Jimmy's Corner

Dropping by the the Danish Muslims' website Al Mujaz (in Arabic) I found an opening article that caught my attention. It is entitled "A message from another Denmark". The message was copied and pasted from a website made by Danish citizens in which they express their apology about the Jyllands-Posten cartoon controversy. They say:

A letter from Another Denmark

Dear Muslim citizens in Denmark and the World

I wish to state the existence of another Denmark: A Denmark that wants to live in peace with the Muslim world. There is another Denmark, which hopes for and believes in respect and tolerance between religions and different groups of people. As a Dane I have no responsibility for what a single and privately owned Danish newspaper chooses to publish. Even so, I strongly condemn the actions of Jyllands-Posten that have offended muslims around the world, and I understand the need for an apology from the newspaper.

We all have a responsibility for treating each other, our religious faiths, and convictions with dignity and respect. By publishing the caricatures of Muhammad, the newspaper Jyllands-Posten failed their obligation to exercise with care and consideration the right of freedom of speech.

I condemn all kinds of discrimination, prejudice and racism, whether it is directed against Muslims, Jews, Christians or other groups in a society. Therefore, I reject the hostile and prejudicial way of speaking that has marked several Danish,political parties and media within recent years.

I want to make a request to all parts involved, that opinions and protests may be conducted in a respectful and peaceful manner. Attacks on and threats against individuals and assets only make the situation worse for all of us.

I believe in a world, where religions, ethnic groups and various political and cultural opinions can coexist in an atmosphere of dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect. I wish to state the existence of Another Denmark that conceives itself as a part of such a heterogenous world and humanity.

In the sincere hope of international tolerance and respect.

And I found out that their guest book has 6114 signs till now. This letter comes at the same time Muslim young men lauched a website apologizing for Denmark and Norway about the violent attacks on their embassies. And I found a link to the Arab website on the Danish one.

I can't tell you how happy I am as these calls for tolerance and respect of the other are getting louder everyday. I say we should all promote this great spirit in Middle East and Denmark to start a peaceful dialogue that will surly lead to more understand and mutual respect. I say what made me even happier is a piece of news on Al Jazeera:

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has joined calls for calm amid international furore sparked by cartoons of Prophet Muhammad, but a Taliban commander in Afghanistan says 100 suicide bombers have volunteered.

[...]

A senior figure at Al-Azhar, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, said it was time to move on from high emotion to constructive dialogue.

"Quiet debate and dialogue, without passion" is the way forward, Ali al-Samman, who heads an interconfessional dialogue committee at the prestigious seat of learning in the Egyptian capital, said.

Finally, the numbers of those calling for starting a dialogue are increasing on both side. But as you read still terrorists are trying to provoke the situation to hinder reaching an understanding which will be just be more weapon aimed at their hearts. Let's just never give them the space to ruin this great spirit spreading among us and work on achieving the main goal which is starting the dialogue to narrowen the gaps between cultures and achieve understanding, respect and cooperation for the good of humanity.

The sites are:
Another Denmark (Danish side)
We are sorry (Muslim Side)