Tigerhawk Likes Queen Margrethe, Too

In an email reference to his latest post about the Mohammed ’toons, Tigerhawk says that he’s “obsessed with this story.”

Isn’t everyone? Well, everyone center and right on the political spectrum, anyway. For some strange reason (you are free to discuss motivations here, class) the left doesn’t have much to say.

In “ The Conscience of the Queen,” Tigerhawk admits to having less than fond feelings for royalty. He links to an article from The Telegraph from back in April, when Queen Margrethe II published her biography. Tigerhawk thinks that while she hasn’t exactly redeemed royalty, he nonetheless admires her: “long may she reign.”

Margrethe published her book almost a year ago in celebration of her 65th birthday. This was five months or so before the Jyllens Posten decided to help the author who needed an illustrator of Mohammed. The frenzy against the newspaper which followed their appeal for artists was orchestrated long after the Queen faulted herself and her people for not demanding more of immigrants in the way of assimilation to Danish ways.

Gates of Vienna put up a post about her daring words back then. Here is the finish of my exposition on the eponymously titled Margrethe back in April:

Queen Margrethe, who professes a knowledge of Islam due to her interest in archaeology, said it was “natural that young Muslims would be attracted” to the faith’s absolute values and seek refuge in religion “as they are cut off from our community because of their lack of (Danish) language skills.”

“It’s not just a matter of speaking and understanding” Danish, she said, but also “understanding the language’s codes, and we have to help them.”

Good thing she has tenure in her present position. She sure wouldn’t be on track in any self-respecting American university. Or any American political seat, either. Imagine “helping” immigrants become Americanized. Berkeley would implode, Columbia would spontaneously combust. Hmmm…

Our Danish commenter Rune quickly responded with this comment:

Some twenty years ago she expressed the almost direct opposite opinion – that we should welcome the immigrants better and not criticise them. So her new sentiments actually represent a turn of mind. Though I’m not much for royalty in general I always respect a man (and woman) whom can change her mind after reconsideration – I did so myself, used to be found on the left-wing - and I have but the utmost respect for myself, I’m such a swell person. Really. ummm.. anyway, needless to say the Danish leftist like her even less now.

She married a French prince. But he’s not king since the Danish royal laws does not make the queen consort king. Pisses him off some too. They’ve got two children. The oldest just married an Australian girl, from Tasmania no less – but with English parents. I was in Copenhagen with my two daughters to watch them drive through town in their gilded horse carriage – the girls were overjoyed to learn there were other princesses than themselves. The youngest prince married a half-Chinese, half-English girl from Hong Kong - they’ve now got two small children.

So there you have it from one of her subjects. Not only is Margrethe an iconoclast, she's courageous enough to change her mind in public. I must tell Neo neocon about this.

Now, I just hope they’ll put her book out in English. A quick check of Amazon showed no English titles. Darn. Maybe I’ll write Spence Books and ask them to consider it. Remember them? They published Terror in the Skies by Annie Jacobsen.

Should I hear back from Spence, I’ll let you know.