Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Denmark: PM ditches Muslims for freedom of speech

Three cheers for Denmark, a Western European nation where there is still some spine left in some political leaders. I'm thinking of making a formal application for getting Norway back into the union with Denmark. We split up in 1814, in the aftermath of the wars that Napoleon, the bastard, inflicted upon Europe. But what's 191 years between friends? And this time, we come with a trillion dollars worth of oil as dowry. Think about it, will you?

PM ditches Muslims for freedom of speech

Eleven Muslim ambassadors in Denmark looking to meet with Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to discuss what they call a 'smear campaign' in the media against Islam and Muslims have had their request denied. The prime minister had otherwise been encouraged by the opposition to meet with the group as a way to increase understanding in an increasingly controversial public debate. In recent weeks, both the minister of culture and a Copenhagen mayoral candidate have retracted statements they made about Muslims and Islamic culture. Most recently, national daily Jyllands-Posten has invoked international ire by publishing twelve caricatures of the prophet Mohammed, some of which characterised him as a terrorist. Pictorial depictions of Mohammed are frowned upon by Islam.

'This is a matter of principle. I won't meet with them because it is so crystal clear what principles Danish democracy is built upon that there is no reason to do so,' said Rasmussen. Rasmussen reiterated his message that individuals who felt offended by the tone of the public debate should bring their grievances to the courts. 'As prime minister, I have no power whatsoever to limit the press - nor do I want such a power,' he said. 'It is a basic principle of our democracy that a prime minister cannot control the press.' Rasmussen said that though he preferred a positive debate in the press, as long as people kept their comments with in the boundaries of the law, the motives behind the comments were not an issue. 'Some people say that the press needs to be constructive, and sometimes I also think that'd be nice. But who's to say what's constructive? That's an unfair demand to make. The press needs to be critical - I need to bear that as prime minister and religions must do so as well,' he said.

4 Comments:

At October 26, 2005 12:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tony Blair take note!

 
At October 26, 2005 1:13 AM, Blogger Freerider said...

Heja Danmark!!!

At least there's one scandinavian country that shows remnants of strength and fortitude, like our viking ancestors.

Now only if my homeland, sweden, would wake up to the threat.

 
At October 26, 2005 11:42 AM, Blogger pølsemannen said...

"Vi er røde vi er hvide vi stor samen side om side"
But seriously, the Danish prime minister's answer is the only appropriate in such a matter. Western democracies are not dictatorships or Sharia-ruled Khalifats. Freedom of speech is the foundation (or at least it ought to be) of a democracy.

-> eye of oden:
Don't worry about Sweden.
The goverment is working overtime to handle the problem.
"Vi ska genast hantera situationen.
Vi anser att... GÄÄÄÄSP! zzzzzz...."

 
At October 27, 2005 3:05 AM, Blogger Freerider said...

LOL. The government does nothing. The state run news does nothing to comment on the numerous gang rapes on women.

Kanske vi behöver Stockholms Blodbad nummer två? maybe the danes can knock some sense into the swedes. Get some hardcore danes to come up to stockholm and chop off the elitists heads, just like the stockholm blood bath.

 

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