Forwarded from a Danish friend.
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Denmark has until recently been known mainly as a gentle country which contributes more per capita to third world countries than any other place on Earth. It's also a country where people have enerally felt safe when they ventured out in the streets at night, it's a place where everyone is given free schooling - even higher education; where health care is a given, as is a lively public debate plus basic democratic rights such as freedom of speech.
Although one can certainly sympathize with Muslim views that the Prophet Muhamed should not be subjected to drawings, or to ridicule, the recent Embassy burnings, threats against Danes at home and abroad is not acceptable.
We're experiencing a culture clash of such mind boggling and scary dimensions that it makes one wonder if the parties will ever even be able to understand each other. On one side we have democratic ideals and the belief that angry mobs must not be allowed to crush those. On the other side are hurt religious feelings, mixed with possible general hatred against non believers.
Stil, Even Hitzbollah representatives have condemned the actions, and many learned Muslims, including high clergy, agree that the Koran does not permit the use of violence in such situations.
The fundamental differences in thinking have also caused many Middle Eastern countries to stop imports of Danish goods such as dairy products and medicines, for instance. These markets have been of the utmost importance to many Danish companies which have already found it necessary to cut costs. (One company has cut everyone's hours instead of laying anyone off.)
At the same time, Denmark suffered the pain of hearing President Bush, their ally in the war n Iraq (which has been a bone of contention in the gentle Kingdom in the past four years) attack the country for protecting the very democratic freedoms he claims to want to protect and even fight for abroad.
After much discussion in the US he did, however, finally decide to stand by one of the few European countries which agreed to go to Iraq alongside his own troops.
All this to say: A tiny country with only five million people is fighting for ideals which all of us in the west cherish, and it's paying with its livelihood.
Therefore: Buy Danish in order to save the country's export. Not everything which says 'Danish Buttercookies' is produced in the Kingdom, though, so please check the labels.
Also: Copy the cartoons from the link below and post or publish them wherer you can. Not to hurt anyone's feelings, for that is by no means the intent, although it is a very unfortunate side effect, but to make the fight against freedom of speech more difficult for those who merely want all of us to adhere to their interpretation of what is right.
Do you want to live in the kind of world they're trying to create?
vny!://www.michellemalkin.com/archives/004413.htm
