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Home Front: Culture Wars
America: Get Over Yourselves, Damnit!!
2006-02-06
A Danish blogger despairs at the way in which the cartoon protests were immediately seen as political opportunities by many on both sides in the U.S. Excerpt:
My disappointment in America is only deepening. Get over yourselves, dammit. The religious right has to realize this has nothing to do with "respect" for religious beliefs, and the far left needs to realize this has nothing to do with America's Christian right.

This is our second embassy burned in twelve hours, and you assholes are fiddling Denmark away, marginalizing the issue and trying to use it to whack each other rhetorically.

That's the kind of behavior I used to expect from Germany and France, but even they see the warning signs on this one.

On the other hand, Europe, it might be time to ask yourself if you're partly to blame: can you think of any reasons why America might be reluctant to involve itself in "European" affairs?

Something powerful and decisive needs to be done soon. Someone needs to turn on the red light.
Posted by:lotp

#13  "Self-censorship is tyranny's sorry, trembling little helper..."

http://www.nationalreview.com/stuttaford/stuttaford200602060823.asp
Posted by: Jules   2006-02-06 22:33  

#12  I just went to the Danish blogger's site (linked above) to read his entire post. The guy is coming down hard on the useful idiots' commentary at both dalilykos and democraticunderground. His comments are okay as to the coverage seen so far at NRO. He also jabs at the folk in Europe telling them that maybe the reason the USA is not more involved to date is because of how the USA has been treated by Europe. This Dane is okay. He's also got some interesting stuff on his blog. Worth a look see.

Posted by: Mark Z   2006-02-06 20:56  

#11  Well, our disappointment with Europe became pretty deep, too, shortly after 9/11, when Euro sympathy turned out to be nothing more than the APPEARANCE of sympathy.

That said, I'm with you, lotp-it is absolutely shameful that our government has not come out in clear, unambiguous support of free speech (and by logical extension, Denmark). It is not savvy-it's cowardly. And it's appalling that the State Dept provides compassionate words of comfort to Muslims instead of providing comfort to cartoonists, filmmakers, etc., who are no doubt terrified by the death threats from these murderers in Islam. The original Danish cartoons are quite benign-do a bit of searching on the Internet and you will find some truly provocative artistic statements about Islam. Try Devereux's piece-now that's bold (although I would say it rings quite true and I understand why Devereux created it).

I am thankful for the Danes' sacrifices in Iraq-very grateful. When I worked overseas, I found the Danes to be very decent folks-they were among the first in the Baltic states to support those new, fledgling, ex-Soviet democracies. They aren't above sweating or matching talk with action. I applaud Denmark's challenge, Europe's challenge to this cult called Islam and hope our leaders will soon come to their senses and do the right thing...waiting...chirpchirpchirp
Posted by: Jules   2006-02-06 20:40  

#10  you've got apoint.. and I am buying Danish. It's nice to see spine - I suppose it's the rest of the EU that I'm ticked at slow and conflicting messages.
Posted by: Hupomoger Clans9827   2006-02-06 20:21  

#9  Y'all are being pretty harsh on this guy.

Denmark's a relatively small country -- and they've been a GOOD ally in Iraq. They've extended their presence there and the Danish public by and large supports the effort.

They've also cracked down on immigration and are much tougher than their neighbors on the drugs, sex slaves and other traffic coming out of Russia et al.

They are taking a MAJOR hit with this violence. Economically, the boycott will have a huge impact and might even bring down the center-right government. Philosophically, they have gotten little support on any of their sensible initiatives from the rest of Europe.

Agree with him or not, he has a point in that they need us as a visible ally for THEM right now.
Posted by: lotp   2006-02-06 19:25  

#8  Probalby.. solve it for him. Being unable to stop pandering and stand up for themseleves.

Rescue me.
Posted by: Hupomoger Clans9827   2006-02-06 19:18  

#7  My disappointment in America is only deepening. Get over yourselves, dammit.

One question: what exactly does this guy want us to do about his problem?
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2006-02-06 16:02  

#6  
We're sorry


Posted by: macofromoc   2006-02-06 14:32  

#5  The religious right has to realize this has nothing to do with "respect" for religious beliefs, and the far left needs to realize this has nothing to do with America's Christian right.

Just which sites has he been reading? Most of the "right" sites -- with notable exceptions like Hugh Hewitt -- have said it's about free speech, not respect. Some "left" sites have taken the same stance, though some have also taken the "respect" line of BS.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2006-02-06 14:13  

#4  My disappointment with the author is only deepening. Get over yourself, dammit. This has nothing to do with Denmark or cartoons. This has to do with further fleecing Europeans to financially support the Palestinian welfare/warfare state, diverting attention from a Syrian totalitarian crisis, raising the American Street's perception that messing with those nut jobs in Iran and the Middle East in general would be disasterous, and tweaking the West in general.

America is not "fiddling Denmark away" -- Muslims are "fiddling Denmark away" in with optimism defying intelligence. They are hoping that they can occupy Europe without assimilating, they are hoping that Westerners will leave the Middle East alone, and they are hoping that Iran will gain nukes and destroy strategic chunks of the Western world. They are Islam's fools. We will not submit.
Posted by: Darrell   2006-02-06 13:55  

#3  Dear Denmark: Learn from America. You can no longer expect the police or the government to protect you from criminals, so you must do so yourself. This is not vigilantism.

This is the willingness of each and every capable citizen to immediately intercede to prevent the commission of a crime, be it a crime against a person or a crime against property.

Criminals cannot function in public when every man will act as a policeman, all the time. Criminals are most often cowards, so even the threat of civilian action will force them to behave civilly.

Gun control is no excuse, because almost any object can be used as a weapon in some way. In many circumstances, a sharp or blunt object is even more effective than a gun.

But the man on the street must take the initiative. He must act himself, and he must encourage others to act; he must argue against those who say he should not act, and he must chastize those who refuse to act.

If a man holds up a sign calling on others to kill, citizens should arrest him on the spot and hold him for the police. Though the policeman may not arrest him for his crime, he will think twice before doing it again.

Until the Danes show a willingness to police their own society, their society will be imperiled by criminals. They no longer have the luxury of waiting for government to protect them.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2006-02-06 13:39  

#2  I tried Carlsberg beer for the first time this weekend. I enjoyed it very much and will buy more.

Posted by: BH   2006-02-06 13:13  

#1  Actually, I enjoyed a couple of bottles of Tuborg beer and some Havarti cheese last evening while watching the football game, and am munching on a Royal Dansk butter cookie as I conclude my lunch. It is my way of protesting the Islamic response to the cartoon issue. And a rather tasty protest it is.
Posted by: Glenmore   2006-02-06 12:56  

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