great danes
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 05:40PM Is anyone following the Why Democracy series on BBC? You can watch the latest episode (Bloody Cartoons) by clicking on the link left. It is well worth your time.
"Bloody Cartoons is a documentary about how and why 12 drawings in a Danish provincial paper could whirl a small country into a confrontation with Muslims all over the world. KARSTEN KJAER, a Danish Journalist, Director and Producer who worked as a foreign correspondent for World Media asks whether respect for Islam combined with the heated response to the cartoons is now leading us towards self-censorship. How tolerant should we be, he wonders, of the intolerant. And what limits should there be, if any, to freedom of speech in a democracy. The director films in Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Qatar, France, Turkey and Denmark, talking to some of the people that played key roles during the cartoon crisis. .."
As Pub Philosopher reminds us "It's two years since Jyllands Posten printed the Mohammed cartoons and about twenty months since thousands of Muslims rioted over something that most of them had never seen".
This last point is underlined in the BBC film when Karsten interveiws an Iranian professional protestor.
The Pool Bar also comments on the latest controversy surrounding Ayaan Hirsi Ali, where the Danes have stepped in to help.
"You've gotta love the Danes. First there was the Great Cartoon Jihad, in which the Danish government refused steadfastly to bow to Islamist pressure to take action against the Jyllands-Posten newspaper for publishing caricatures of Mohammed. Today, the Danish government announced its willingness to provide protection
to Somali-born activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali after the US government shamefully failed to act when the Dutch government withdrew their protection after Ms. Ali relocated to the US"
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Reader Comments (9)
God Bless the Danes.
Don't quite see why, though, in Pool Bar's paragraph above, the United States is singled out as "shameful." The United States is responsible for everything, everywhere, all the time?
At least the Danes don't think like that. God Bless the Danes.
I saw the programme, It was excellent and although it might annoy some here, I say well done to the BBC for showing a programme that unashamedly took a stance against the Islamic reactionism and also openly showed the cartoons which most of the British newspapers refused to do.
The Pool Bar guy is American and conservative.
I was very surprised by the US decision though. Last year right wing blogs were awash with articles saying 'send her here we'll look after her if europe doesnt want her'.
Alsion,
What was the US decision and where is it reported? My cursory search found only references to private funding of security, which is probably the norm in the US for non-government personnel.
Patty
The United States wasn't 'singled out' for criticism. It was a simple statement about the fact the Ms Hirsi Ali had lived in the US but was apparently being denied protection by the US govt. It would have been just as correct to cooment thus had she gone to Canada, the UK, Australia, Italy or anywhere else and been let down by the authorities. A comment criticising the US govt concerning circumstances inside the US is not the same as blaming America for everything.
Colm: Fair enough. I overreacted.
In the US, private monies will be found. Not governmental monies. (She's declined the Danes and is staying in the US last I heard.)
Alan - follow the link through to Pool Bar the quote is his. It is dreadful there is so little outpouring of support for her, thought you guys would be all over this!
Alison: I've gone to see her speak twice. She's wonderful. I recently heard that she thanked the Danes for their offer but she is staying in the US. She is very supported here. It's just a financial issue as to who will pay for the security. She's not being kicked out or anything.
Private US sponsors will step up -- I am sure. I don't think the US govt. as the authority to provide protection to a private citizen such as Hirsi Ali. The Dutch were providing security because she was in the Dutch Government.
She should be offered US citizenship if she is going to stay there though since she went she has been less prolific sadly. I read that she wants her Dutch bodyguards specifically because they are familiar with the tactics used and the issues she faces.