Swine on the menu?
november 12th, 2009
In a yet unprecedented onslaught of sheer ignorance, Dansk Folkeparti (right-wing party in Denmark) has demanded that swine be on the menu for kindergartens and elderly people’s homes – at least in the amount of 20% of the meals. (Part of this story, for those not in the know, is that Dansk Folkeparti is against anything they do not consider ‘Danish’, this not the least includes foreign religions and cultures.)
Hans Kristian Skibby, running for city council in my home town, ‘admits that an arrangement around swine flesh could create problems for a lot of Muslims and Jews who don’t eat swine, but he does not think this is something that should be taken into account. “I know it can be a problem some places, since a lot of people do not feel like eating swine, but that should not stop us from meaning that this should be the case in Denmark”‘
He proceeds to stating ‘Especially healthy or unhealthy? I am no dietitian, but in Denmark, there is a tradition through many generations, that in this country we can eat pork roast and frikadeller [traditional Danish dish]‘.
Not that I am surprised. Dansk Folkeparti is just banging on their old drum: An underlying agenda of harassing anyone who is different, especially Muslims, until they get enough and leave the country.
But, Hans Kristian Skibby, just so you can take this into account: I am by any standard Danish. I come from several generations of Danish ancestors – not that this should matter, but I have a suspicion that to Dansk Folkeparti it would – and I do not eat swine. In fact, I do not believe it’s good for you, and I choose to not eat it. And no matter what you might think of the Danish’ness around this, I would hate to end up in an old people’s home at one point where I would have to eat swine just because someone like yourself do not think this is ‘Danish’ enough.
Denmark and being Danish should be about more than eating ‘flæskesteg’ and ‘frikadeller’ – good as it may be. It should be about respect for freedom of thought – ‘det danske frisind’ – also towards those that think differently than us. But then again, Dansk Folkeparti has never really wanted this. They want only to cling to a shallow, narrow definition of what is Danish, thereby hollowing out any essence of its true ideals.
7 Comments Add your own
1. Kenneth Birch | november 13th, 2009 at 07:35
This would be outrageously funny, if not for the fact that these people are actually serious. An “unprecedented onslaught of sheer ignorance”? Unfortunately not.
2. raabjerg | november 13th, 2009 at 09:23
True. In my first draft I qualified that statement heavily, but removed it for flow of language
3. Lars Dorland | november 13th, 2009 at 20:04
I think we should eat Hans Kristian Skibby.
4. Serina | november 13th, 2009 at 20:08
I’ve been doing some reading about swine lately, and I just need to share some findings with you.
http://serina.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/gud-dr-house-og-svinekj%C3%B8tt/
Make sure you follow the links “Taenia solium” and “Cysticercus cellulosae”.
I hope I never end up in a danish old people’s home..
5. raabjerg | november 13th, 2009 at 23:11
Lars, I don’t think that’s the best idea you’ve ever come up with
6. Lars Dorland | november 14th, 2009 at 21:56
You’re right. I think we should make the old people eat Hans Kristian Skibby.
7. Pattybutterflies | november 30th, 2010 at 21:57
Maybe someone should pitch the idea to Hans Kristian Skibby that nothing is more Danish than “Danish”… I think both the kids and the old people would appreciate that a lot more than pork in their diets…
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