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| Europe |
| We must show our opposition to Islam, says Danish queen |
| 2005-04-17 |
| Hat tip to Viking Pundit Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has called on the country "to show our opposition to Islam", regardless of the opprobium such a stance provokes abroad. Her comments further undermined the image of Denmark as a liberal haven for those seeking a new life in northern Europe. The Danish government has already been accused of fuelling xenophobia by introducing measures which effectively closed the country to asylum seekers. But in overtly political passages from an official biography published yesterday Queen Margrethe makes comments certain to complicate her nation's relationship with Muslims. She said: "We are being challenged by Islam these years - globally as well as locally. It is a challenge we have to take seriously. We have let this issue float about for too long because we are tolerant and lazy. "We have to show our opposition to Islam and we have to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on us because there are some things for which we should display no tolerance." "And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction." The Queen, who turns 65 tomorrow and has reigned since 1972, wields no political power but does occasionally comment on political issues. Denmark has seriously limited immigration in the past three years and the anti-immigrant Danish People's Party, an ally of the centre-Right government, has pushed through laws making it harder to bring in foreign spouses or qualify for asylum. The queen told her biographer, Annelise Bistrup, apparently referring to Muslim fundamentalists: "There is something impressive about people for whom religion imbues their existence, from dusk to dawn, from cradle to grave." She said she understood how disaffected young Muslims might find refuge in religion. This tendency should be fought by encouraging Muslims to learn Danish so they could integrate better, she said. "We should not be content with living next to each other. We should rather live together." |
| Posted by:SC88 |
| #26 Don't know where Shakespeare got the name Hamlet, but he'd heard of a nifty new palace in Denmark named Elsinore; hence the setting. Or so Sister Cyrille told me lo these many years ago. I presume Queen Margarethe is descended from that fine old King Christian who managed to save almost all of Denmark's Jews from Hitler? |
| Posted by: mom 2005-04-17 10:50:47 PM |
| #25 I wanna be a Viking, when I grow up mommy!! |
| Posted by: smn 2005-04-17 10:12:49 PM |
| #24 words, words, words |
| Posted by: thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-17 10:05:08 PM |
| #23 Sobiesky- That is why I said "most famous MYTHICAL Dane". |
| Posted by: Penguin 2005-04-17 10:00:47 PM |
| #22 Penguin, there was never Prince Hamlet in Denmark. Shakespeare just made that up--he likely thought that it is vaguely Danish sounding, I s'posse. |
| Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-04-17 8:47:20 PM |
| #21 I guess they could change it to Mohamlet... |
| Posted by: Fred 2005-04-17 7:32:01 PM |
| #20 I Denmark was meant to be Muslim, they wouldn't have named the most famous mythical Dane Hamlet. |
| Posted by: Penguin 2005-04-17 4:13:29 PM |
| #19 It's about time because these various European kings and queens are only considered royalty by virtue of their respective state churches. all Christian of course. Muhammad's cult, with it's maddening demographics, is a mortal threat to these churches |
| Posted by: sea cruise 2005-04-17 4:10:01 PM |
| #18 Barbara, There are all sorts of weird things the Queen can do before she shuffles off this mortal coil - she takes her constitutional role *extremely* seriously (e.g. she didn't go to Charles' wedding because of 'constitutional' issues), so all bets are still on. As an aside, our Armed Forces are called 'Her Majestys Armed Forces' - something that must really piss off the crypto-communist faux-socialist Blair. Most people don't think that Chuck will get a go at being King, they feel he let Diana down and the public feeling against Camilla is very deep - the idea of her being anywhere near the throne deeply offends people and I wouldn't be surprised if the Queen has had a word with William - to size him up for the job? As for that cack about 'defender of faith' - I'll not comment on that, as I'm sure to start swearing ;) |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2005-04-17 4:03:03 PM |
| #17 scandinavians are no bs people ,and lets face it islam is a threat in europe they are flodding our lands and the people cant do anything. |
| Posted by: Its me 2005-04-17 3:47:40 PM |
| #16 Tony (UK) - That's good news. Of course, as an American I don't have a dog in that fight, except my ancestry on my mother's side (several centuries back) and love of the British Isles (at least of the England I visited 30+ years ago). But can you all do that? Doesn't |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2005-04-17 3:43:23 PM |
| #15 Speak out against Was-lam...and you'll get more than a pie thrown at you. The Danes better increase her security. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2005-04-17 2:48:35 PM |
| #14 Thibaud, Although Charles is next in line to the throne, he's made such an arse of himself over the years that it's not outside the bounds of plausability that we'll skip over him and go straight to William. |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2005-04-17 2:16:20 PM |
| #13 Prince Charles - Protector of The Tampon™ |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-04-17 2:00:35 PM |
| #12 Will Queen Liz, Defender of the Faith speak out? Not likely, insofar as her idiot son has recast the role as Defender of Faith [in general], including the one true muslim faith and the one true Christian faith and the divine buddhist enlightenment and... |
| Posted by: thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-17 1:49:51 PM |
| #11 Expect this to be on page 23 if it even shows up in any European publication. The European MSM is very much pushing MultiCulti. She is right on but the Danes had it already and are getting a grip on things. Their immigration policy is even sane now. Though it wasn't in the past. They realized that your typical unemployable islamist's and thier huge families are a threat to their social welfare system and reacted. Evangelical Lutherians meet Islam and get a clue should be the subtitle. Yes the Viking culture is not gone from some Danes. Remember there is a reason it call Danegeld. Perhaps Europe needs an Islamogeld to finance it's protection from Islam. Perhaps other European Royals need to speek out as well. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-04-17 1:20:22 PM |
| #10 Not likely - she's already noted her priority for the year: Kyoto / environment. |
| Posted by: too true 2005-04-17 1:08:47 PM |
| #9 Will Queen Liz, Defender of the Faith speak out? |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-04-17 12:50:41 PM |
| #8 Oriana Fallaci's successor? Consequences are starting to build for Islam's transgressions |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-04-17 12:20:50 PM |
| #7 How very un-EU of her. |
| Posted by: Tom 2005-04-17 11:44:48 AM |
| #6 VEEEEEEEEERY interesting!! Will the next truth talker please stand up? |
| Posted by: Otto Von Bismark 2005-04-17 10:59:53 AM |
| #5 She is a 65-year-old trailblazer in Europe-a person willing to risk the wrath of millions by telling it like it is. A European leader willing to make such candid and sober assessment of a real problem is a thing to behold in this decade. Glad she got the air time. |
| Posted by: jules 2 2005-04-17 10:03:13 AM |
| #4 Fatwa announcement in 5...4...3....... |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2005-04-17 9:35:23 AM |
| #3 The Vikings are back. Watch out, Euro-weenies. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2005-04-17 9:31:15 AM |
| #2 The Muslim problem in a nutshell: 1. They multiply like rabbits. 2. Corrupt regimes at home. 3. See themselves as second-hand citizens abroad - since they can not kill anyone at will, and get an encouraging pat on the back, as would have been the case at home. |
| Posted by: Glereper Craviter7929 2005-04-17 9:21:52 AM |
| #1 You go girl. |
| Posted by: raptor 2005-04-17 9:15:24 AM |