Longtime U.S. Ally Denmark Needs Americans' Support, Says Native Dane
by Chad Groening
February 24, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A Danish-born columnist and scholar is encouraging Americans to support her native country in the face of continuous abuse from Islamic extremists in the wake of the publication of cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. Violence of the controversial caricatures continued unabated this week. During a rally in Pakistan this week, thousands of angry Muslims shouted "Death to Denmark!" In Iraq, a crowd burned Danish flags and demanded that the government sever diplomatic ties with Denmark. In the midst of this controversy, Helle Dale -- a native Dane who is director of foreign policy and defense studies at the Heritage Foundation -- reminds people that Denmark has been one of the United States' staunchest allies in the war on terrorism.
"There has never been any wavering on the part of the Danish government or the Danish people about the need to help the United States when it needed allies," Dale shares. "They have very warm feelings towards the United States."
Her native country, she adds, "has been with the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq from the very beginning."
As an example of Denmark's close ties with the U.S., the policy analyst shares that her homeland celebrates America's own Independence Day. "It has the second-largest July 4th celebration in the world -- that makes it the largest outside the United States," she says. Along with the celebration, she states, is a special honoree. "Almost every year an American politician is invited to give a speech -- usually [it is] somebody who has family ties to Denmark."
While she admits that "not everybody celebrates it," it remains "a very large and well-known and honored celebration," she says.
Dale encourages Americans to visit the historic capital of Copenhagen and support the Danish people. "Every year Denmark has a sizable population [in the U.S.] -- and there's always been very strong, warm feelings [between the two countries]."
Dale says she is hopeful that Americans will "understand that and appreciate that as part of the picture."
Chad Groening, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
