EU Immigration Crisis Megathread

[Tamas]

Of course from around 10% of that money they could organise the whole crisis at EU borders, but that would involve helping the refugees while doing to them things they don't want you to do (namely preventing them from reaching whatever promised land they are aiming for). That would be nasty and controversial, so they just pay tribute to the Ottoman Empire to do it for them

And I am pretty sure the EU public will be fine with that. Lovely

[Duque de Bragança]

So, the deal is that we will give lots of cash to a corrupt anti-democratic regime on a brink of a war with Russia so they can crack down harder on refugees and we won't have to look at them?

Wow, good going Europe.

Well, I must admit that the "on a brink of war with Russia" is new but the rest helped a lot Kadhafi, at least for a while. 

[Liep]

Good news! We've got 2 fewer ghettos in Denmark in 2015, immigration crisis is over.

A ghetto is defined thusly:
more than 40% without job/ongoing education in the 18-64 age group
more than 50% immigrants or descended thereof (non-western)
more than 2.70% convicted of violence/drug crime
more than 50% without more than a basic education in the 30-59 age group
average income is less than 55% of the average income of the city

You need at least 3 to be a ghetto.

Numerically worst is Gellerupparken with the stats 51.9 - 80.6 - 4.43 - 58.4 - 62.4

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Good news! We've got 2 fewer ghettos in Denmark in 2015, immigration crisis is over.

A ghetto is defined thusly:
more than 40% without job/ongoing education in the 18-64 age group
more than 50% immigrants or descended thereof (non-western)
more than 2.70% convicted of violence/drug crime
more than 50% without more than a basic education in the 30-59 age group
average income is less than 55% of the average income of the city

You need at least 3 to be a ghetto.

Numerically worst is Gellerupparken with the stats 51.9 - 80.6 - 4.43 - 58.4 - 62.4

they changed the definitions didn't they?

[Jacob]

Hmm.  This guy don't catch on quick, does he?

Perhaps he was desperate, and thus relied more on hope than was prudent?

[Syt]

http://www.thelocal.at/20151203/halal-storm-triggers-meat-sale-backtrack

Halal storm triggers meat sale backtrack

A test sale of Halal meat in the Spar supermarket chain caused a storm of Islamophobia, leading to cancelation of the pilot after only two weeks.

Sharia law 'exists in Austria and Germany' (26 Nov 15)
'Muslims feel oppressed' after Paris attacks (20 Nov 15)

With the recent significant increase in Muslim refugees arriving in the central European country, the Austrian operation of the Dutch Spar supermarket chain decided to offer meat prepared according to Islamic guidelines, following the Halal certification.

Unfortunately, Spar's customers in Vienna showed they were not ready for such a cultural change, and resorted to verbally harassing Spar staff in stores, as well as posting anti-Muslim comments in online forums.

According to Spar spokeswoman Nicole Berkman, protection of its employees' safety was of great importance, citing security concerns for ending the trial.

Additionally, animal rights activists argued that the Halal method of ritual animal slaughter -- which shares many aspects of Kosher meat production -- was unnecessarily cruel, with animals suffering more when butchers follow the Islamic tradition.

"We will not put up with Muslim rubbish in our country. This is our culture and it must not become subordinated to a barbaric ideological minority," one user wrote on Spar's Facebook page.

"As a local retailer for all population groups in Austria, we are saddened and shocked about the tone of the discussions, but we are drawing the consequences," Spar said in an online message.

The term Halal translates as "lawful" or "permitted" in Arabic. It is usually only applied to meat that is slaughtered in methods that comply with Islamic law.

The animal must be healthy before it is killed and all blood must be drained from the body - to this end the jugular vein of the animal is cut with a sharp knife. A prayer must be said as the animal is killed.

Within Islam there is some debate about how strictly these rules have to be adhered to. One of these is whether the animal is stunned prior to slaughter. Animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA believe that not doing so causes unnecessary suffering.

Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland all ban slaughter without stunning but the UK has refused pressure to follow suit.  Austrian meat is generally stunned before being slaughtered.

New Zealand is one of the largest exporters of Halal meat, with an estimated 70 percent of lamb from that country receiving Halal certification.

Spar has confirmed that all animals were stunned before being killed. They had verified with the Muslim community that this would be ok with the rules for halal meat.

What's confusing me a lot more, though, is that a number of major supermarket chains here have had halal products in their shelves for many years now, and nobody has complained so far.

Spar is now in the middle of the next shitstorm for being intimidated by online racists.

[Savonarola]

http://www.thelocal.at/20151203/halal-storm-triggers-meat-sale-backtrack

Additionally, animal rights activists argued that the Halal method of ritual animal slaughter -- which shares many aspects of Kosher meat production -- was unnecessarily cruel, with animals suffering more when butchers follow the Islamic tradition.

Just out of curiosity, does Spar sell Kosher meats?

[The Brain]

Isn't that haram?

[Syt]

http://www.thelocal.at/20151203/halal-storm-triggers-meat-sale-backtrack

Additionally, animal rights activists argued that the Halal method of ritual animal slaughter -- which shares many aspects of Kosher meat production -- was unnecessarily cruel, with animals suffering more when butchers follow the Islamic tradition.

Just out of curiosity, does Spar sell Kosher meats?

I couldn't say, but I don't think so. There's no big demand for kosher products. There are ca. 7000 Jews in town, vs. 125,000 Muslims (out of 1.5 Million).

[Savonarola]

http://www.thelocal.at/20151203/halal-storm-triggers-meat-sale-backtrack

Additionally, animal rights activists argued that the Halal method of ritual animal slaughter -- which shares many aspects of Kosher meat production -- was unnecessarily cruel, with animals suffering more when butchers follow the Islamic tradition.

Just out of curiosity, does Spar sell Kosher meats?

I couldn't say, but I don't think so. There's no big demand for kosher products. There are ca. 7000 Jews in town, vs. 125,000 Muslims (out of 1.5 Million).

Fair enough; it would be hard to form much of a comparison given that demographic difference.

[Syt]

Used to be the share of Jews was as high as (or higher than) that of Muslims now.

[Valmy]

Used to be the share of Jews was as high as (or higher than) that of Muslims now.

Did they all decide to resettle in the east?

[Malthus]

Used to be the share of Jews was as high as (or higher than) that of Muslims now.

Heh, I guess Austrians in the past found a way to avoid the horrors of facing Kosher products on their shelves where they could see them ... 

[Richard Hakluyt]

There have been complaints in the UK too; apparently a very large proportion of meat is halal here but the driver is commercial in nature with Islam providing a convenient figleaf.

[Martinus]

My only objection to eating halal is needless animal suffering involved.