muslim and Arab French already at a high point after the riots of last year, an extremist right-wing political group in France has decided to take the abuse of "charity" and "compassion" to a revolting level. To deliberately make an anti-Arab political statement, the Bloc Identitaire - a right-wing French group devoted to the "European identity" - has started programs to distribute free soup to the homeless.
Dubbed "identity soup" in a faux-humanitarian guise of French historical culture, the reality is much more disturbing- it's pork soup- chosen specifically because observant Muslims can't eat pork.
Private charities- or for that matter any private organization- have the right to discriminate against who they want, revolting as their discrimination may be. But manipulating an idea of humanitarian work to disguise a dangerously racist agenda is disgusting. And just in case you think people might be overreacting about the intentions of the Bloc Identitaire, here's a quick peek at the "humanitarian philosophy" of the group's leader:
Boy oh boy, nothing says humanitarianism like a right-wing militant European political leader talking about how removing 6 million ethnic minorities could help the country's breathing room.
Dubbed "identity soup" in a faux-humanitarian guise of French historical culture, the reality is much more disturbing- it's pork soup- chosen specifically because observant Muslims can't eat pork.
Private charities- or for that matter any private organization- have the right to discriminate against who they want, revolting as their discrimination may be. But manipulating an idea of humanitarian work to disguise a dangerously racist agenda is disgusting. And just in case you think people might be overreacting about the intentions of the Bloc Identitaire, here's a quick peek at the "humanitarian philosophy" of the group's leader:
The associations offering the soup are satellites of Bloc Identitaire, a small, extreme-right movement that defends the European identity and, as its leader Fabrice Robert said, "the rights of the little whites."
"It's not that we don't like Muslims. It's a problem of critical mass," Robert said in a telephone interview. "Just 1,000 Muslims in France poses no problem, but 6 million poses a big problem."
Boy oh boy, nothing says humanitarianism like a right-wing militant European political leader talking about how removing 6 million ethnic minorities could help the country's breathing room.
!
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A question: When we were we ever "#1" in distorted religious bigotry? Not a time pops to mind in history when the US hasn't been eclipsed by somewhere or another; usually by many places at once, and usually by at least Europe.
Europe, despite how they posture, is not a very sophisticated place when compared with America.
Though, to be true, they sure do a good job on selling us that image. Random case in point? Burberry.
In America, it's an extremely high-class luxury goods brand, enjoyed by maybe the top 3% of the population.
In Britain, it's considered a classless, tacky brand for Chavs. And if you've never heard of chavs, google 'em. A text description cannot do that phenomenon justice. ;)
It is my understanding that a Muslim may eat pork, or any other food prohibited by the Qu'ran or the Hadith (did I get that right?), if they need to do so in order to survive. So homeless French Muslims who were starving could conceivably partake of this free soup and not offend Allah.
This is not meant, however, to excuse the actions of the Bloc Identitaire, which are bigoted and churlish.
Most contemporary faiths have health exemptions for their dietary restrictions (ill Jews are permitted to eat during the Yom Kippur fast, for example). But to put them in that difficult position is, literally, Naziesque. If anyone remembers reading Night by Elie Wiesel, he goes through the experience of having to decide whether or not to eat his meager rations on Yom Kippur, as not eating could mean his death, while eating could mean his disfavor with God. Nobody should be put in that position, least of all under the guise of "charity".
The Bloc will have to atone for this some day, I have faith.