Lars Hedegaard, founder of Denmark’s Free Press Society, speaks from a secret location after an attempt on his life.
The assassin came to his home dressed as a postman. When the historian and journalist Lars Hedegaard opened his front door, the man — whom Lars describes as ‘looking like a typical Muslim immigrant’ in his mid-twenties — fired straight at his head. Though Hedegaard was a yard away, the bullet narrowly missed. The mild-mannered scholar (70 years old) then punched his assailant in the head. The man dropped the gun, picked it up and fired again. The gun jammed and the man ran off. More than a week later, he has yet to be found.
I am ambivalent. Of course Hedegaard should have a right to say whatever he wants and life should not be the punishment for any speech. With that said if someone had a hobby of handing out mugs with this picture on them
Lars is defending the right to free speech but how he uses that speech is to bully a minority. I am still on his side but I don't like him.
I may be a little offended. (after I stopped laughing.)
The problem in Denmark is that the punishment isn't even necessarily vigilante murder, but also state-sanctioned incarceration. There is no legal right in Denmark to "say whatever you want to say" if someone claims to be insulted or offended. This has an incredibly chilling effect on the public discourse, and gives a free pass to dangerous anti-Western ideologies.
The law.
"Whoever publicly or with the intent of public dissemination issues a pronouncement or other communication by which a group of persons are threatened, insulted or denigrated due to their race, skin color, national or ethnic origin, religion or sexual orientation is liable to a fine or incarceration for up to two years."
What's so offensive about an old, bearded guy with cold hands?
While I admire and support his organization's mission and work, he comes off as a condescending jackass: He's got a long way to go intellectually if he feels that only intellectuals are capable of moral courage. Ugh.You’ve got to distance yourself from fear if you want to be a true writer and a true intellectual, which is what I’m trying to be.’
If your education is to be used to shut up, placate, downplay, sweet talk, then you are better off being a carpenter.’
Maybe I'm reading it wrong. It just seemed an odd juxtaposition because (at least in the US), union carpenters actually undergo extensive and quite formalized training to learn their craft, complete with graded curriculum. It's a 4 year program as an apprentice. Maybe he should have said 'dishwasher' :)