Speaking For Your Country

[misscam]

Danish embassy in Beirut also torched

The Times on the cartoon row

Even Nord, a Norwegian visitor to the local university, was curious to see the demonstration. Reaching the embassy, those in front began to scuffle with a line of police and the crowd’s anger grew.
Then, without warning, a Syrian grabbed Nord and addressed the crowd: “This is my friend. He is a Norwegian and a good man.”
A pin’s drop could have been heard as a menacing silence came over the crowd. The Syrian then hoisted the Norwegian on to his shoulders and commanded: “Speak for your country.”
The student surveyed his hostile audience for a moment before addressing them in Arabic. “This is just an embassy,” he said in a loud, clear voice. “It is not the country. This incident is the result of lack of understanding. We need to understand each other better and then hopefully we will have the chance to live in togetherness and we can show proper respect for you. Inshallah (God willing)!” The crowd roared in approval. But the goodwill did not last: yesterday they set fire to the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish embassies.

Speak for your country... And how are these protesters speaking for theirs, hmm?

Meanwhile of course, some sodding rightwing extremist group here in Norway has sent a letter to the Islamic Council of Norway promising "war" over the burning of Norwegian flags. To which I say - FUCK. YOU. It is never okay to incite violence. Never. This is what I will speak for my country. Insults and culture clashes and misunderstandings all happen, but the moment we incite violence or resort to violence, we all lose.

This is not okay

Y'know, I never thought I would worry about my own country over this. But I genuinely am. For little wee Norway, about as quiet and peaceful a country as you can find in the world. Just goes to show - it's a mad, mad world. Also, coupled with the flu, it's making me depressed and miserable and damn boring company. I should probably be avoided.

BBC's Q&A on the crisis
Guardian editorial
Norway and Denmark condemn Syria

Comments

[lotus79.livejournal.com]

*refuses to avoid you*

You'll have to avoid me. :P

[misscam.livejournal.com]

*tries*

No fair, you've glued yourself to me! How can I avoid you then?

[lotus79.livejournal.com]

*cackles evilly*

C'mon, if you really wanted to, you'd manage it. ;)

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I could chainsaw you off me.

[lotus79.livejournal.com]

But you'd get all covered with blood.

[oddlyfamiliar.livejournal.com]

I think this quote from those links is the one that intirgues me the most:

Should a secular society bow to the dictates of an apparently implacable religion?

It's times like this that make me proud to be atheist. It seems like a futile hope, but I almost wish that religions didn't exist. I think people should certainly have faith in things, but the steadfast belief in something that has a negative impact on other human beings surely isn't a good thing.

*sigh* All of these events have really worried me, and makes me wonder how the human race is supposed to progress. It almost makes me feel like we are going backwards...

[knorg.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile of course, some sodding rightwing extremist group here in Norway has sent a letter to the Islamic Council of Norway

Holy shit! They found a member capable of writing?

[misscam.livejournal.com]

With bright crayons in the colour of Norway's flag, no doubt.

[evilstorm.livejournal.com]

Fuckin' hell.

*hugs and cookies, or your comfort food of choice*

[sinneahtes.livejournal.com]

War, death, and flames--over icons? (Sorry, super religious and patriotic folks of the world, but that's what they are--a drawing of somebody is not that person, nor is a flag all there is to an entire country. It's okay to feel angry and ask someone to stop doing that when you feel they're doing it to antagonize you, but it's not okay to threaten war and death to them.) I suppose perhaps (to some, anyway) the cartoon felt like a straw that broke the camel's back?

*sigh* I was (and still continue to be) ashamed at a lot of reactions in my country to 9/11 (and as far as I know, the cartoon didn't directly kill anyone) so I'm totally boggling over this all.

[briasoleil.livejournal.com]

More than the drawings themselves - which demonstrate a lack of sensitivity to a religion that has been antagonised greatly over the last 30 years - is the implication within the drawings that Islam and everything it was, is and represents is violent and vile, that's what bothers me.

Are the protests going too far? No doubt there. No one should embrace or wish to see repeated the heinous acts of 9/11 or 7/7. But right now, in the west, Islam is seen as a threat and is being threatened. And countries are under fire, literally, for it. It's understandable, although entirely regrettable, that Muslims worldwide would protest. Unfortunately, the protests and the acts of a few only seem to reinforce the west's negative stereotypes.

It would be nice if Muslims could stand back and gain perspective over the cartoons, over the physical depiction of Mohammed, but I don't think that they have that kind of space to allow themselves to see it differently. All they feel is hate and unease from the west regarding them and their faith. And these cartoons only reinforce that hatred, suspicion and derision.

*shrugs* At least, that's how I see it.

[piecesofalice.livejournal.com]

I cannot believe this is all over cartoons. Blasphemous and off-colour cartoons, but cartoons nevertheless.

There is such an unrest in the world - it scares me that something that should have been simply fought with words has been lit and now burns throughout the whole world like a beacon of what we are going to - or what we have already - become.

I'm sending you and my family lots of love at the moment.

[the-grokster.livejournal.com]

I'm amazed at how quickly the incident became such a huge cause for concern. *offers tea and pop-tarts*

[roguem.livejournal.com]

This whole thing worries me too, to think that a cartoon could cause this much trouble. Besides it's the papers who printed it that should get hassled, not the country.
For once I think I'll actually will feel safer in London.

[darksylvia.livejournal.com]

It seems like the world is getting more callously violent. I wonder where it is coming from.

That student was really freaking brave.

Just deleted my comment...

[bamfer.livejournal.com]

Apparently, in case anyone saw my comment for the 20 min or so that it was up, it was based on some unsupported information ("Who's the real villain?"-- contending that Saudi Arabia had a hand in fueling the anger over these cartoons). I thought I'd best delete the comment unless there's much better evidence to support these allegations.

As for the Norwegian student, wow, talk about being under pressure and in dangerous situation. A countryman you can well be proud of.

[vixenmage.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

The world is coming to an end, Cam. It's quite alright to be depressed; seems like most everyone is. Therefore, I refuse to avoid you!

As for the Rightwing Extremists: Fuck them. And the Radical Muslims.

As for the Norwegian student... this is where the world's heroes truly are. This is a hero. Not a football star, not a politician, this boy. He is a hero.

That felt good.

[ligaras.livejournal.com]

The Danish and Norwegian Embassy burnings just hit the local news here in the States. Now, that alone makes me worried...
Why, oh why?
:(

[falena]

This mad world just makes me sad. I spent the most part of yesterday discussing these events with a Tunisian (and Muslim) friend of mine and that made me a little bit more hopeful, though.

*sends you virtual hugs, chocolate and hot tea*
OT:Miss you!