Speaking of this whole sad mess

[oneiriad]

Part of the time I am sad about this whole hopeless, ridiculous, horrible mess. Sad because people are growing angrier and angrier, more and more hateful. Sad because everybody seems to be misunderstand everybody else and nobody wants to listen, let alone understand.

Part of the time I am angry. I want to shout at certain people that if they don't get the concept of free press that it's their problem - and if they think an entire country can be somehow held responsible for what one newspaper has printed, then they must be mad. I want to yell at so many on both sides for inciting this, for making it worse, for fanning the fires. I want to hit something or someone and somehow miraculously make it go away, but of course that is a ridiculous, impossible thought.

And part of the time? Part of the time I pull back and look at this, look at everything absurd, everything ironic - and I laugh. I look at a man burning the Danish flag while wearing jeans and another wearing something Levi's - and I want to ask them if they are aware that traditionally Dannebrog should be burned when worn out, that it is the respectful way of destroying it (although I suppose not that way). I hear about Islamic Jihad having threatened Danes, Norwegians and Swedes and I think wait a minute - what did the Swedes do? Oh right, haven't you heard? Denmark's the capital of Stockholm. Me and my galgenhumor.

I just read that Jyllandsposten has made an official apology. I wonder if it will stop this madness. Somehow I do not think so.

Sometimes? Sometimes I just want to cry.

Comments

[juliet-whisky.livejournal.com]

Wow it even made the news here... http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/01/31/1138590448951.html?from=top5

[oneiriad.livejournal.com]

Well, that sums it up reasonably well. Of course, it has no mention of the original reason for Jyllandsposten publishing the drawings, nor any mention of the fact that Danes might possibly be just as entitled to be insulted by people thinking that the whole country is somehow responsible for what one newspaper has printed as those same people are entitled to be insulted by the drawings.

Oh, for the good old days, when nobody knew anything about Denmark except possibly that we had produced an ugly duckling...

[hoegh.livejournal.com]

Word!

I keep thinking of that quote: "I may not agree with what you're saying, but I will defend your right to say it with my life"

I honestly think it's really embarrassing that Denmark's major serious newspaper would print something like that. But they have (and should have!) the right to do it.

[elessil.livejournal.com]

This is insane. I just read the news article, but despite all the headshaking I'm doing, I'm glad the Danish minister isn't apologising for the right of free speech. That would be a scary step.