I know this blog was really only intended for my crochet projects, but when I look at the way Danes present themselves to the world at the moment, I need to get on the soap-box.

Lately, it seems the national character stereotype of Danes as peaceloving, democratic and socially responsible, has been replaced with one of greedy, shortsighted, far-right, crazy people. First of all, three years ago we suddenly found ourselves as part of an occupying force, something we haven't been since we stopped fighting the Swedes a couple of hundred years ago. We have had a tradition of merely sending peacekeeping troops, and waging war is definitely something that dents the Danish self image.

I have a problem with the fact that we are now disrupting another country so that Danish companies, among them the world's largest shipping company, Mærsk, can land themselves some massive contracts. If we really meant it when we said, that we only went there to get rid of Saddam and to build an Iraqi democracy, we might have made sure not to be seen profiting too much from the whole thing. But it is clear, that sending political signals is not nearly as important as cashing in. I don't doubt for a minute that Saddam was a despicable dictator who among others abused the Kurds intolerably. But dealing with him in this way only punishes the Iraqi people further, and it should be stopped.

Secondly, there is the whole Muhammed-cartoons debacle. Let me tell you, that the newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllandsposten who first brought them, is in wide circles nicknamed The Morning Fascist and The Jyllands Pest. There is no doubt in my mind, that the editor knew very well that people would be offended. He is just so used to feeling that he is culturally on a high horse, that he couldn't imagine that it might actually come to physical manifestations of anger. He is, in my opinion, a conservative, shortsighted, Eurocentric ignoramus, whose opinions should not be taken seriously at all. His view of what the Middle East is, seems to be 'a place where people chop each others' hands off, and women are kept covered up'. That was actually a loose quote of his own words. He seems to have no idea about the cultural diversity in the Middle East, and the positive cultural legacy of the Middle East that you may also find in Europe. When I saw him on the News, stomping his feet and saying that those people shouldn't be allowed to tell him what to put in his paper, I was thouroughly ashamed of being Danish. That was a toe-curling display, that I can't recall seeing anywhere except among confessed racists, or 6th graders. To me he did not come off as an educated man, and certainly not as someone who should be defining how Danes are seen abroad.

I am aware that any Crochetvillers who read this are not used to seeing a political side of me, and I'm sorry if I'm shocking anybody. But MAN, I feel better now for having said my peace!

Hugs to all.

Cuddlefish.