The French shall eat as one, says Marine Le Pen

[God]

Well considering they believe in a fairy tale about pork being cursed or w.e there is no PROPER reason to offer them an alternative meal. What I believe if they want to believe in pork is bad (which it isn't and I cant live without bacon) then **** them. Eat off the Vegan/Vegetarian Meals if possible. If not, bring your own food.

Honestly amazes me what indoctrination can do to someone. This meat bad, lets big man **** little girl.

[GommeInc]

Well considering they believe in a fairy tale about pork being cursed or w.e there is no PROPER reason to offer them an alternative meal. What I believe if they want to believe in pork is bad (which it isn't and I cant live without bacon) then **** them. Eat off the Vegan/Vegetarian Meals if possible. If not, bring your own food.

Honestly amazes me what indoctrination can do to someone. This meat bad, lets big man **** little girl.

France isn't known for being vegan/vegetarian friendly They would literally have to bring their own food and ignore the fine French cuisine!

[God]

France isn't known for being vegan/vegetarian friendly They would literally have to bring their own food and ignore the fine French cuisine!

Well there is lots of very good french food, but some people are just crazy

[GommeInc]

Well there is lots of very good french food, but some people are just crazy

I wouldn't say crazy, but if you have specific dietary needs you should probably just make your own food. Treat it similarly to allergies except without hiding them away in separate rooms when someone opens up a packet of nuts

[The Don]

Well considering they believe in a fairy tale about pork being cursed or w.e there is no PROPER reason to offer them an alternative meal. What I believe if they want to believe in pork is bad (which it isn't and I cant live without bacon) then **** them. Eat off the Vegan/Vegetarian Meals if possible. If not, bring your own food.

Honestly amazes me what indoctrination can do to someone. This meat bad, lets big man **** little girl.

You're clueless. I'm not religious at all but brushing their beliefs off as fairy tales is incredibly disrespectful. Arrogance and self righteousness is not a good look. If I'm paying taxes which goes towards funding schools and in turn school meals I expect an alternative if I can't eat meat for whatever dietary reason.

[Inseriousity.]

Well in a French context it makes sense. Officially, religion is a big no. Unofficially, I'd be curious to see what this was like 'on the ground.' I honestly do not understand the integration argument, to me, it goes against basic human nature. Abide by the laws, yep, I can go with that but to imply that someone eating different food is somehow incompatible with British culture and tradition seems a stretch. Full integration is impossible because you can't just throw away your experiences.

If you are a law-abiding citizen who just wants to put their head down and get on with a normal day-to-day life - which is true for the vast majority of people regardless of where they are born - then you are compatible with British culture.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Well in a French context it makes sense. Officially, religion is a big no. Unofficially, I'd be curious to see what this was like 'on the ground.' I honestly do not understand the integration argument, to me, it goes against basic human nature.

But laws are the product of a nation, and a nation is the product of a group of people being similar enough to one another to live together. For a democracy to exist, you need a group of culturally similar enough people to agree to live under the same political + legal system.

Nobody suggests that we all have to eat pie and chips everyday, sing God Save the Queen before we go to bed and wear compulsory tweed flatcaps. But it is practical and rational to suggest that migrants who move here will be expected to integrate (and will naturally as history has proven) as time moves by... you can see this with many Asians who adopt British names after a few generations here, as they've become a full part of this country. The same goes for Jews who fled mainland Europe in the 1800's and early 1900's.... they're completely integrated with the home culture.

Integration is a good thing - but it's when the home culture starts pandering to minorities that integration begins to falter. The French for example, so I have read in the past, refuse to print things like council letters/application forms in any language other than French.

good heavens above

the French really really hate anything religious in schools, don't they?

Yup, it stems from the French Revolution of course. Much like the American Revolution.

[Inseriousity.]

How does integration falter though? How does providing halal meat for Muslims, non pork for Jews affect your life in any way? How does it create a seismic shift in a national culture? It's just so ridiculous to assume the collapse of society, norms and traditions will suddenly occur over a part of culture that you've just said is not hugely important in the bigger picture ("nobody suggests we also eat pie and chips everyday" btw its fish and chips you non-brit!). You also said they're a minority so a minority will never have enough status or power to change the majority norm. That's sort of how norms work.

[karter]

Just like Islamic countries bend over backwards for other minorities, ey. :rolleyes:

Yes they do - UAE and Qatar often do not impose Islamic laws on non-muslim minorities

Brunei does not impose tough Sharia laws on non-muslims, there are obviously many other examples but these are what I know of

[-:Undertaker:-]

How does integration falter though? How does providing halal meat for Muslims, non pork for Jews affect your life in any way? How does it create a seismic shift in a national culture? It's just so ridiculous to assume the collapse of society, norms and traditions will suddenly occur over a part of culture that you've just said is not hugely important in the bigger picture ("nobody suggests we also eat pie and chips everyday" btw its fish and chips you non-brit!).

Because if you start treating different parts of the population is a seperate manner then it creates the feeling of being seperate both for the minority population and the population at large. If, for example, you start printing council letters and applications in every language known to man as well as providing translators in hospitals - where is the pressure on newly arrived immigrants to conform and learn the language of the host country? There is none. And especially regarding language, without knowing the language of most of your countrymen then how can you even begin to become a part of that country other than simply holding a passport? You can't.

In regards to the food point, it's not as important as other issues of integration but it is a simple matter of principle in that the customs and traditions of this country or those of the French Republic are not up for renegotiation. Once you start giving ground to minorities in aspects like this, then the demands will only grow and you'll again halt integration. We have seen this with Halal meat in this country where restaurants have now started selling ONLY halal meat just to cater to the demands of a small minority. There you have a big shift in cuisine, caused by a small and vocal group.

You also said they're a minority so a minority will never have enough status or power to change the majority norm. That's sort of how norms work.

For now.

But again, a minority doesn't have to have a simple majority to affect the culture of politics of a nation. I ask this for example: if a vote on gay rights were being debated in parliament and you had 30% of the population of this country as Muslim - most of whom had not integrated with the host country - do you not think that the MPs would then be thinking about that 30% of the vote when it comes to policy? Of course they would be.

The same for foreign policy. If 40% of this country were Islamic of both Shia and Sunni, do you not think that foreign policy in regards to Syria or Iraq for example would then bring Britain closer to involvement in that sort of religious war than it otherwise would have done? The Syria issue is a HUGE issue in the Islamic world - why? Because many of them are similar enough (and Islam affects politics) so that it crosses borders. And that's not something I want for Britain, I do not want our politics to start mirroring the religious divides of a religion that has no historical basis in this country's culture or history.

Put simply, if you come into my house then you respect and obey my customs. Don't like? Then don't enter my house.

Yes they do - UAE and Qatar often do not impose Islamic laws on non-muslim minorities

Brunei does not impose tough Sharia laws on non-muslims, there are obviously many other examples but these are what I know of

Er what? Yes they do.

Qatar -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Qatar

Local laws reflect the fact that Qatar is an Islamic country. You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend other cultures or religious beliefs, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas.

The holy month of Ramadan is scheduled to fall between 28 June and 27 July 2014. See Travelling during Ramadan.

Importing drugs, alcohol, pornography, pork products and religious books and material into Qatar is illegal. All luggage is scanned at Doha Airport Arrivals Hall. DVDs and videos may be examined and censored. Penalties for drug offences are severe, often resulting in prison sentences.

It is an offence to drink alcohol or be drunk in public. Alcohol is available at licensed hotel restaurants and bars, and expatriates living in Qatar can obtain alcohol on a permit system. Don’t carry alcohol around with you (except to take it on the day of collection from the warehouse to your home).

You should dress modestly when in public, including while driving. Women should cover their shoulders and avoid wearing short skirts. Any intimacy in public between men and women (including between teenagers) can lead to arrest. Homosexual behaviour is illegal in Qatar.

UAE -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_ri..._Arab_Emirates
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-ad...ws-and-customs - UAE travel advice.

Brunei -

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-ad...ws-and-customs

Local laws reflect the fact that Brunei is an Islamic country. You should dress modestly and respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, or if you intend to visit religious areas. Under the new sharia criminal code it’s an offence for any person who consumes any food, drink or tobacco in public during the fasting hours of Ramadan. You could be fined up to B$4,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 1 year.

His Majesty The Sultan and other members of the Bruneian Royal Family are highly revered and public criticism of them would cause great offence.

On 22 October 2013 a new Sharia criminal code was enacted, which will be implemented in phases from 22 April 2014. The new code sets out severe corporal penalties and punishments, including death, for a variety of offences and in some cases will apply to non-Muslims.

Adultery (involving a Muslim) and close proximity between the sexes is deemed an offence under Bruneian Law and may attract a fine, imprisonment or both. In some circumstances, it may also attract corporal punishment. Under the new Sharia criminal code it is also an offence for any person who consumes any food, drink or tobacco in public during the fasting hours of Ramadan. You could be fined up to B$4,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 1 year.

Possession of pornographic material is illegal. Homosexual activity is illegal. There are severe penalties for all drug offences in Brunei including, in some cases, the death penalty. Other crimes may attract caning and lengthy prison sentences.

The sale of alcohol in Brunei is prohibited. Non-Muslims over 17 years of age may import duty free two bottles of wine or spirits and twelve cans of beer on entry into Brunei, but must declare them to the customs authorities on arrival. There must be at least a 48-hour gap between each import. Keep the customs slip in case of inspection. A list of other prohibited and restricted items is available on the Royal Customs and Excise Department’s website.

And i'm not saying they're wrong to have these rules either. It's entirely their right to maintain their own culture, as it is ours.