And Vienna is not spared.
Five hundred Muslims went to the Wiener Ballhausplatz to protest for the “injustice” brought by the 12 Danish cartoons, asking the West to give respect to their religion. That is, a prohibition to depict Mohammed and, according to them, mocking their belief and their ways.
Well, I am thankful that they don’t have the character and extremism like the Muslims in Britain where the protesters openly asking for blood and extermination written on their placards in front of the English people in the heart of England.
Still, the whole affair makes me realise how fanaticism is a real threat to mankind. (Anyway, we do know all right.) Gullibility is the next. (The same fashion wherein one idiot in Carinthia unwittingly distributed SMS suggesting anti-Slovenian attitude amongst the towsnpeople.) Followed by illiteracy combined with poverty.
I bet not all of the Muslims (who are enraged) have seen the cartoons. I have seen them. And honestly, a few of them are harmless. Okay, a couple is tasteless. But all in all, they are not really a reason to spark a controversy like this or even burn the consulate and embassy buildings or chant the words “kill, down with this or that country.” Most of all, affecting trade and political relations among the countries. Perhaps the cartoons’ republication landing on to the rightwing dailies is not a nice repercussion of this solidarity among European journalists. And hearing Danish skindheads threaten to burn Quran is not what we should expect but unfortunately did. Instead of assuaging the fire they even triggered the ambers of this so-called “Islamophobia.” This defeats the purpose. Some people like to use and abuse this situation for their own selfish, petty interest.
Is there someone out there holding the thread and moving the puppets? Is there a master mind in all of this?
Of course, everyone is entitled to be offended but to declare death to someone is beyond my human understanding.

–oo–

Do you still have time to go to Belvedere? Klimt’s five works including the famous Adele Bloch Bauer paintings will be gone by morrow.
Just found this today. An ode to Adele????

Bad publicity is still publicity.
The Belvedere hogs the limelight these days. Last week, a drunkard man threatened to destroy the famous “Adele Bloch Bauer” paintings done by Gustav Klimt along with others if they would be returned to their rightful owner, Maria Altmann, a Viennese-born US citizen.
Though I can understand the man’s “frustration” (patriotism or emotional connection to history, you decide), I don’t know if the Austrian government’s attitude is to blame. The culture and education secretary Elisabeth Gehrer explained that there is simply no money to finance (or pay Ms Altmann) the paintings in question.
An increasing number of visitors flock the museum just to catch the last glimpse of these paintings. Soon Austria will have to say goodbye to them.

–oo–

I am curious how John Malkovich will fare as the Hollywood reincarnation of Klimt. According to this article, the republic of Austria has never been interested with the famous painter, his works and what he did, even when he was still alive.