Here's to the Danish People, Economy....and Freedom!

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/02/05/cartoon.protests/index.html

Denmark: Area 43 075 sq km; Population 5.3 million; Human Development Index 92.1; Capital: Copenhagen; GDP 162 billion; Per Head $30 420; Principal Exports: Manufactured Goods; Known for: Generous social programs and introspective and peaceful civil society. In addition, butter cookies, Hans Christian Andersen, Soren Kierkegaard and ferocious Vikings.

I can't let this story go. It's simply too rich and irresistible.

Do Christians go around burning flags and dying whenever people characterize the Pope in a distasteful manner? Do Italians fatalistically run amok whenever they are drawn as fat, lazy mobsters eating pizza and smoking cigars while placing bets on the NFL in a murky coffee bar? And why do Muslims out on the infamous Arab street have Danish flags handy to burn?

The cartoons were expressions of freedom, poor judgment notwithstanding - though I don't know what the fuss is all about. Bin Laden sure loves his guns and being a tough macho psycho. The Muslim reaction to it was pure insecure tyranny. The question must be asked: Are our most cherished values - freedom of speech and the press - as defined by our culture, simply incompatible with Muslim sensibilities? Everyone is fair game in a free society. You didn't like it? Write to the editor. There are other ways to voice disagreement than absurdly burning down embassies. And I would classify burning down an embassy as a tad excessive.

Rightly or wrongly, who looks worse once again? Sadly, this type of hysterical fear-mongering has led to the Danish newspaper apologizing. Instead of looking at the cartoons and asking themselves what they are doing wrong to garner such a perception (hey, we ask the Americans to do it all the time), they chose the usual low road of blaming others. Sometimes you just need to laugh at yourself. The West does that all the time - sometimes a little too much.

According to statistics, the Muslim boycott of Danish goods and services is costing that economy $1 million dollars a day. I fear they stand to lose a lot more than a few pennies if they don't stand their ground. We should support them. Or else freedom is on the run my friends.

NOTE: Since the writing of this post The Commentator has changed his name and moved to Wyoming.