I’m interning at this ngo, and this German intern started with me. We’ve been getting along quite well, and share a desk as well. Next door to us is a Swedish gora buddha brilliant academic, and the three of us have a nice time chatting. But today the big boss comes along while the three of us are together, and commands us to work on a project surrounding the cartoon controversy, to be presented on Monday. The Swede is to represent Jyllond Posten or right-wing Danes, the German dude Nazi Germany and I’m the taliban come al-qaeda. Well it was all very amusing at first until everyones true feelings began coming out, and me and the german dude were at loggerheads the entire day. I mean I’m quite lib and look at things from both perspectives, but he was stuck on this project the entire day and made his computer background “i support danish democracy and freedom of speech” and was giggling to himself about it, when i told him, why dont you print that sign out and just stick it on your forehead? or better yet, why dont you print those cartoons and stick them all over this wall?" to which he said im taking it too seriously. to which i said no he was getting more agitated, coz he was stuck to his computer screen the entire day researching news on the issue, and basically made it blatantly clear that all Muslims should leave Europe if they cant handle the ‘democratic state’.
I mean we were getting along so well until this issue, which makes me realise that religious intolerance really does create divide and breeds hostility between people.
technically it's irreligious intolerence..secularists..tend to hate religion with quite a bit of fervour.....anyways ignore em Billy..at least you know what the guy is really like now..
sho...it's shocking how people are so intolerant of 'religious' people. his point was that i should laugh it off. I'm like yeah i really dont care what they print, but if its like a domino trend throughout europe where 5 different newspapers print the images, then it's meant to be insight anger and provoke people, innit.
You should have seen Newsnight on BB2 last night. I can't remember the name of the bloke, but it was one of the Danish newspaper men, he mentioned how he would never print anti-sementic cartoons in Germany as that would be offensive and that muslims should understand Danish "satire". Apparantly it's ok to mock the Islamic faith as they are all terrorist's anyway. Some justification eh?
not really, we proceeded to go have lunch together, and there the Swede joined us who was shocked to see us sitting together amicably. He was like " ar yew nat fighting anymore"? and I'm like, "why, are you disappointed or shocked?". and then we discussed the project a bit more.
*then the german colleague blew his nose in a tissue, and to show her new found appreciation for freedom of speech and bonds of friendship, cat-woman used the same tissue to blow her nose thus consolidating their bond of friendship, respect and mutual admiration with co-mingled phlegm. *
…giddy with anticipation, cat-woman dusted off her copy of 'how to be a good muslim lad (who doesn’t condone ‘toonies)’, and day-dreamt of an academically stimulating convo with her new phlegm buddy
