Os limites do multi-culturalismo

I would like to teach some of my neighbours some manners. I would like, for example, to say to the man who drove the wrong way up a one-way street on Sunday night, while chatting away on his mobile phone, and to the man who nearly backed into me yesterday, while also chatting on his mobile phone, and to the man who drove into my friend's van last week, while also chatting on his mobile phone, that while they clearly enjoy the art of conversation, it's one that doesn't combine brilliantly with driving.

And I would like to say to the man who drove the wrong way into the car park at Morrisons, and then hooted me, and who parked in a mother and baby slot when he was on his own, and the car park was practically empty, that it seemed a rather aggressive thing to do, and also rather lazy, and I would like to say to the man from whom I bought some paper cups, and who handled my money as if it had been dipped in anthrax, that it wouldn't kill him to say "please" or "thank you", and I would like to say to the fishmonger who asked my (black) friend whether he really wanted to buy some fish from his shop, that you should probably assume that if someone is asking for fish in your shop, then the answer is in the affirmative. [...]

ver artigo no Independent

Noites de violência em Grenoble

Des véhicules incendiés, un tramway attaqué et des policiers visés par des tirs… Une nuit de chaos à Grenoble. De violents incidents se sont produits dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi dans capitale iséroise après la mort, la veille, d'un malfaiteur dans une fusillade avec les forces de l'ordre. Les incidents ont éclaté vers minuit (22h00 GMT) et se sont prolongés une bonne partie de la nuit dans le quartier populaire de la Villeneuve, où vivait le malfaiteur tué lors d'une fusillade consécutive au braquage d'un casino.

Un tramway immobilisé à l'aide d'un feu de broussailles a été attaqué, ce qui a donné lieu à une intervention de la police, a-t-on appris à la Direction départementale de la sécurité publique (DDSP). Une trentaine de véhicules a ensuite été incendiée et des policiers, pris pour cibles par des tirs d'armes à feu, ont riposté à quatre reprises, précise la DDSP. Aucune victime n'a été signalée. Le ministre de l'Intérieur Brice Hortefeux devait se rendre dans la préfecture de l'Isère, a-t-on appris samedi auprès de son cabinet. [...]

Ver notícia no Paris Match

Um aliança anti-semita: o extremismo partilhado dos neo-nazis e dos jovens emigrantes

Following an anti-Semitic attack in Hanover, German authorities have identified a new source of anti-Semitic hatred in Germany: young migrants from Muslim families. The ideological alliance has officials concerned.

It was supposed to be a carefree festival in Sahlkamp on the outskirts of the northern German city of Hanover. Billed as an "International Day" to celebrate social diversity and togetherness, the June celebration included performances by a multicultural children's choir called "Happy Rainbow" and the German-Turkish rap duo 3-K. Music from Afghanistan was also on the program.

But then the mood suddenly shifted. When Hajo Arnds, the organizer of the neighborhood festival, stepped onto the stage at about 6:45 p.m. to announce the next performance, by the Jewish dance group Chaverim, he was greeted with catcalls. "Jews out!" some of the roughly 30 young people standing in front of the stage began shouting. "Gone with the Jews!" [...]

Ver notícia no Der Spiegel

60% dos espanhóis estão contra o uso do véu nas escolas

Un 60 por ciento de los españoles se muestra contrario a que las niñas musulmanas acudan con velo a la escuela pública, según los resultados del último Barómetro del Real Instituto Elcano.

El sondeo fue realizado entre el 27 de mayo y el 18 de junio, reciente aún la polémica sobre una niña que pretendía acudir cubierta con el velo a un colegio público de Pozuelo e Alarcón, en Madrid. Solo un 15 por ciento de los encuestados defendió que las niñas musulmanas puedan acudir con velo a los centros escolares, un porcentaje algo menor (3 puntos) de quienes tenían esa opinión en el año 2007. [...]

Ver notícia no ABC

Reino Unido: escolas devem modificar calendário de exames e cancelar aulas de natação durante o ramadão

Council bosses issued a document to all primary and secondary schools on how to avoid offending Muslim pupils who may still be fasting when the new term starts in September.

The tips from Stoke-on-Trent City council include distributing free school meals as packed lunches to take home and cancelling social events when Muslim parents might not be able to attend.

During Ramadan, it is compulsory for all males and females who have reached puberty to fast from dawn until sunset every day. Some younger children also choose to fast for all or part of the month.

The council says some pupils will get up before dawn to have their breakfast and, as a result, sleeping patterns could be interrupted. Schools are also advised to heighten staff awareness about factors affecting pupils during Ramadan. [...]

Ver notícia no Telegraph

Um crescente radicalismo na região dos Balcãs

Increasing radicalism threatens stability in the Balkans. Just last week at a Serb-led rally against Kosovo governing authorities in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica, a hand grenade exploded leaving one dead and ten injured. Serb and ethnic-Albanians leaders blamed each other for the attack. Balkan leaders need to begin acting on principle rather than narrow self-interest. Although the international community can support this process, ultimately regional leaders need to stand-up and be counted.

The Balkan region continues to be a hotbed for homegrown and imported extremists groups. Serbian nationalism is on the rise while missionaries of Wahhabi interpretation of Islam and other radical Islamic groups continue their efforts to establish a presence in Bosnia, Kosovo and other Muslim populated regions of the Balkans. The weak governing structures combined with growing unemployment and poverty make the region fertile ground for radical recruits.

Ver notícia no The Huffington Post

Estudo evidencia que a maioria do terrorismo no Reino Unido tem origem doméstica

The Centre for Social Cohesion has compiled profiles of 124 individuals convicted of Islamic terrorism offences since 1999.
It found that 69 per cent of offences were perpetrated by individuals holding British nationality.
Robin Simcox, co-author of the report, said their aim was to “focus the government’s counter-terrorism efforts.”
“There are clear trends emerging with those involving themselves in terrorist activity in the UK,” he added. “It is crucial that this is recognised and then acted upon by the relevant authorities.”
His comments follow private remarks by Assistant Commissioner John Yates, Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer, that the country faces “eye-watering cuts” in counter-terrorism funding that could hand an advantage to Al-Qaeda.
Douglas Murray, Director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, said: “The report proves how great a threat violent Islamism poses to the world – and the fact that Britain is at the centre of this global struggle.” [...]

Ver notícia no Telegraph

O longo caminho da Europa para a mesquita

Justin Vaisse is not yet a household name but this young man may go far. Of North African background, he has taught at Sciences Po in Paris and been a speechwriter for the French Minister of Defence. Currently at Washington's Brookings Institution, he is the leading French expert on — and the nemesis of — the neoconservatives. The fact that he is spending time in America may not necessarily affect his political prospects. After all, Georges Clemenceau did the same. Of late, he has discovered and given publicity to what he calls a new genre in American literature: Eurabia. Among the chief protagonists in this new genre he mentions above all Bernard Lewis, the greatest Orientalist of our time, and Bat Ye'or, who popularised the term "Eurabia" to warn against the Islamicisation of Europe. In view of the homeric struggle between the two sides — Lewis has been accused of appeasement, if not worse, by the other side — it seems somewhat far-fetched to find a common denominator for them, but Vaisse is a resourceful man. [...]

Ver artigo de Walter Laqueur no Standpoint