Magen David Whine

Everything offends Islam these days: Piglet, Burger King ice cream, Nike Air shoes, Coca-Cola, Johnny Hart's B.C. comic strip, etc., etc.

The Star of David, it goes without saying, is right up there with the Cross as the most offensive symbol of all to Islam.

And one Norwegian school is ordering a teacher to stop wearing it:

A municipally employed teacher in Kristiansand has been prevented from wearing a Star of David around his neck. Kristiansand Adult Education Center, where the man works, ruled that the Jewish symbol could be deemed a provocation towards the many Muslim students at the school, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reports.

Teacher Inge Telhaug said he feels this is a violation of his freedom of speech.

"I can't accept this. It is a small star, 16 millimeters (0.6 inches) that I have around my neck, usually under a T-shirt. I see it as my right to wear it," Telhaug told NRK.

Telhaug teaches immigrants Norwegian language and culture at the education center. Telhaug is not Jewish.

"I see it as the oldest religious symbol we have in our culture, because without Judaism there would be no Christianity," Telhaug.

The principal of the school, Kjell Gislefoss, feels that the Star of David can also be interpreted as a political symbol for the state of Israel, and is afraid the star can provoke and offend students, for example immigrants from the Palestinian territories.

"The Star of David would be a symbol for one side in what is perhaps the world's most inflamed conflict at the moment. Many have a traumatic past that they have escaped and then we feel that if they are going to learn Norwegian then they can't sit an at the same time be reminded of the things they have traveled from," Gislefoss said.

If these people's sensitivities are so easily inflamed that the sight of the Star of David sends them into shock, hysterics, or rage, is it even safe to have them in the country to begin with?

They will not respect anyone who backs down to accomodate their sensibilities. To Muslims raised from birth to believe that the infidel world, the Dar-ul-Harb, must be conquered for Islam, any accomodation will be regarded as advancing the conquest.

Against an inflexible, implacable enemy, appeasement has never worked, and never will work.

Source: Aftenposten