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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us March 13, 2006 From Denmark Cartoons shatter Danes’ feeling of safety By Alexandra Amarotico For the Tidings Amarotico My host brother Andreas and I are sprawled on large reclining chairs in his cousin Mais’ large bedroom. A handball match against Spain plays on his widescreen TV. Andreas holds the remote and Mais sits between us on the floor. Mais is not happy, muttering crossly. He wants to play video games, he grumbles. We can can watch the match upstairs with the adults if it is so important, he frets. I sigh sleepily and adjust my position on the soft chair. Personally, I would rather be watching Mais play video games than seeing my third handball game this weekend, but Andreas is the oldest. After turning in my six-page history project not 24 hours ago, I am also too exhausted to disagree with him. But Andreas doesn’t have the final word this night. Another power takes over as the news cuts into the game. Mais stops muttering as the television shouts the latest appalling news: Another Danish embassy in the Middle East has been set on fire. I sit up, my fatigue replaced with pain and anger. On the television smoke curls from broken windows and horrified people run from the growing flames. I feel an involuntarily shudder as Mais and Andreas look over with discouraged and helpless faces. A few minutes later the broadcast ends. The match resumes and the sports commentary entertains itself, but no one says a word. Today, controversy shrouds all the news surrounding a very small (population 5 million) and agreeable country in Scandinavia. When Jyllands-Posten (The Jutland Post) printed editorial cartoons that portrayed the Islamic profit Muhammad, the subsequent uproar was described by the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen as Denmark’s “worst international crisis since WWII.” Danish Muslim organizations staged protests in response to the cartoons, and as the controversy grew, the cartoons were reprinted in more than 50 other countries. This led to more violent protests that resulted in at least 139 deaths by late February, mainly in Nigeria, Libya, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Supporters of the cartoons say that their publication exercises the right of free speech; however, critics say that the drawings are insensitive, insulting and sacrilegious. Several death threats were also made against those responsible for the drawings, forcing many of them to go into hiding. A few weeks ago, my friend Mie’s mother and stepfather went on their annual ski holiday in Austria. The day of their departure, Mie’s mother took her aside. “Mie, I would like to speak with you about something,” she said. Seeing her mother’s serious and grave expression, Mie worriedly assured her mother that she would be absolutely fine on her own — after all, she had never given them any reason to worry in the past. “It’s not that. Of course you will be OK at home.” Her expression softened, and then was decisive again. “I don’t want you to go shopping while I am gone.” Although seemingly farfetched, Mie’s mother’s anxious plea was not without merit. Connected to the Aarhus Central Train Station, the largest shopping center in town boasts a massive cinema, hundreds of shops and a large underground parking lot. With five or six solicitors in yellow “Jyllands-Posten” jackets handing out free newspapers at the entrance, it is not hard to imagine the center as the perfect target for an offended suicide bomber. Regardless of these anxious times, most of Denmark still lives fearless and normal lives. Looking around the school library at my fellow classmates now I see no looks of fear or worry ... well, except for the boy being lectured by the librarian about eating near the computers. Third years are much more anxious anticipating their senior project grades, and perhaps the rest of us are simply uninformed teenagers. I know I am extremely fortunate that my own safety is something I do not fear for. I feel tremendously safe in Aarhus, close to an equipped police force and of course my opinionated, 6-foot host father Claus, who would trash his Mercedes before letting anything happen to me. But, it is the innocent people in Islamic countries that I fear for. Shouldn’t we all be afraid for them? Or, should we lead our normal and comfortable lives, ignorant to the consequences of our right to luxuries such as free speech? Immersed in Michael Moore’s novel “Downsize This” and enjoying the extent to which he exercises the First Amendment, I cannot stand against the cartoons and say that should not have been published. However, I also cannot stand behind them and argue that since they are free speech they should not be taken to offense. Without a doubt, they offended many. I don’t think it really matters anymore. Free speech or not, people are dying. Why isn’t that the most offensive part of this controversy? 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