THE DANISH CARTOON CONTROVERSY

Caption: Holger Danske or Ogier the Dane


IT TAKES TWO TO QUARREL ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD

One should examine the Danish collective psychology before opining

By:Ali Ismail
0778-842 5262
aliismail_uk@yahoo.co.uk







Quite recently, our family subscribed to a major television channel provider as a result of which I have been watching television stations which had hitherto been beyond my reach. The three favourite ones are: CNN and two Islamic broadcasters.

The contrast between the American news channel and the Muslim religious offerings are so great that, in my mind, it throws a clear light on the on-going cartoons controversy. The news and entertainment industry tells us that the furore is the result of a “clash of civilisations” and undoubtedly it is.

Now, I think I can state with a fair degree of certainty that the collective readership of this organ are familiar with the nuts and bolts of why the Islamic ‘Ummah’ is furious with the Jyllands Posten newspaper for drawing, printing and then publishing the infamous twelve cartoons. They are also displeased with the other European print media who have backed up the Jyllands Posten by re-printing and re-publishing them.

For the minority who do not, perhaps I can state here and now that in my slight understanding Islam forbids the artistic depiction of living forms on the ground that that is the prerogative of the Creator alone. The depiction of the Prophet is a particularly sensitive topic because he was the channel through which, Muslims fervently believe, the divine message was brought from heaven to earth.

Furthermore, the Muslims are at this time in humanity’s history living through an epoch in which, for various reasons all of which are connected in one way or another with the West’s expertise in scientific methodology, they are functional underdogs in relation to European civilisation. All this leads to a heightened sensitivity. None of all of this is particularly new to most of our readership.

However, it takes two to have a fight or to maintain a quarrel. The Islamic viewpoint is well publicised and numerous imams, mowlanas, sheiks and ‘rank and file’ Faithful have stated why they are angry. What of the Danish side? What is the spirit of a people who can initiate a confrontation and then take on well over a billion angry people?

My point is that I think the other side, the Danish side, can be illustrated by reference to two factors: The currently reigning Queen of Denmark and the Danish children’s legend of Holger Danske on which all young Danes are raised.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has called on her country "to show our opposition to Islam", regardless of the hostility and hatred which such a stance is bound to provoke abroad.

Her comments do have the effect of undermining the image of Denmark as a liberal haven for persons seeking a new life in Northern Europe.

At this time, the Danish government stands accused of fuelling xenophobia by introducing measures that close the country to asylum seekers.

Despite her status as a constitutional monarch, explicitly political passages from an official biography published recently confirm that Queen Margrethe makes statements which enturbulate her nation's relationship with the Muslims.

She said: "We are being challenged by Islam these years - globally as well as locally. It is a challenge we have to take seriously. We have let this issue float about for too long because we are tolerant and lazy.

"We have to show our opposition to Islam and we have to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on us because there are some things for which we should display no tolerance. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction."

The Queen has no official political powers but does occasionally comment on politics.

Denmark has greatly limited immigration during the last three years and the anti-immigration Danish People's Party, an ally of the centre-Right government, has succeeded in putting through new laws making it harder to bring in foreign spouses and to qualify for political asylum or any other kind of asylum.

The queen told her biographer, Annelise Bistrup, apparently referring to Muslim fundamentalists: "There is something impressive about people for whom religion imbues their existence, from dusk to dawn, from cradle to grave."

She said she understood how disaffected young Muslims might find refuge in religion. This tendency should be fought, she said, by encouraging Muslims to learn Danish so that they could integrate better.

"We should not be content with living next to each other. We should rather live together."

So much for Queen Margrethe II.

Once, I posted off our family’s small volume of a selection of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales to a boys’ school library in Sri Lanka. Afterwards, I missed that little book and felt that our home had been bereft and so I went to Paddington railway station’s bookshop and bought a collection of all of Hans Christian Anderson’s stories. That was how I learnt of Holger Danske.

Let us allow the writer to put it in his own words in a translation. This is how the fairy tale begins:

‘In Denmark there stands an old castle named Kronenburg, close by the Sound of Elsinore, where large ships, both English, Russian, and Prussian, pass by hundreds every day. And they salute the old castle with cannons, “Boom, boom,” which is as if they said, “Good-day.” And the cannons of the old castle answer “Boom,” which means “Many thanks.” In winter no ships sail by, for the whole Sound is covered with ice as far as the Swedish coast, and has quite the appearance of a high road. The Danish and the Swedish flags wave, and Danes and Swedes say, “Good-day,” and “Thank you” to each other, not with cannons, but with a friendly shake of the hand; and they exchange white bread and biscuits with each other, because foreign articles taste the best.

‘But the most beautiful sight of all is the old castle of Kronenburg, where Holger Danske sits in the deep, dark cellar, into which no one goes. He is clad in iron and steel, and rests his head on his strong arm; his long beard hangs down upon the marble table, into which it has become firmly rooted; he sleeps and dreams, but in his dreams he sees all that happens in Denmark. On each Christmas Eve an angel comes to him and tells him that all he has dreamed is true, and that he may go to sleep again in peace, as Denmark is not yet in any real danger; but should danger ever come, then Holger Danske will rouse himself, and the table will burst asunder as he draws out his beard. Then he will come forth in his strength, and strike a blow that shall sound in all the countries of the world’.

The story ends as follows:

‘The old grandfather nodded towards the mirror, where hung the calendar with a picture of the Round Tower. "Tycho Brahe was another who could use the sword, not to cut at men's flesh and bones, but to carve a plainer path among the stars of heaven. And then there was Bertel Thorvaldsen, whose father was a wood carver like me. We have seen him ourselves, with his silvery locks falling to his broad shoulders. His name is known throughout the world; he was a sculptor - I am only a carver. Yes, Holger Danske can appear in many shapes, so that every country in the world knows of Denmark's strength! Lets drink now to the health of Bertel Thorvaldsen!"

‘But the little boy in bed saw plainly the ancient Kronborg by the Öresund and the real Holger Danske who was sitting deep below, with his beard growing through the marble table, dreaming of all that happens above. Holger Danske dreamed too of the humble little room where the wood carver sat at supper, and in his sleep he nodded and said: "Aye, remember me, you people of Denmark! Remember me! In your hour of darkest need I shall come!"

‘And outside Kronborg it was bright daylight, and the wind bore the notes of the huntsman's horn from the opposite shore of the neighbouring country. The ships sailed past and saluted, "Boom! Boom!" and Kronborg spoke back, "Boom! Boom!" But Holger Danske did not awaken, however loudly the cannons roared, for they were only saying "Good day" and "Many thanks." There must be a very different kind of shooting to awaken him; but he will awake, for there is still strength and courage in Holger Danske’.

Perhaps I should add that Holger Danske is thought to have been a historical person and not entirely fictitious.

The point I am making is that taking the reigning queen and the mercenary soldier Holger into account and that nearly all Danes are sentimentally if not emotionally bound to her and to him, they may well have unconscious feelings of semi-invulnerability and semi-supernatural protection - even from beyond the grave.

That may help to explain their side of the quarrel.

THE END