Mozart Sacrificed at the Altar of the Politically Correct

In a world in which the 'politically correct' movement has run amok, there is yet another victim that has been sacrificed on its altar. That victim is none other than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the acclaimed 18th century composer who penned much of the world's most beloved music.

Germany is the setting for this latest crazed display of going to extreme lengths so as not to offend a minority. The Deutsche Opera, one of the three main opera houses in Berlin, was scheduled to offer a performance of Mozart's 'Idomeneo,' which contains a scene of a beheaded Muhammad. The opera house cancelled the performance for the fear of inciting rage and violence among Europe's significant and growing Muslim community, although the scene also depicts the severed heads of Christ and Buddha along with Muhammad's.

The original 1781 version of Mozart's 'Idomeneo' tells the story of a king of Crete during the Trojan War. The modern production under the direction of Hans Neuenfels, however, contains an inserted scene that depicts the severed heads of Christ, Muhammad, Buddha, and the Greek sea god Poseidon. When Mr. Neuenfels refused to delete the scene at the urging of The Deutsche Opera, the opera house then cancelled the production, citing warnings from police of a major outbreak of Muslim violence if the performance proceeded as planned.

The cancellation brought a swift reaction from German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who stated, "We will tend to become crazy if we start forbidding Mozart in opera houses. These extremists tend to use anything to go crazy. If Western officials and artists censor themselves for fear of the reaction of extremists, we will never convince anyone that freedom of speech and tolerance are a better way."

Mr. Schaeuble has it right. To placate people of the Muslim religion only encourages more of their unacceptable behavior. We must remember that the ultimate goal of Islam is to make the world Islamic either by choice or by force. Those who refuse to convert are then considered 'infidels' who must be killed. The growing menace of Islam in Europe is of great concern to the leaders of the European Union, but presently their tactic of appeasement only adds fuel to the fire. Slowly but surely, Muslim immigrants continue to pour into Europe where they insist on being given special privileges and where they threaten violence and mayhem if the local governments and citizens offend them in some way.

The day is coming when we will see such blatant displays of cowardice right here in America. The politically correct thought-and-speech police, if left unchecked, will insure that our hands will be tied in doing anything about the various growing threats to our society.

Who would have thought that Mozart would be banned in Berlin?

To say that it could not happen here is to have one's head in the sand. But the issue is not really Mozart's music. That is a mere symptom of a deeper, broader, and much more sinister problem brewing under the surface--the unwillingness of civilized people to stand up to those who would suppress freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and other human liberties that are so hated by Muslims.

Either we face it now, call it by its hideous name, let the chips fall where they may, offend whoever is offended by freedom, or else we will see our women walking about on the streets of New York City in veils. Is this what we want as a society?

Islam is not a freedom-friendly religion. There is no such thing as liberty in an Islamic society. Why, then, do we feel we must walk on egg shells to avoid offending these opponents of human freedom?

It is to be hoped that a chorus of millions like the German Interior Minister will rise up and forthrightly condemn these extremist bullies--and those who appease them--persistently, consistently, relentlessly. We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that one slap on the wrist will be enough. Muslim extremists never give up. Neither should we.