TS says the tensions between Islam and the West are being played out in Denmark’s political system: we’re not seeing violence, so it’s a political and foreign policy phenomenon. (How is it that Denmark has become such a flashpoint for tensions between Islam and the West?) There is one party with a strongly Islam-ophobic agenda with allies to the central government, this is the Danish People’s Party (DPP). They put out ads showing women wearing the religious burka suggesting that is what Danish judges would look like if headscarves were not banned. (And statements from Al Qaeda can cause even more damage, such as the Danish Embassy in Pakistan being attacked. Do Danes see themselves as having to pay a price for their relations with Islam?) Yes, I think that is a debate we’re having now. the connection for that terrorist attack is clear. (What element of this has to do for Denmark allying itself with Washington in Iraq and Afghanistan?) Those connections add to that. We still have a symbolic presence in Afghanistan.
At The World, we believe strongly that human-centered journalism is at the heart of an informed public and a strong democracy. We see democracy and journalism as two sides of the same coin. If you care about one, it is imperative to care about the other.
Every day, our nonprofit newsroom seeks to inform and empower listeners and hold the powerful accountable. Neither would be possible without the support of listeners like you. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!