I was initially not going to comment on this, since I have mixed feelings about it, but about ten gazillion people have sent it to me, so here goes.
Muslims are in France — and they have to eat. Some may see this as a sign of the Islamization of France, and that it may be. But there is also a positive side. Instead of agitating the real Burger King or other fast food outlets to accommodate themselves to halal requirements, they are simply starting their own. This is genuine pluralism.
From AP, with thanks to all who sent this in:
PARIS – Muslims in France are having it their way with “Beurger King” “” a new fast-food restaurant that caters to the country’s large Islamic population.
The bright and colorful eatery was launched in July in an eastern Paris suburb crowded with immigrants and dilapidated housing projects. Its name plays on the French word “Beur,” meaning a second-generation North African living in France.
The menu at Beurger King Muslim, or BKM, is standard fast-food fare: burgers, fries, sundaes and doughnuts, and prices are comparable to those at major chains. But the beef and chicken burgers are halal “” meaning made with meat slaughtered according to Islamic dietary laws.
Waitresses wear Islamic head scarves, as do many of their customers.