Monday, September 19, 2005

Lunchtime Loonacy

Ok, folks. Hang on to your hat.
THE MUSLIMS ARE OFFENDED AGAIN!!!!

From The Scotsman via FARK:


Burger King recalls 'sacrilegious' desserts

The fast-food chain, Burger King, is withdrawing its ice-cream cones
after the lid of the dessert offended a Muslim.
The man claimed the design resembled the Arabic inscription for Allah, and branded it sacrilegious, threatening a "jihad".
The chain is being forced to spend thousands of pounds redesigning the lid with backing from The Muslim Council of Britain. It apologised and said: "The design simply represents a spinning ice-cream cone.

The offending lid was spotted in a branch in Park Royal last week by
business development manager Rashad Akhtar, 27, of High Wycombe.
He was not satisfied by the decision to withdraw the cones and has called on Muslims to boycott Burger King. He said: "This is my jihad. How can you say it is a
spinning swirl? If you spin it one way to the right you are offending Muslims."

A Muslim Council spokesman said: "We commend the sensitive and prompt action that Burger King has taken."


***
Now you might just think that this is another example of one lone fool with his turban wrapped too tight, but it's not. According to another story Burger King recieved "dozens of complaints." What is the culprit here? Burger King's insensitivity? Why would Burger king want to put "Allah" on its ice cream cones for chrissakes? Maybe it's just that the Arabic written languge, already incomprehensible to westerners, permits permits its viewrs to derive offense at simple symbols by holding them just right and then squinting. Look at the history in the NEWSMAX story:

  • In 1997, Nike pulled tens of thousands of basketball shoes after it was told that the logo - the word "air" in flame-like letters - looked like "Allah" in Arabic when viewed from a certain angle.Newsweek reported in July of that year that Nike had launched a program of "sensitivity training on Islam" and gave a donation to an Islamic school.

  • A year later, Unilever scrapped a new logo it had begun to use on Walls ice creams in the Middle East - again after Muslims said the intertwining red and yellow hearts looked like "Allah" in Arabic, when viewed upside down and backwards.

  • In 1994, Lagerfeld designed a dress incorporating a pattern he had copied from Arabic lettering on India's Taj Mahal monument. The lettering included the phrase "They are the ones who found guidance," used a number of times in the Koran. German supermodel Claudia Schiffer received death threats after wearing the dress, prompting her mother to make a public plea for her safety. The designer apologized and burned the garments. He also destroyed photographs and negatives of the dress.

  • Coca Cola has for years struggled to dispel the rumor that the soft drink's trademark swirly-writing logo, when seen at a particular angle, looked like the Arabic script for "No Mohammed, No Mecca." The company's website has a "myths and rumors" section where it contests the charge, arguing that "the trademark was created in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, at a time and place where there was little knowledge of Arabic. The allegation has been brought before a number of senior Muslim clerics in the Middle East who researched it in detail and refuted the rumor outright," it says.
Now I am not saying that these people have all received their masters from the Jesse Jackson School of Phoney Outrage and Corporate Shakedown, but where is this going to stop?

Look at this baby blanket:

Now look at this script:













Can another "jihad" be far behind?

9 comments:

portia said...

Well, it's clear these Muslims don't possess the capitalist drive of us infidels. I mean if a burnt cheese sandwich with the Blessed Virgin's face can fetch thousands on e-bay, how much do you think an ice cream swirl that spells Allah is worth? How about Allah on a corn dog?

Two questions: What the &%$@ was he doing at Burger King? And since when are Burger Kings Halaal?

Something tells me our jihad-spouting friend is in big trouble with that guy on the ice-cream cone lid.

Pile On® said...

Shit great works of art?

I just don't have that kind of talent.

portia said...

Fair enough Cass. Not every Jew is Kosher. Not every Muslim calls for a jihad. But when someone cries "foul" in a non-observant establisment, I can't help question what he/she is doing there...what he/she is thinking.

I have a wonderful client who is an orthodox Jew who will not shake my hand each time we meet because he doesn't know whether I am menstruating...his religion forbids him to touch any woman who is. Does he stop coming to "my office? No. Do I stop extending my hand to him? Yes,I will never serve him lobster bisque for lunch")

I'm struck with the same question here: How do you live your day? Do you adapt? Understand? Turn a blind eye? Walk away? Or order a Whopper with double cheese and a non-Halaal ice-cream cone to go?

It's a big crazy, mixed up world...with room for all of the Kosher-loving, Halaal-blessed, no- fish-on Friday, vegan-limited, loin of pork sucking, bottom-fishing shrimp-eating devotees waiting to be fed.

I say find a good diner that adheres to your "kitchen" ...or eat at home:)

spd rdr said...

Hmmmm...
A lot of very serious thinking going on here...too much maybe. The fact remains that when I toss out a Fed Ex envelope I don't scrutinize the "X" and think to myself that it looks an awful lot like a crucifix and thus allow myself to be offended. It's not a religious symbol, it's a letter. When I toss the band-aid wrapper in the trash, the little red cross doesn't cause me to issue "jihad." It is a symbol connected with Christ, but not Christ Himself. The idea that Muslims should be offended by every curly cue that might, just might, look vaguely like an Arabic character that has something to do with their religion is a sign of enormous intellectual weakness. The world, at least the western world, does not revolve around Islam and Arabic characters. The swiggle on the ice cream cone lid is not "Allah" or a representation of Allah, and only a complete idiot would allow himself to think so. I care not one fig for such "sensitivities" when they are founded upon utter foolishness. "This is my jihad. How can you say it is a spinning swirl? If you spin it one way to the right you are offending Muslims." If you are so easily offended, friend, I suggest that you go live in a Mosque. Or pluck out thine eyes lest they offend ye.

spd rdr said...

Sorry Cass.
I was cranky this morning.

KJ said...

Christ, what the hell is this sensitivity crap!

A symbol should be treated with care? Sure. I'll buy that.

But the spinning ice cream cone ISN'T A MUSLIM SYMBOL! It's a friggin' ice cream cone picture. No one was thinking about Allah.

IS and LOOKS LIKE are too different thing. They should be treated as such. A religious symbol and "looks like" a religious symbol aren't the same, and anyone making such absurd talk should be institutionalized or shot.

This whole discussion, after the initial "give me a break!" is absurd.

Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be only mostly right.

BTW, great post spd.

spd rdr said...

Cool.

Anonymous said...

where i get more info?

Kiddo said...

haha!! This whole issue has proven so humorous to me as to have started a new blogger site dedicated to reporting on and querying just what the "ultimate insult" to muslims really is. It actually started with an article about some offensive ham. Please see http://theultimateinsult.blogspot.com/

By the way, if you are able to find pics of Lagerfeld's dress, please let me know! I only remember it from 1994, but cannot find a picture now.

Thanks!