According to a message that is being passed around via social media, the blogosphere, and email, the mayor of the Australian city of Maryborough has refused to comply to the demands of the local Muslim community to remove pork from school cafeterias in the district.
Supposedly, the mayor had the town clerk send a rather strident note to all parents explaining his reasons for refusing the supposed Muslim demand.
However, the claims in the message are utter nonsense. In fact, the message is just a revamped version of an older hoax that originated in Belgium.
The hoax message does not specify if it is referring to Maryborough in Queensland or Maryborough in Victoria. But, in either case, the claims in the message are outright lies. Neither mayor has made any such decision or sent home any such note. Nor are there any credible reports that suggest that the Muslim community in either jurisdiction made any such demands in the first place.
The original hoax claimed that Marc Duvivier, the mayor of the Belgium municipality of Ath, sent home a letter explaining why he refused to give in to demands from local Muslims to remove pork from school canteen menus. However, Marc Duvivier denied sending such a letter and stated that no such demand to remove pork was ever received or discussed.
Another version of the same hoax later emerged in Canada. The Canadian version claimed that the mayor of Dorval, Quebec was the one who refused the Muslim demands and sent out the letter. Again, the mayor denied sending such a letter and dismissed the claims as a hoax.
All three versions contain almost identical wording. Thus, it seems that later armchair activists with an ax to grind have taken the original Belgium version as a template and simply altered place names and other details to suit their target audience.
These hoax messages deliberately and unfairly misquote people to suit the agenda of their authors. Spreading false and misleading information is not a fair or ethical method of promoting a political viewpoint.
For the record, in Australia, it is unlikely that a city mayor would have such sweeping control over school tuckshop menus in any case. Policy about food offered in school tuckshops comes via state government education departments, parent groups, and other interested parties. Thus, the types of food available in school tuckshops would not be controlled solely by a city’s mayor. Moreover, Australian school children are not generally provided with lunches via a sit-down cafeteria system like children in other jurisdictions. Instead, children can bring food from home or buy from a school tuckshop.
EXAMPLE:
The MAYOR OF MARYBOROUGH HAS REFUSED TO REMOVE PORK FROM THEIR SCHOOLS’ CAFETERIA MENUS AND EXPLAINS WHY:
Muslim parents demanded the abolition of pork in all the school canteens of Maryborough.
The Mayor of Maryborough has refused, and the town clerk sent a note to all
parents to explain why.
“Muslims must understand that they have to adapt to Australia , its customs, its traditions,
and its way of life, because that’s where they chose to immigrate.
“Muslims must understand that they have to integrate and learn to live in Australia.
“They must understand that it is for them to change their lifestyle, not the Australians who, so generously welcomed them.
“Australians are neither racist nor xenophobic. Australia accepted many immigrants before Muslims showed up (whereas the reverse is not true, in that Muslim states do not accept non-Muslim immigrants).
“Just like other nations, Australians are not willing to give up their identity or their culture.
“And, since Australia is a land of welcome, it’s not the Mayor of Maryborough who welcomes foreigners, but the Australian people as a whole.
“Finally, they must understand that in Australia with its Judeo-Christian roots, Christmas trees,
churches and religious festivals, religion must remain in the private domain.”
Australia is absolutely right to refuse any concessions to Islam and Sharia.
“For Muslims who disagree with secularism and do not feel comfortable in Australia, there are 57 beautiful
Muslim countries in the world, most of them under-populated and ready to receive them with open halal arms in accordance with Sharia.
“If you left your country for Australia, and not for other Muslim countries, it is because you have considered that life is better in Australia than elsewhere. We will not let you drag Australia down to the level of those 57 countries.”
“Ask yourself this question – just once: “Why is it better here in Australia than where you came from?”
“A canteen with pork on the menu is not the problem – it is part of the answer.”
If you came to Australia with the idea that you will displace us with your prolific propagation and eventually take over the country, you should pack up and go back to the country you came from. We have no room here for youor your ideology.
== ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!!!!
Original Source : https://www.hoax-slayer.net/recycled-hoax-falsely-claims-maryborough-mayor-refused-to-remove-pork-from-school-canteens-after-muslim-demands/