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February 22, 2006

Stand by Denmark

I try never merely to link to articles without commenting on them, but I have nothing to say about Christopher Hitchens's latest column, about the Danish cartoons, other than to applaud it thunderously:

The incredible thing about the ongoing Kristallnacht against Denmark (and in some places, against the embassies and citizens of any Scandinavian or even European Union nation) is that it has resulted in, not opprobrium for the religion that perpetrates and excuses it, but increased respectability! A small democratic country with an open society, a system of confessional pluralism, and a free press has been subjected to a fantastic, incredible, organized campaign of lies and hatred and violence, extending to one of the gravest imaginable breaches of international law and civility: the violation of diplomatic immunity. And nobody in authority can be found to state the obvious and the necessary—that we stand with the Danes against this defamation and blackmail and sabotage. Instead, all compassion and concern is apparently to be expended upon those who lit the powder trail, and who yell and scream for joy as the embassies of democracies are put to the torch in the capital cities of miserable, fly-blown dictatorships. Let's be sure we haven't hurt the vandals' feelings.

Hitchens concludes:

I feel terrible that I have taken so long to get around to this, but I wonder if anyone might feel like joining me in gathering outside the Danish Embassy in Washington, in a quiet and composed manner, to affirm some elementary friendship. Those who like the idea might contact me at christopher.hitchens@yahoo.com, and those who live in other cities with Danish consulates might wish to initiate a stand for decency on their own account.

Anyone wishing to join me in some act of internationalist solidarity with Denmark, through its London Embassy, is welcome to contact me, and we'll see what we can do.

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who has written. I am in touch with the Danish Embassy (which naturally does not take a stand on political demonstrations) to discuss how we may most helpfully signal our support.