Danish cowardice

Freedom of speech was struck a severe blow in Denmark today. One of the country's biggest newspapers, Politiken, has, as the result of a Faustian deal they have entered into with eight Muslim organizations, issued an apology for reprinting Kurt Westergaard's Mohammed cartoon (the one with the bomb in the turban). They ran the cartoon in 2008, as a protest against a planned terror attack against Denmark. Now they're apologizing ... not for printing the cartoon, and they're not saying they'll never print it again (yeah, right), but in true spineless idiot style they are apologizing for the fact that Muslims are feeling offended.

These people in those eight organizations must be really stupid. I didn't do anything wrong, but I'm sorry that you're such an idiot that you're letting it get to you. Who buys that shit?? o_O

But that's of course merely a minor point. I was very very sad to hear this news. (Although, I'm sure, nowhere near as sad as Westergaard must be. For once I agree with Vebjørn Selbekk ... they are stabbing the guy in the back. >:-(

I've heard some people say 'what's so wrong with apologizing' - well, how about because there's nothing to apologize for?? This brings up a question that I've never gotten a satisfactory answer to, namely, the following.

What can possibly be an acceptable reason that the rules and restrictions of a religion or any other set of beliefs should be binding upon those who do not adhere to said religion or belief? Riddle me that, Mr Wayne ... o_O

I've also heard people talking about 'respect' and how freedom of speech is all well and good, but at what price? and why is it wrong to 'show some respect'? The answer to the first is very simple - at any price. I wish people would get this through their heads. Our freedom of speech is the bedrock of Western society. Without it, we'd have nothing. No price can be too high. As for the other question, the answer should be obvious there too. It's wrong to 'show respect' towards these people - and by 'these people' I mean those Muslims, both here in Europe and back in the middle ages Middle East, who feel that religious beliefs (or at least their own) should be exempt from criticism, ie, freedom of speech - because to their deluded minds, showing respect means submission. They rant and rave about how offended they are -> we say we're sorry for making them feel offended -> they've won. Easy peasy. We must not submit!!

What we need to do instead is to make these people and all their supporters understand that having offended feelings is just a state of mind. You choose to feel offended. Muslims need to take control of their lives, take control of their own minds!! Unfortunately, far too many of them are mentally crippled by a lifetime of religious thralldom, and they're incapable of exercising that control. It's actually really sad. But as Ford Prefect said, Fuck 'em. You can't feel sorry for every little thing.

You're offended, I'm offended, bla bla, who cares. It doesn't matter whether it's offensive, it only matters whether it's true. I'm glad to see that other Danish newspapers are not on Politiken's side.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark ... but what else is new. >:-( Here's hoping it isn't too late. We'll all just have to keep watching to see who the next gang of thugs will be who will get their irrational way using threats of violence.

Dag Solstad er en stor dust.

Det er vel egentlig det jeg har å si om den saken.

Hvor navlebeskuende selvsentrert er det egentlig mulig å bli, liksom.

Hadde ikke forventet å høre meg selv si dette, men Vebjørn Selbekk, jeg støtter deg.