Why Denmark Must Issue an Apology to Muslims

The following comments are taken from an email sent to Prof. Mikael Rothstein of the University of Copenhagen and Flemming Rose, the editor of Jyllands Posten who commissioned the anti-Muslim cartoons. In this letter I strongly urge that Denmark, and those responsible like Rose, immediately issue a formal and complete apology to the Muslims of the world.

Thank you for your note. I am an American journalist who has lived in the Middle East for years and have a degree in History with emphasis on the Middle East. Having lived among Muslims, I have a good understanding of their religious values. This is why I responded so quickly when I became aware of these cartoons that Flemming Rose had commissioned and then published.

About, Flemming Rose, allow me to clarify my line of questioning a bit. My question of Flemming Rose's religious persuasion is not the point. The real issue is where does his loyalty lie?

The anti-Muslim cartoon scandal is clearly turning out to be a key event in the Zionist Neo-Cons' "clash of civilizations," the artificially constructed struggle to pit the so-called Christian West against the Islamic states and peoples.

We know that Flemming Rose is a colleague and fellow of the Zionist Neo-Con Daniel Pipes. He has visited Pipes in Philadelphia and written a friendly biographical article which is featured on Daniel Pipes Danish website.

As you know, Pipes is a radical Zionist of the most extreme sort - a hard-line Jabotinsky sort of Zionist. You know, the Iron Fist-Iron Brain, kind of Zionist - the kind that considers Ariel Sharon to be soft on the Palestinians.

We know that there are radical Zionists among Danish Christians as there are millions of Christian Zionists in the USA. The real question is what does Flemming Rose believe?

Is he a Christian Zionist who is leading a kind of Danish crusade against Islam?

Is he an atheist who does not care about or respect the beliefs of Muslims?

...or, is he a closet Jew who denies his Jewish roots and waves his Danish citizenship while waging a poorly-disguised Zionist campaign against Muslims and Arabs?

Because of Rose's close connection with Daniel Pipes, his position as "cultural editor" and his physical appearance, I suspect the latter is the case. I think Rose is a Zionist agent who has created this scandal for a strategic purpose.

Rose should be arrested and interrogated for his actions in creating hatred and hostility against people of another religious group. Why is his crime against an entire people not considered a crime in Denmark?

If holocaust skeptics are arrested and held in jail for raising questions about the holocaust, why is Rose allowed to wage media terror and offend millions of Muslims with impunity?

I think this scandal has actually been created and is being manipulated by a hidden hand in order to foment racial and religious hatred in Denmark and across Europe and the Middle East. Why else would the Danish government not do the sensible thing and issue a formal apology?

You do realize that the crisis will continue and deepen until the Queen or the Prime Minister issue a formal and heartfelt apology, don't you? This could become a religious and civil war between Europeans and Muslims. Europe has had a few such wars in the past.

How much does Denmark want to lose before it does the only proper and sensible thing and issue an apology? Do they want Denmark and Europe to suffer more?

Muslims imams are now calling for the heads of Flemming Rose and those responsible for the cartoons. He should immediately issue a sincere and public apology to the Muslim people. If he does not do so, I fear his life will be in danger.

Furthermore, if he continues to refuse to apologize, it only proves that his effort, which has lead to such hostility, was intentional all the way. If that is the case, he should be arrested and put in prison because he has been directly responsible for the insult he has caused millions of Muslims and the consequent damage he has caused to Denmark and the Danish people.

The damage to Denmark's image, prestige and economy is likely to be severe and long-lasting. Danish lives are clearly in danger.

As a religious scholar of high standing, Mr. Rothstein, you and other concerned citizens should urge the Queen of Denmark and Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to issue an apology as soon as possible. Otherwise the crisis will only get worse and the relationship between Denmark and the Islamic world will never be repaired. Who could possibly want such an outcome?

Muslims have a strict code of honor and Denmark has committed a grave insult and affront against Islam - therefore, there is only one way out and that is to issue a sincere apology and ask for forgiveness - and then pray and work for peace.

Christopher Bollyn

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Last updated 08/02/2006

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