Quote:
The German government has met Muslim community leaders in Berlin amid a row over the cancellation of a Mozart opera deemed offensive to Muslims.
The Islam conference was a landmark initiative to improve the integration of Germany's three million Muslims.
It was overshadowed by the row over the opera Idomeneo. In one scene it was to show the severed heads of the Prophet Muhammad, Jesus Christ and Buddha.
Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned "self-censorship out of fear".
"We must take care that we do not retreat out of a fear of potentially violent radicals," she said.
She was speaking after the Deutsche Oper in Berlin decided to call off November's production of Idomeneo, citing "incalculable" security risks.
Integration drive
Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble also attacked the opera company's decision as "crazy".
He hosted the conference on Wednesday - the start of a two-year campaign for improved integration of Muslims in Germany, most of whom are of Turkish origin.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5385058.stm |
I think it is telling that the opera was not canceled for the fear of violence from Buddhists or christians, but from....guess who.
It is also refreshing to hear the statement from Angela Merkel. Who, in the full text was actualy much more forcefull. The clip reported here is less than half of what she said, and does not give an idea of the forcefull way in which it was put over.
The look of confused frustration on her face also spoke volumes.
I also applaud Wolfgang Schäuble.