Denmark

Strike a blow for free speech, eat a butter cookie!

My father was born in Denmark and my mom has some Danish blood so I'm over 50% Danish. So far in life that has mostly resulted in my feeling sympathy for Kierkegaard and his philosophies and buying the doman name Gloomy-Dane.

Now, however, this controversy arising regarding the cartoons and Islam causes me to declare solidarity with the Danish people. So far I've only eaten a lot of butter cookies and placed a Danish flag on my sidebar, but soon I'll take some more positive action. If I can think of something that allows me to stay on my couch, at least.

One thing that doesn't seem to be getting a lot of airtime is that the protest over the cartoons didn't really ignite due to them. The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten when it published the cartoons upset local Islamic Imans in Denmark but they weren't able to raise any International reaction.

However when the Imans sent a delegation to the Middle East with a portfolio containing the cartoons in question --but also of unpublished cartoons mostly received in letters and Emails-- they did get action. According to a 60 Minutes report, the Imans represented the unpublished and quite hateful cartoons as having been published in Danish newspapers. While false, that allegation resulted in the formation of the world wide protest we've since witnessed. (some of this is addressed in an article on Wiki if you want to read it)

Personally, it strikes me that Jyllands-Posten was being juvenile in initially publishing the 12 cartoons but the violent Islamic protests only solidify the allegations that are made in the cartoons. The real losers here are normal people of the Islamic faith. Denmark has gotten a lot of publicity of a positive nature, the 3% minority of Islamics in Denmark has had their circumstances broadcast to the world, and the Imans of Denmark realized their goal as well. Only the everyday people of Islamic faith really have been hurt in the long term. Shame, isn't it?

In case you're curious what this is, it's the coat of arms of the Danish royal family. It kinda makes you wish we had something like that here in the USA but no doubt the Bush coat of arms would just be dollar signs. No fun in that!

Speaking of royal families, how long is it going to be before Jeb Bush takes his turn on the throne? He's been paying his dues down in Florida for a long time now.

Getting back to Denmark, if you've not seen the cartoons yet, here's a blog post by Michelle Malkin, a conservative but beautiful Journalist, that contains all of them. Her March 3rd post also interests me since it relates to the terrorist incident this past week at UNC, where I work.

Mohammed Reza Taheriazar drove a rented SUV that plowed into a group of college students at UNC-Chapel Hill on Friday, March 3rd and told police it was retribution for the treatment of Muslims around the world.

Some scary people out there--even here in rural North Carolina!

Comments

Suzanne said…
There ARE some crazy people out there! I'm not sure I will ever grasp an understanding for why they do what they do...

but I'm all about eating a butter cookie! -grin-
Suzanne said…
oh...and hi from Micheles!
Viamarie said…
These type of people have nothing better to do, so for me I'll just ignore them.

Here via Michele's.
Anonymous said…
Troubling times indeed! I fear this is what happens when dictarship type gov'ts fail to let enough money trickle down to the masses - hopelessness and desparation. It takes very little to start a riot. I have no solution but cookies sound good.

BTW, don't scare me with anymore Bush's in the presidential seat!! I was so looking forward to the next election.
carmilevy said…
What bothers me is the tendency of radical Muslims to use any excuse as a trigger for violence.

When other religions feel violated, their response is usually angry dialog. They don't incite mob violence, they don't set off bombs and they don't plow their cars into crowds of innocents out of revenge.

I fail to understand the correlation.
kenju said…
I don't think that we in the west can ever understand the Muslim mind-set.

Bush's crest would have an oil can on it - or maybe a gusher - along with those $$$$ signs....LOL
Michelle said…
I'm a butter cookie eater from waay back! Of cource Princess Mary is an Aussie too,and Prince Fredrick is a looker, so i am all for Denmark :)
Anonymous said…
Butter Cookies - yum!
Here from Michelles!
jeni said…
i totally agree with what carmi said. i mean, you don't see me getting my vickies all in a knot because people portray jesus as a hippie! lol!!

and i saw what happened over at UNC. very scary. i know people are passionate about their religion, but come on now...

btb...i didn't know you were in nc! we're moving to eastern wake co. this summer! :)

<---is going back to her hillbilly roots. :)

have a great sunday! :)
ribbiticus said…
i have been puzzled since day one as to why those cartoons seem to have triggered such an extreme reaction. regardless of how "insulted" they must've felt, i don't think it warranted such violence and hatred.
Anonymous said…
I will poke myself in the eye if he becomes president..
oh lord
Anonymous said…
oh lord I forgot to say
Over from the other Michele's
"When other religions feel violated, their response is usually angry dialog. They don't incite mob violence, they don't set off bombs and they don't plow their cars into crowds of innocents out of revenge. I fail to understand the correlation."

The difference is that Islam has a book called the koran that teaches them that allah (their pagan god) will reward them for doing such things! When a suicide bomber blows himself up...he/she does it for more than political cause sometimes...it's done for allah and the hope for reward. It's truly the only true ticket to paradise for them in their spiritual world and mind! What is sad is that the political/radical part of Islam is encouraging this to the point that many actually pay and reward the families of these jihadist! So it's the difference in ideology!
phoenix said…
I must be wayyyy behind on the news front because this is the first I heard of the incident at UNC.

Sigh... now I gotta go find some butter cookies! ;)
utenzi said…
That's okay, Phoenix. I don't hand out quizes here and never grade harshly.

LiquidLife, I agree with much of what you say but I don't think you can call Islamics "pagans". That word is usually used for polytheistic folk and Catholics fit the definition more than Islamics do. Like Christians, Islamics believe in one omnipotent God.

Michele, I hope that your eye doesn't get hurt in the next election!
Anonymous said…
I think Denmark seconds only to Sweden what comes to the origin of most beautiful women on earth!

Heja, Danmark!

I earlier wondered, how in countries like Nigeria, where the internet penetration is less than 0.5% (1 user per 200 citizens) the awarness of a cartoon published in Denmark ingnited riots - unless, they were purposely feeded to people by...

... Then again, what do I know (but ass)?
srp said…
I feel a headache coming on so this may not be linear. But I love cheese danish so thank you. This is about as deep as it's going to get for me tonight. (The girl is home from W&M for spring break so my brain is mush from the avalanche of laundry yesterday.
I did remember to say, "Here from Michele."
Anonymous said…
Amusing Danish cookies participation. You need a Dane holiday.

Michele sent me over this time.

I agree, it's the unparticipating majority that are getting tarred by the radical fringe. Just look at the cringe factor when someone says, in Canada, American. There are lots of Americans working for justice, peace, sensible fellowship but the first image isn't that.
The Ebb said…
If you're not a vegetarian , try Danish Salami , Yum-Yum.

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