Via the AFP: Iran president orders economic reprisals for cartoons
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has ordered the cancellation of economic contracts with countries where the media have carried cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, the ISNA news agency reported.
The more this story develops, the more surreal it becomes.
Mohammed Cartoons - What can we do?
Being a danish citizen and watching this story blow WAIT out of proportion is difficult and frustrating.
I think I speak for the majority of danes when I say: We did not intend for this to offend any type of religion, and furthermore please remember, that the danish people DID NOT pubish these cartoons. This was done by a privatly owned newspaper. And being a free country, we can’t stop that…much like a majorty of the countries in the “free world”.
Being a little country it is unevitable, that we are very involved in what goes on around the world - we are in fact to small for it to be any other way. Therefore danes are all brought up to respect and help other countries and religions - as is seen by Denmark being one of the largest donators to 3rd world countries. This is also the case when catastrophy strikes, like it recently did in Pakistan & Thailand. The danes are a very kind and giving people….we therfore can’t understand they way this story has developed way out of control.
The newspaper has apologized, the goverment (allthought it does not have to) has regreted that a danish newspaper could publish these cartoons, and still we see our embassy’s burned to the ground, and danish citizens lifes threatend!! Why? What can we do? The people who are to “blame” for publishing have aplogized any way they can!!
My personl opinion is, that this no longer has anyting to do with the cartoons anymore. This story has developed into a way for the Islamic countries to prove to one another “how religous they are”. It is no secret that ecspecially Syria has been excused of other islamic countries for not supporting the muslim way of life. By torching our embassy, they have shown people throughout the middle east, that they in deed are an islamic nation, and support this.
In Denmark we have been informed, that these bombings are baed on txt messages sent throughout the middle eastern countries, spreading false rumours. In fact, it is stated, that a text message claiming danes had “koran burnings” in the main square of copenhagen are the reason the embassies have been torched. This is NOT TRUE! We could NEVER do that!
This story has gotten way out of control, and has now obtained a life of it’s own. Facts are no longer checked, and people are rioting in the middle east on grounds of false information.
The latest story is, that main figures in the middle east have demanded the danish goverment implement a law, that would restrict any danish media from disrespecting the islamic relgion! This is a direct contradiction to the “freedom of speech” that our country is built upon. Your country probably is too, so where is your voice?
The US is built on the “land of the free”. Would the american citizens agree to such a law? What is your opinion?
With respect for all,
Lars - from Copehagen, Denmark
Comment by Heinzzz — Sunday, February 5, 2024 @ 8:03 am