From the article:

He (Pöttering) also suggested that the EU could co-operate with the 56-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference, which has its headquarters in Saudi Arabia, to create a textbook review committee.

"They could help to choose the experts to sit on this committee," he said.

Who says Germans don't have a sense of humour?

Posted by: Interested at March 13, 2006 11:40 AM

But the proposal was immediately condemned as "appeasement" by Charles Tannock, a British Conservative MEP.
Not to be confused with the Appeasoupers, of course.

More about Charles Tannock here http://www.charlestannock.com/index.asp
I thought the name was familiar; he is a member of Anglicans for Israel, who I speak of myself on occasion. He is also a Consultant Psychiatrist with an interest in the Ukraine, the Armenians and the Assyrians. A man to watch I feel.

I must be getting old, there was a time I would have cut off my own head before I praised a Tory. Thats the second time this week.

Posted by: Granny Weatherwax at March 13, 2006 11:50 AM

Nor must Tannock be confused with Tunnock, maker of chocolate teacakes.

Posted by: Interested at March 13, 2006 11:55 AM

Is there any text book that is not offensive to islam?

I was under the impression that the koran is the fountain of all knowledge.

Posted by: Mr Ape Pig at March 13, 2006 12:10 PM

Painful news, when an important task is to rid textbooks of their message that "Islam is like an exotic Christianity."

Think about this: many folks will learn little of Islam outside of their high school or college World History classes. How will those people make political decisions, given how important it is for a society to be tolerant in so many other cases? They will accept the lesson and tune out as "troublemakers" and "bigots" those who argue that there was a reason for European countries in the 17th century to opt against Islamic presence or recruitment.

In those days, Muslims themselves generally would not come. Those days are over, and the West lacks the theoretical justification to stop the spread.

Posted by: StillBreathing at March 13, 2006 12:16 PM

Unless we change our ways, there will come a day when Islam will agitate to ban the BLT. (That's a 'bacon-lettuce-tomato' sandwich for non-Americans here.)

Posted by: Raw Data at March 13, 2006 12:40 PM

"School textbooks should be reviewed for intolerant depictions of Islam and other faiths..."

Why bother mentioning Islam in particular? Surely not because of any bias on the part of the EU's beaurocrats.

Posted by: waterdragon52 at March 13, 2006 12:44 PM

"Weedout books offensive to Islam"
The Sacred book of Islam-The Koran spills venom of hatred towards world's other religions.
It calls the Holy Bible -a "book of lies" -most corrupted and changed. Will the EU "Weedout" the Koran?
Koran denies Jesus as Son of God,who never bore the sins of people on the cross,and rose again from the dead.This statement is very offensive to the majority EU citizens wgo are Christians. Will the EU "WEEDOUT" the Koran?
Koran describes Jewish people as descendants of Apes and Monkeys.This is very offensive to Jews. Will the EU "Weed out" the Koran?
Koran orders the Muslims to kill Idolators,slit their throats,and destroy their idols.MY Hindu,catholic,and Budhist friends are idolators,and they are very angry and upset over these statements,as it is very offensive to them. Will the EU "weed out the Koran?
Germany wants to outlaw Koran.Will EU support it?

Posted by: rafia at March 13, 2006 12:47 PM

What is offensive ?

Muslims find the Truth offensive. If the Truth be told that Taj Mahal was not built by Muslim Emperor Shah Jahan but was a Hindu Temple Palace, which he grabbed & desecrated...Muslims will go on a rampage.

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/was_the_taj_mahal_a_vedic_temple.htm

So governments keep suppressing the Truth & propagates half-truths & lies. But can the people (which practically includes all the non-Muslim world) who have directly & indirectly suffered because of the Muslim religion & its extremists, ever forget it ? WHy are governments hell bent on creating imbalances in the society. It will cause more resentment among communities.

Forgetting & denying the 'antics' of Islam (which still doesnt want to change...other religions have moved with the times...), is denying the suffering of it's victims. Its an insult to injury. A Shame.

Posted by: lazysusan at March 13, 2006 12:58 PM

From the man's website:

"Als konkrete Maßnahmen im Rahmen eines Dialogs der Kulturen schlug Pöttering den Einsatz einer Kommission von Schulbuchexperten vor, die Schulbücher in Europa und der islamischen Welt daraufhin untersuchen, welche Worte und Werte übereinander dort verbreitet werden. Eine solche Kommission sollte von der Europäischen Union und der Organisation der Islamischen Konferenz gemeinsam getragen werden, möglicherweise unter Beteiligung des UN-Generalsekretärs bei der Auswahl der Experten."

Translation:

"Poettering suggested the employment of a commission of school book experts within the in the context of a dialogue of the cultures
which would examine school books in Europe and the Islamic world, to determine the words and values that are taught in them. Such a commission should be carried from the European union and the organization of the Islamic conference together, possibly under participation of the UN Secretary-General with the selection of the experts."

I'm pretty sure that the European textbooks will weather this inspection easily, but I have a feeling that the Islamic ones will be found to be 'problematic', surprise surprise =)

Hans-Gert Pöttering is not a dhimmi at all!

Imli

See his website with the quote: http://www.cdu-lkos.de/poettering/2/1139999260.php

Imli

Posted by: Imli at March 13, 2006 1:02 PM

Any websites run by Infidels that offer the complete text of the Qur'an (i.e. not with proper "guidance" and in the "proper spirit"), the complete text of the so-called "authentic" Hadith as winnowed, and assigned the highest level of "authenticity" by the most authoritative muhaddithin, Bukhari and Muslim, and the Sira, as written only by a Muslim, should be banned. Only Muslims can do Islam justice. No Infidels can possibly understand Islam. Besides, all Infidels are hopelessly biased against Islam, but especially those Infidels who have had access to the texts of Islam, as those running the websites containing Qur'an, Hadith, and Sira obviously must be.

Why "obviously"? Because anyone who had the opportunity to learn about Islam, with full access to the texts, who yet remained an Infidel, would "obviously" have to be "hopelessly biased."

Q.E.D.

Posted by: Hugh at March 13, 2006 1:07 PM

There is an ugly tendency in certain areas of traditional Christianity to see Islam as "Christians in a hurry" - this is a comparison with the Roosevelt-age delusion that Communists were "liberals in a hurry". Just as some perfectly democratic left-wingers in the old days saw common ground with Communism in the fight against oppressive and destructive privilege and capital, so today a number of Christians who feel very strongly about the "culture wars" see Muslims not as enemies but as potential allies, able to stiffen the sinews of moral conservatives the world over and to counterbalance the frankly offensive predominance of libertines and destroyers in modern Western culture. Typical of this dangerous fascination, in America, are E.Michael Jones of CULTURE WARS magazine - who adds to this a sophisticated, cultured, but indubitable strain of anti-Judaism - and Dale Vrees of THE NEW OXFORD REVIEW.

These people do not realize that, while Muslims may superficially want some of the same things, in fact their beliefs rest on an immoralism so frightful, so extensive, and so dogmatic, as to make the worst efforts of the maddest libertines in the West look like damp squibs. For Islam ignores the very base of individual morality, namely the rule that goodness is not different to different people. When the delirious promoter of universal libertinism sets out to destroy the family and to indoctrinate children, he does so from a genuine convinction that this is right and it is right for everyone; and he is, in this, at one with the Christian (or anti-libertine agnostic or atheist) who opposes him. Neither of them will entertain the notion that there can be one law for Believers and another for Infidels; and that is why Islam is much more destructive of anything we regard as morality than Michelangelo Signorile, the NAMBLA and the Canadian judiciary put together.

Posted by: Paolo at March 13, 2006 1:07 PM

In other words: Destroy all books except the Koran.

Posted by: The_Mountie at March 13, 2006 1:24 PM

Isn't this reminiscent in spirit of the Nazis burning books in the mid and late 1930s which had been written by Jews and were therefore deemed as undesirable reading? This is political correctness gone mad. It will be stifling all knowledge of Mohammed, and the denial of truth about Islam, how it started and how it spread, with all its attendant atrocities along the way, and snuffing out clues as to what an Islamic futureworld would be like. Maybe his surname should be changed from Poettering to Potty, because it is such a potty and suicidal idea, and is yet another reason why the EU is seen as doiscredited by the vast majority of Europeans.

Posted by: Spirit Of 1683 at March 13, 2006 1:25 PM

When does the book burning start? If Muslims find Europe not conducive to their way of life. They are very welcome to leave as no one invited them over here. Just the other day I saw on a News channel, Islamists trying to brow beat the Danes at a conference in Copenhagen. If they are so unhappy with the secular way of life - JUST LEAVE we do not need them over here.
These were the very people who burnt the Library of Alexandria (2000 years of human knowledge) when they conquered Coptic Egypt; it appears nothing has changed in all these hundreds of years.

Posted by: faqi at March 13, 2006 1:41 PM

All the Muslims are asking is that we should speak respectfully of Mohammed. Ok, if one of these clerics can let me have the words to sound respectful about a 54 year old man who gets his sexual kicks with a 9 year old girl and who's idea of entertainment was watching hundreds of men and boys beheaded after the siege of Medina, I'll consider using those words.

Until then, 'homicidal paedophile' will have to do.

Posted by: Celsius at March 13, 2006 1:48 PM

since we are looking at books that might offend the muslim, perhaps they should start looking real good at the books that might offend the Christian, Hindu, any non muslim will do.. l think the no.1 book on the list would be the "koran"! yeah.. take a gander at that book, and just see what it really says, print it out, publish it in the print media.. let them all know what an evil book has been allowed in the West!

Posted by: Lulu at March 13, 2006 3:27 PM

Islam is much more destructive of anything we regard as morality than Michelangelo Signorile, the NAMBLA and the Canadian judiciary put together.

Posted by: Paolo at March 13, 2006 01:07 PM

Considering some of the idiot rulings that have come down from the Cdn Supreme Court (e.g. the Robin Sharpe case), that's saying quite a lot about Islam's destructive nature, Paolo.

Posted by: waterdragon52 at March 13, 2006 4:29 PM

They should just have a gander at the TV shows shown around the muslim world- the one's that have religious jews slitting the throats of children for the blood taken to be put on matzah's?!??

And the so-called palestinians textbooks with the same imbecilic hatreds plastered all over the texts.

Enough of this.
Enough.
We should be sneering in their faces and demanding that they de-louse their own sickness before coming to tell us which way the sun rises.

Enough. Let voices be raised by all different kinds of people, all of whom are fed up with the inane dhimmitude and stupidity of political correctness.

Mark

Posted by: mgoldberg at March 13, 2006 4:29 PM

Appropo the filth coming out of the mouth of the religion of Islam is this, today.

In Israel- where the entire EU and US and everyone, demands the Israeli's understand these sociopathic destroyers and killers... new today about an attempted homicide attack against innocent people, children, celebrating the holiday of Purim- the celebration where a tyrannt, who wanted to annihilate the jewish people is himself hung for his vicious evil.

And the cowards and murderes of Fatah said this..... and this vicious nonsense will get no notice, except to help the poor poor palestinians who don't have enough missiles to annihilate the jews.

------
Monday, March 13, 2006

Abbas group targets holiday festivities
Attack plotter calls Jews 'descendants of monkeys'

By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

JERUSALEM – With the country on high alert for the Jewish holiday of Purim, Israeli Defense Force soldiers last night arrested two Palestinians attempting to smuggle an explosive device reportedly to carry out a large-scale bombing at holiday festivities.

In a WorldNetDaily interview, a leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the declared military wing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, took credit for the foiled attack, referring to Jews as "descendants of monkeys" and the "dirtiest part" of humanity. The terror leader vowed to attempt another terror attack against today's Purim celebrations.

"We wanted to blow up the holiday of the Israelis. In the Quran the Jews are described like those who bring immorality and corruption to humanity. The Jews are the dirtiest part of the unbelievers. They are the children of the monkeys. No mercy for those who have no mercy," Abu Mujaheed, Al Aqsa leader in the "old city" section of Nablus in the West Bank, told WND.

Two Palestinians were caught smuggling the nearly 20 kilograms of explosives at the Beit Iba checkpoint north of Nablus after already exiting the Nablus city limits. They reportedly told Israeli interrogators the target of the attack was a Purim celebration. Sources close to the Al Aqsa Brigades told WND the attack was meant to hit either a Purim carnival or a nightclub in the center of the country.

On Saturday evening, the IDF tightened its closure around the West Bank as Israelis prepare to celebrate the holiday of Purim, which begins tonight. Security officials said they are aware of 59 warnings of terror attacks, including 14 specific alerts.

Purim commemorates the deliverance of Persian Jews from the plot of the biblical Haman to exterminate them, as recorded in the Book of Esther. Jews traditionally dress in costume to celebrate the themes of mistaken identity and hidden miracles throughout the text of Esther. Jewish tradition also calls for adults to drink wine in celebration. Purim is considered one of the happiest Jewish holidays.

Abu Mujaheed claimed Purim was about "practicing prostitution under the pretexts of masks, being naked in the streets and then saying that this is a holiday. It is illogical. Does God accept these aberrations?"

Asked if the Al Aqsa Brigades would temper its attacks during Purim due to the group's proclaimed religious sensibilities, Abu Mujaheed responded, "In holidays our motivation is bigger. We do not want the Israelis to know what happiness is."

The terror leader went on to warn of a new wave of violence the Al Aqsa Brigades will launch against Israeli civilians.

-------------

It's time to line up the tanks, drive them out of Isreal, seal the borders, blow up al aksa and tell them all to go to hell, where they damm well belong.

The vicious sick mentally and socially ill nonsense these arab and muslim homicidists have dribbled on about is beyond vile. It is the nazi mentality times 22 nations.

mark

Posted by: mgoldberg at March 13, 2006 4:53 PM

Would these offensive textbooks be the same ones that do not mention Israel or depict it on any maps? The Israelis ought to show the sensitive Muslims just what the real meaning of "offensive" is, before it's too late.

Posted by: perpster at March 13, 2006 6:07 PM

I recall reading from my daughters world history book, not to long ago, mohammad was characterized as a prophet and great warrior. Not a monster who did the horizontal bop with a 9 year old child and relished in the maiming and murder of thousands of innocent people.

Posted by: mustang65 at March 13, 2006 6:33 PM

even from the most moderate muslim, their hatred for all Jews is so disgusting. l cannot imagine life with out Jewish people! they have brought so much to humanity. muslims ask for so much respect, yet they give litte in return.

Posted by: Lulu at March 13, 2006 7:16 PM

This reminds me of the destruction of a library I came across at some point. When asked which texts should be kept the response was something along the lines of:

If a book is not in agreement with the Quran is it blasphemous and should be destroyed. If it is in agreement with the Quran it is unneccasary and should be destroyed.

Can anyone help with which event this quote is in reference to?

Posted by: AngryMuppet at March 13, 2006 7:19 PM

Professor Pöttering has, in my opinion, to be forgiven for this particular sin of dhimmitude. He was raised in a Germany where there was an extreme reaction to anything that even looked vaguely like illiberality; an understandable reaction at the time because of the previous nazi era. (Prof. Pöttering was borne in 1945.) Many Germans of his age group are absolutely incapable of understanding the threat posed by mohammedans because their childhood indoctrination of extremely tolerant liberality stops them from even being able to grasp the concept that other groups of humans could be seeking their extermination or enslavement.

Dr. Tannock, on the other hand, would claim to be, politically, a slightly to the right of centre realist. Obviously he is from a different culture and borne much later - 1957, to be exact, and those twelve years, and being raised in a different culture, make one heck of a difference to his outlook on ideologies and belief systems compared to Professor Pöttering's. Intriguingly, if you read Dr. Tannock's biography at http://www.charlestannock.com/biography.asp it reads much more like the perfect european socialist's biography than a european conservative's.

Posted by: Certiorari at March 13, 2006 7:52 PM

That insight into Dr. Pottering is interesting.

In related news, take a look at something that happened at an academic conference, six years ago. The article is headlined something about "academic rigour":

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/

Posted by: StillBreathing at March 13, 2006 8:01 PM

Did any of you read Imli's translation of what Poettering actually said? I'll repeat it here:

""Poettering suggested the employment of a commission of school book experts within the in the context of a dialogue of the cultures
which would examine school books in Europe and the Islamic world, to determine the words and values that are taught in them. Such a commission should be carried from the European union and the organization of the Islamic conference together, possibly under participation of the UN Secretary-General with the selection of the experts."

The words and values. Let's see, they'll find tolerance, multiculturalism, freedom and equality promoted in western schoolbooks. In the muslim ones they will find antisemitism, sexism and the promotion of jihad. Done correctly, this could actually be a useful review.

Posted by: Lili at March 13, 2006 8:38 PM

StillBreathing -

Thank-you for the URL.

That sort of behaviour by mohammedan, so-called academics strikes me as being very reminiscent of the way the protests about the cartoons was organised.

My sympathies lie entirely with Dr. Chircop. It is as appalling that he and the University of Malta had to cave in to the protesters as it is that the western media caved in over the cartoons. Both are an issue of free speech. I'll bet some dhimmi official in the Maltese Government threatened the University's funding if a cave in didn't happen.

Dr. Chircop's and the University's tiny battle is as important as the cartoon war. The mohammedans must not be allowed to pick us off one by one. I shall find the good Doctor's contact details and send him a message of support. I hope that others on this site will do likewise. It is, after all, important that everyone in the fight against the mohammedan forces of darkness should know that he, or she, is not alone.

Posted by: Certiorari at March 13, 2006 8:55 PM

Late though such support will be. Better late than never.

Posted by: Certiorari at March 13, 2006 8:58 PM

One can send an email to Dr. Chircop from

https://secure.um.edu.mt/staffsearch/

by putting

Mifsud-Chircop

in the top search slot and clicking the 'Search' button beside it, obviously. This will then bring up an onscreen message email series of boxes that can be filled in and sent as well as a 'phone number and a University of Malta snail-mail address.

Posted by: Certiorari at March 13, 2006 9:38 PM

Free speech means: sue me if you don't like what I write.

Schools have to scale the 'weight' of the lessons about this controversy to the capacities of the kids.

But more truth about Islam will be the answer to this pre-emptive stab at obstructionism and censorship.

No preliminary bawdlerizing allowed.

Let's have high school students read medieval Muslim historians about their side of the Crusades, and also the European Crusaders' angle on the conflict. And then look at the large movements of history, like Islamic Imperialism and the Western Enlightenment, to grasp what has happened once in the past could occur again. Especially when the aims remain the same.

This would give educators an in for exploring the First Amendment through the raw controversy about "blasphemy" and free speech that the Danish Mohammad caricatures sparked.

The students should primarily know where their culture stands, -on human rights, -on creativity, -on equality, -on the scope of personal liberty, and -on the inalienability of our American freedoms.

The 'Cartoon Jihad' is a perfect starting point for examining the clash between Western intellectual inquiry and its freedom to critique any subject, and the restrictive dogmatism of Islam.

No need to censor old books.

Just examine the present facts.

'Killer Cartoons' is a topic made to order.

Powerpoint. Laser pens. Pedophiles.

Let the lessons begin.

Posted by: profitsbeard at March 13, 2006 9:51 PM

Lulu wrote: "muslims ask for so much respect, yet they give litte in return."

It's not only that they give so little respect to anyone, but they GIVE so very little of ANYTHING to anyone. Actually, have muslims given anything other than ignorance and suffering to humanity?

Posted by: yohannbiimu at March 13, 2006 9:51 PM

THE VERY FIRST BOOK THAT SHOULD BE BANNED IS THE QURAN, IT PREACHES HATE AND CALLS FOR KILLING OF UN-BELIEVERS. QURAN IS A BOOK OF HATE. PERIOD.
WHY LOOK ANY FURTHER.

Posted by: faqi at March 14, 2006 1:21 AM

This guy is no Dhimmi and neither a Dummi.

It seems many of you didn't read correctly and don't see where this Pottering is coming from: He wants reciprocity, he wants to see tolerance in Islamic countries and he say's clearly: 'Tolerance is not a one-way street...!'

I read the stuff from his website and he has a good approach: 'Lets check your stuff out and then we compare that with our textbooks, then we can make dialogue...'

Sometimes you guys start shooting without asking 'who's there' first. This guy is not wrong, wait and see what he comes up with...

Posted by: sheik yer'mami at March 14, 2006 3:24 AM

Since nobody mentioned it so far, although perpster came close, I'll ask it.

Does this mean that in Geography text books, and atlases in particular, Israel is to be replaced by Palestine?

In the 4th grade (this was in 1979 in Darjeeling), when I first had a chapter on Mohammed in history, I faintly recall that the only wife that he was mentioned as having was Khadija. His story was presented as that of a nomad who was being persecuted by the Meccans (thankfully, no mention of Jews in the context). He fled to Medina, lived there for some years, then returned to Mecca and destroyed all the idols, except for the Ka'aba.

When did I learn about Mohammed's real history? Late last year, when I read Islam Unveiled and Onward Muslim Soldiers.

A sampler of what to expect if this brilliant proposal goes through. Instead, why not let the Quran's validity be tried in the German court, before the EU starts monkeying around with textbooks?

Posted by: Infidel Pride at March 14, 2006 4:02 AM

The death cult of Mohammed represents the biggest fascist/racist threat to secular Europe since Nazi Germany. Just like then, our leaders wanted to appease and make deals with the Nazi party. When will they learn from the lessons of history?

Posted by: londongirl at March 15, 2006 2:53 AM

It is constant, we must not do this, we must not do that, it offends the Muslims,,, not the christians or the Hundus or the Buddists etc, but just the Muslims... It didnt matter when films come out against other religions, but the minute something comes out against Islam the world runs around bowing and scraping to Muslim, WHY, because they use bully tactics....we must appease the Muslims,, all the time appease the Muslims...oh dont offend them,, how sick,,,,
and WHY should we....

The first thing we would have to cut out is the Quran as it is offensive to the rest of the world..
It constantly talks of slaughtering the pagan, Christian, and Jews???? Plundering, slaughtering, taking of slaves from the non Muslims... Oh but that is allowed eh...
I am sick of this appeasement to these bullies, all it will do is cause the real people to get angry at our leaders and eventually there will be problems, problems that they wont be able to handle.
It is better for our leaders to stop paying the submission taxes to Muslims and start controlling the coming world war, the war that our leaders are pushing us into from their ignorance, and lack of knowledge... or have they sold us out, in which case there will be a retaliation sometime...

Posted by: Gaye at March 15, 2006 8:35 AM