A French court ruled that a soup kitchen can continue offering free pork soup to the homeless. The soup uses pork fat for stock, and “is country fare much loved by French traditionalists.” A far-right group is offering the soup, but the police banned their efforts last month because the soup, due to its content, would not be eaten by either Muslims or Jews. It’s a pretty safe bet which of those two groups was complaining.
The administrative court said the distribution was “clearly discriminatory,” but could not be stopped because the organizers offered to feed anyone who asked for help.
The mayor of Paris condemned the ruling and urged the police to appeal the ruling.
“Faced by this initiative which stinks of xenophobia, I want once again to express city hall’s desire to fight all forms of discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism,” mayor Bertrand Delanoe said in a statement.
While it’s a safe bet that Solidarity of the French (SDF) selected the menu deliberately, so what? They’re entitled to both help the poor and engage in political expression – as the court so grudgingly admitted. It’s a pity that other groups wishing to feed the homeless can’t provide halal and kosher food, if there is a need for that. Oh, wait – they can! Why, there’s nothing at all to prevent anyone from doing that very thing. They won’t though – they’ll continue to try to outlaw the SDFs activities rather than do something constructive themselves. Rather like Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi – you’ll have it their way, or “No soup for you!”
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This just boils my blood. Reminds me of the objections to Winnie the Pooh because of Piglet.