This is the final part of a three-part translated interview with Lars Hedegaard, the Danish author and historian. Click these links for Part 1 and Part 2. To read the entire interview in Danish, visit Snaphanen.
This portion of the transcript was translated by Kepiblanc. The interview was originally broadcast on November 28th on Swedish Radio, and the SR Interviewer was Sören Wibeck:
| SR: | Here, you write about Sweden… I follow the Danish political debate closely; I can watch Danish TV, etc. It’s quite evident that the whole debating climate in Denmark is totally different than in Sweden. Why do you think that climate is harsher and more straightforward here [in Denmark — translator]? | |
| LH: | That’s a very fine question, indeed. I was asked precisely the same question when attending a public conference in The Hague in 2006. Incidentally, it was the American scholar of Islam, Daniel Pipes, who asked me that question. I can’t describe it in other terms, than — well, there has always been a tradition of insubordination vis-à-vis authorities in Denmark, a tradition going way back. In that respect, I’m no expert on Swedish history, but it’s my impression that Swedish citizens have subjugated themselves to their authorities for hundreds of years… the vicar, the patron, the King or the Mälerdalsbureaucracy [“Sweden’s Nomenklatura” — translator], or just someone writing something in the papers. Whatever they write people tend to believe it, because they must be very wise and very educated. In Denmark it’s the other way around. Just look at the Danish referendums on the EU — people usually vote no. A Dane will always say no whenever asked by some wiser-than-you-type. Just in case. So, we have a tradition of honest skepticism and resistance, as demonstrated in numerous ways throughout our history. It is no coincidence, that — in Holland, in Norway, in France and so on — the citizens just stood around and applauded the Nazis when they rounded up the Jews during WW2. That would be impossible in Denmark, because the Germans knew very well that the Danes wouldn’t consider it a good idea. Things like that don’t go down very well in Denmark. And that’s precisely what makes Denmark a great country, morally and intellectually. And makes me very proud to be a Dane. | |
| SR: | How do you criticize… the Swedish freedom of speech. I don’t know if you know it that well, but I know you’ve got a page in Swedish at your site Trykkefrihedsselskabet [Free Press Society]… what’s the difference between Swedish and Danish free speech? | |
| LH: | Well, I wasn’t aware that there is such a thing as freedom of expression in Sweden. So maybe that’s the difference. I was once invited to give a lecture in Sweden, I will not say which place in order to avoid embarrassing those who invited me, but I was invited to speak about Islam in a major Swedish city and got quite an impression about Swedish freedom of expression. Some very tall Muslims were present and threatened the audience and interrupted me. When talking about my interpretation of the Qur’an they asked me if I invented it myself, and so on and forth. The people who had invited me sat scared in a corner and did not dare to intervene. So, no — I don’t think there’s freedom of speech in Sweden and I’m afraid that anyone who sticks his head up will get it chopped off. | |
| SR: | Have you ever been threatened for what you wrote about Islam during all those years? | |
| LH: | No, not at all. | |
| SR: | And they’ll not threaten you after this book comes public? | |
| LH: | No, I don’t think so, because I tend to believe that those who get threatened are those who they think will cave in when threatened. You know, it’s like a dog smelling people’s angst. If it smells fear, it attacks. If it can’t smell any fear, it doesn’t attack. And I always recommend exactly that to our members — and so far, none of us have been threatened. We are not scared by them, and if they ever dared to attack us it would turn out very uncomfortable for themselves indeed. | |
| SR: | One of my colleagues was in Beirut to a conference on journalism in the Middle East. Here some envoy from the Danish embassy, if I remember correctly, told me about some sort of emergency plan in case something should be initiated, when your book is published. What do you think? | |
| LH: | I don’t know anything about that. When the book is published around December 1st, it has nothing to do with the book as such. In that case it’s something about someone in the Muslim world who wants some attention. Then they’ll grab the opportunity to cause trouble or burn some embassies. They can use any occasion. Any at all will do. Be it a bird singing too loud or a honking car. Whatever. They’ll use anything to ignite anger, so why not some book or some drawing? I can’t take it seriously, and if the Danish embassy or Danish diplomats in Beirut think so, they’re wrong — there’s no connection. | |
| SR: | OK, fine… thank you very much. | |
| LH: | You’re welcome. |
Photo ©Snaphanen.
3 comments:
It seems the Swedes were pre-dhimmified by someone else.
What makes Denmark very different from Sweden are their closely knit communities. Sweden reminds one more of Canada or Russia, where the life is often closer to the toughness of the nature than to the real social life.
I could imagine very different Swedes living in the cities and outside the cities.
Even more divided are the communities in Norway, where the fjords add to the divisions apart from the mountains and vast areas with no inhabitants. The result are also a variety of dialects - hard to understand within Norway.
Speaking of the Jews, it should be noted that there were only 7 000 in Denmark, many more in Holland, probably much less in Norway.
The rescue action was brilliant,
the Danish attitude best possible,
but given the small number of the Jews and open border to the North also technically very viable.
The lesson learnt is that it is worth to protect an insignificant minority which equals standing for the rights of an individual. A natural projection of a conservative principle?
"I tend to believe that those who get threatened are those who they think will cave in when threatened. You know, it’s like a dog smelling people’s angst. If it smells fear, it attacks. If it can’t smell any fear, it doesn’t attack. And I always recommend exactly that to our members — and so far, none of us have been threatened. We are not scared by them, and if they ever dared to attack us it would turn out very uncomfortable for themselves indeed".
This is the common sense formula to counter would-be bullies. The dhimmi groveling we've seen so far by the so-called European leaders just encourages more demands by the bullies.
That said, Mr. Hedegaard must keep in mind the fate of Theo Van Gogh and Pym Fortuyn, who showed no fear yet were murdered by their "critics". I hope he is armed against all eventualities.
We do not threaten them, they make a wrong choice. They need equal threats from both sides - to get the "democratic" balance. That is their message...
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