The World According to Nick
My take on Software, Technology, Politics, and anything else I feel like talking about.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005

I'm Actually Conflicted About This 

Michelle Malkin points to this story today about the owner of a pizzeria in Denmark:

A Danish pizzeria owner was jailed Tuesday for refusing to serve French and German tourists in protesting their countries' opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
A Danish court found Aage Bjerre guilty of discrimination and fined him $900. Bjerre refused to pay, and will now serve an eight-day sentence.

"I'm doing it to show my sympathy with the United States. It shows how seriously I mean it," he told The Associated Press by telephone. "But one should also remember that eight days is a small price to pay when American soldiers go to Iraq and risk their limbs and lives."

In February 2003, before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Bjerre posted two signs barring Germans and French from his pizzeria on Denmark's western island of Fanoe. His refusal to serve them drew criticism in this Scandinavian country, where the government supported the war while its citizens were split.

This website is collecting pledges for the restaurant owner since he has now lost his business. I understand why all sorts of pro-war people are jumping on this story, and supporting someone who is supporting us. But I wonder... what if this were... oh... let's say Alabama and this man had posted signs barring black people from his restaurant. Would you pledge money then? Not only that, what does it say about us that we think it's acceptable to hold an entire population accountable for the decisions of that population's government. Isn't that something we complain about when the French or German's say they hate all Americans? Just a thought.

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Name: Nick
Home: Wauwatosa, WI, United States

I'm a Software Consultant in the Milwaukee area. Among various geeky pursuits, I'm also an amateur triathlete, and enjoy rock climbing. I also like to think I'm a political pundit.


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