I’m sure by now the rest of the world (read: US media) has heard about the Jyllandsposten Muhammad Comics outrage after the Danish and Norwegian embassies were set on fire in Syria.
This ordeal has been in the news here for about 2 weeks now, but only after things got violent did overseas media pick it up. Friends I left back in the US have emailed me asking if I am ok. Why wouldn’t I be? They seemed to be under the impression that Copenhagen is in a state of unrest and rioting. I’m going to assume they watched Fox News and leave it at that. While there is some uneasy tensions between Islamists and Danes, the worst I have witnessed is some vandalized Pizzerias and Kiosks who closed their doors to boycott (both of which are primarily owned by middle-eastern immigrants). I live in Nørrebro (northern Copenhagen), where most Islamists/Muslims live, so this may be why I’ve seen that. Overall, nothing violent is really happening. Some extremist Danes thought it would be smart and burn the Quran at Rådhuspladsen, A++ for that one guys. Police managed to stop it thankfully.
Local experiences aside, the main issue at hand is how the middle eastern governments just don’t understand that here there is a thing called Freedom of the Press and Free Speech. The irony of it is, that Jyllandsposten didn’t print these with the intent to offend (however, they are a center-right independent paper), but to demonstrate free speech and free press… oh jesus, so much irony. The Danish government has said repeadetly it cannot punish the newspaper, and thus far has refused to even consider it. It isn’t even the governments business, but low and behold they got dragged into it because some worlds don’t understand those concepts. Somehow the Swedes got involved too; I think they republished the cartoons, unsure about that.
Other European papers are publishing the cartoons in support of Denmark, and more importantly, in support of freedom of the press and free speech.
I understand the anger on the muslim side, but like Voltaire said, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
Most of the comics weren’t very funny, but I giggled at the virgins one. :)
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