The Land of Xenophobia

In response to:The Land of Xenophobia

2008-06-27T09:13:18+02:00

It makes me very sad to hear about such insults. Of course we have to bear in mind that Catholics and Protestants belong to 'different churches', but we do still have a lot in common. I think it would be a much more Christian attitude, if the Danish Peoples Church would welcome everybody, rather than being so offensive.

In response to:The Land of Xenophobia

2008-06-26T20:12:29+02:00

"-At least she is not a French Catholic, he said with a smile."

As a French Catholic living in Denmark, I do find this insulting, although not surprising. Danes have several times started arguments with me about my religion, sneering at me and demanding that I explain the blood baths of the 16th century, for instance. (How can you be Catholic after this?)

I have also been called ugly because of my brown hair by different people, and also by the same people repeatedly.

In response to:Birthe Rønn Hornbech: A Brave Danish Politician

2008-05-21T09:22:02+02:00

The fact that it takes 15 years to become a judge in Denmark does make a difference. It is 15 years where the person will have to prove that he or she has got what it takes to be the person in charge of the court case. In Denmark anybody with the marks can get into law school. Unlike many other countries, it is not just those who can afford it, and have a large family tradition of lawyers who will get a place there. You have to be clever enough; thats all! I would therefore like to argue, that the juridical system in Denmark is a lot more impartial than in some other European countries. There could, of course, be broken barrels somewhere, but in general, the Danish system is extremely efficient and free of any kind of corruption.

A ban on religious symbols in the court room is in reality a ban on head scarfs. Other religious symbols have somehow never been an issue in Denmark before. It is therefore also a way of saying, that a larger group of Muslim women should not be allowed as judges in a Danish court room.

I believe, that if the Danish politicians really wants to prove the 'impartiality' of the judges, they should rather consider introducing the wigs that are being used in courts in England and Wales. Or how about head scarfs to all female judges?

In response to:Birthe Rønn Hornbech: A Brave Danish Politician

2008-05-20T23:43:10+02:00

The argument that because it takes a person 15 years before he or she will be chosen as a judge any sign of religious extremism would have been noticed and cause them not to be be chosen anyway is fallacious. There were any number of judges in Europe with character falws that bring them and the legal system into disrepute and there are any number of Christian and other types of bigots on the bench now all over Europe who were been appointed after undergoing years of training and rigorous selection processes. The question is: who is choosing , what are the criteria they apply, and, of those criteria, which do they give most weight to.

Another point: The idea that judges should not be forced to wear any symbols, does not have as its logical consequence that Judges therefore should not be banned from wearing them either.

In response to:Birthe Rønn Hornbech: A Brave Danish Politician

2008-05-20T17:11:18+02:00

This is Birthe Rønn Hornbechs emailaddress, by the way: min@inm.dk

In response to:The Land of Xenophobia

2008-03-31T10:15:25+02:00

It is difficult to say which 'type' of people the Danes don't like. I think it is a fright of anything different, or people who just do not fit into the average sized boxes Danes like to live in. It could therefore be any differences; colour, religion, fashion, ideas etc. Even though I am a native myself, I have experienced the xenophobia as well. My 'mistake' is, that I married a foreigner ... and even brought him back to Denmark. When we first arrived, I had to take my children to 'Folkeregistret'; the place where every Dane get their extremely important CPR-number. Denmark has one big database, where all the citizens details are being kept. It can be very useful if you need medical treatment, tax refunds, child benefit, pension, parking fees or you are at the library. The little yellow card with the CPR-number makes you a part of the family, and a familiar face wherever you go. Apart from that, you will never be able to hide anything from the state.
One of my children was born in Denmark. The rest of them were not. I therefore had to take them to the CPR-office, so that they could become proper Danes. Actually, they are all very Danish. They speak the language, they were brought up on Danish food, and, by having a Danish mother, they are, according to Danish law, Danish citizens by birth. However, I had been informed, that I would have to bring all my children and their passports and their birth certificates, to be able to get the the very important numbers to the little ones. At the desk it took a long time to fill in all the forms. As I gave the passports to the lady who worked there - and enjoyed her chewing gum!!! - I told her, that the first passport belonged to the child born in Denmark, and the rest of them to the ones that were not.
-Oh, she said with a smile. -You mean, the ones that are not Danish.
-No, they are indeed Danes. They were just born outside the country, I corrected her.
-Whatever you call it, she said with a sneer.

Next step in the procedure was the question of religion. In Denmark, the Folkekirke (The Peoples Church) - equivalent to the Church of England! - is a part of the state. As a member of Folkekirken, you automatically pay a monthly amount of tax to the Churches in Denmark. The Parliament also have a Church ministry that rules the churches in cooperation with the bishops. To become a member of Folkekirken, you must have been baptized in, not just a Protestant Church, but in a Danish Peoples Church. Our children were born all over Europe, and they have therefore been baptized in different countries and different churches. One daughter was baptized in a little village church in England. The vicar was a friend of ours, and we were sure we were doing the right thing, as it happened. At the Danish Folkeregister, ten years later, they did however not agree. I had a number of people turning up at the desk. They were not sure if my daughter could become a member of the Folkekirke. Even though she was brought up by me - a proper Danish Christian! - she was treated as pariah. In the end, the chief of the office decided to accept her, but to put a note on her application, to inform the local vicar about her 'disability'. -At least she is not a French Catholic, he said with a smile. At some stage, I told the 'Church Police' to forget it. If it was that important to the Danish Folkekirke to avoid newcomers, I was not sure if I wanted to be part of it anymore. I am not exactly a regular at my local church, but I do go to Church ever so often. For all those years I have been in England, and been to English churches, my Christian flavour, has never been an issue. Now, my own Church in Denmark, would not accept my little daughter. Not exactly, what I would describe as good Christian behavior.

A few days later we got our letters from the Folkeregister. Hurray, we made it! We are now all proper members of Denmark and the Folkekirke, and will be proud to show them our yellow CPR-Card the next time we go to Church.

In response to:The Land of Xenophobia

2008-03-30T21:42:00+02:00

so, is the xenophobia compartmentalised? is is Danes against everyone or is it slightly more comlicated than that? Does it include, colour, creed politics etc. I would be interested to know more

In response to:The Land of Xenophobia

2008-03-23T23:01:36+01:00

I'll be interested to see your thoughts on this. Good luck.

In response to:The Land of Xenophobia

2008-03-22T22:30:20+01:00

I have visited Denmark and found it to be one of the nicest countries I have visited. But I have proven Viking blood so I felt at home.