About a month ago, a Muslim local councilor in the city of Venray got upset at a sculpture depicting a pig, and demanded that the feelings of Muslims be taken into account in the future.
Is it that preposterous, then, to assume that Muslims would be insulted by a picture of a pig? It's a no-win situation for non-Muslims. It would be interesting to see how the SMN responds next time a Muslim will complain about pig depictions. Unless I missed it, last time they did not say a word.
This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com
The Dutch Moroccan Alliance (SMN) is 'furious' about the decision of the Linge Polyclinic in Leerdam to remove a picture of a pig because it would suuposedly insult Muslims.
On Thrusday the clinic said that they hang picutres for them to be pleasing and that they are no interseted in problems. A spokesperson said they get visitors of all kinds, and that therefore they removed the artwork if they get complaints.
The clinic removed the picture after a non-Muslim patient complained and said that it would offend Muslims.
Nonsense, says Habib El Kaddaoui of the SMN. ""Most Muslims are not offended at all by it," he told AD Friday. "They have been living here for thirty, forty years, and know that the majority do eat pork. Moreover, many Muslims have worked in slaughterhouses where pigs were also slaughtered."
(Photo, AD)
El Kaddaoui says that just a small group of ultra-orthodox Muslims might have trouble with such a pig. The ethnic Dutch complainer might have meant well, but complaining in the name of Muslims wasn't useful.
It says the wrong message, says El Kaddaoui. It's not prudent to think and feel for others, and the clinic went along with it.
Maurits Berger, an Islam researcher from Leiden, also doesn't understand the exaggerated understanding position of the clinic. "This went too far. Muslims don't eat pigs because they're impure animals, but pictures are not impure."
Despite all this, the clinic does not regret removing the picture. They just wanted to solve the complaint. Artist Sylvia Bosch is surprised that the pig picture won't be returned. "We're living in the Netherlands, aren't we? You don't expect such things here."
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