Youth Violence and the Infamous Danish Cartoons

Over the last week or two there have been a lot of fire trucks and police sirens blaring here in the evening. Given that I don't have a TV and have been immersed in keeping up with the mad pace of classes since returning from Paris I haven't paid much attention to what is going on. But A LOT is going on here.

Apparently, according to news reports and the explanations of some profs and colleagues the sirens have been due to several cars and some buildings being set on fire by youth in Copenhagen. The additional description often given is that the fires have been set by 2nd generation immigrant youth. Whether this is true or not I can't really say. What I can say (according to a BBC News report) is that roughly 20 people have been arrested in connection with what is being called a youth uprising in response to a new police policy that allows officers to search anyone at random for weapons (without warrents).

As an American I can certainly see being angry about warrentless searches (and probably seizures if they find something). At the same time I can understand the desire of the police and the government to improve public safety as crime rates have increased in Copenhagen over the last few years. To me it feels quite safe here but there are areas that one is warned to stay away from at odd hours of the night/morning - and I do.

I find it interesting that most of the stories and reports I read specifically say that these youth are the sons/daughters of immigrants. I have heard so much about immigration since I arrived here and the Danish cartoons that have angered Muslims in Denmark and beyond are a perfect example of the cultural challenges Danish society is facing. One friend of mine said she thought that it was now a viscious cycle: Muslims don't feel respected here, the cartoons are published demonstrating a lack of respect, protests happen, respect from the majority declines more, and on and on.

I can see both sides of this situation. I can see that one might be upset if one's religion is insulted in the national press (repeatedly). I also acknowledge the importance and value of freedom of speech. The cartoons were reprinted recently after the arrest of 3 suspects for allegedlly plotting to assasinate one of the cartoonists. Two were non-Danish and one Danish. Now apparently the 2 non-Danes will be deported directly (without trial) to Tunisia. I have no idea what the evidence is against these two, but it seems strange to me that there would be no trial. Perhaps the government is seeking to avoid further confrontation with the Muslim minority here but it seems this action may serve to increase distrust.

And what about the republishing of the cartoons? It seems this act by the newpapers was intended to be an act of solidarity with the cartoonist and to demonstrate that mainstream Danish free-speech valuing culture will not bow to the wishes of a minority with different cultural and religious traditions and views on freedom of speech. I see the value in making such a statement but did it need to be done in such a manner? Couldn't the newspapers all have printed editorials speaking out in support of the cartoonist? The result of republishing seems to have done nothing more but increase the divide between the two sides. MPs that were due to meet with officials in Iran have even been impacted as the Iranian government requested the MPs apologize or denounce the cartoon reprinting and they refused - the trip has now been called off.

I don't know the solution to this expanding divide between Danes and the Danish and non-Danish Muslims, but surely there needs to be some sort of dialogue process started, perhaps at the community level. What I have wondered throughout the last few weeks is why we don't see similar problems in the US (maybe I am just unaware of them)? For all the problems in the US (lack of national healthcare, poverty, huge prison populations, crime, military corruption) I have not seen a divide in the US between Muslims and non-Muslims like one sees and feels in the air here in Denmark. Is it because the US has a longer history of substantially high immigration? Is it because the "mainstream" of US culture is in some ways an abundance of culture and a complete lack of definable culture at the same time? Does the inability to define the mainstream enable more freedom for all; citizens, non-citizens, Muslims, and non-Muslims alike? Are there better connections between Muslim communities and other faiths? Is there more integration?

I think at the very least there must be more integration. One of the things I tell people I value about the US is that you can walk down the street in San Francisco or New York or Chicago and not have a clue about whether the people walking ahead, behind, or toward you are American or not just by looking at them. Knowing if someone is American requires getting to know that person, having a conversation - making a snap judgement based on appearance will get you nowhere. This is something unique to the US and I think few other places in the world - it is certainly not the case (currently) in Denmark. Among my friends in their 20s and 30s there seems to be an understanding that a "Dane" may be white, black or brown skinned. Perhaps this understanding can also be seen in the Facebook group started by a college student to apologize to Muslims in Denmark about the cartoons.

At issue now seems to be how much mainstream Danish culture will, can, or should adjust, bend or reconsider its identity and assumptions to enable integration of non-white, non-European immigrant communities.