It's the Religion, Stupid

Okay....although I was already exhausted and borderline delerious, a nap gave me the energy to go out and seek some Danish opinion about the US. What I found was a pub with only two people in it: a 28 year old bartender who didn't mind being called 30 and a 50 year old musician. I had to suffer through a couple shots of a liquor called Fish (thankfully, it tasted better than it sounded) but, they were willing to talk. Lots.

The most notable thing to report about the conversation was that religion was a HUGE factor in their opinions of other governments. It wasn't whether or not people were religious in their personal lives. It was about what they heard them talking about with relation to governing.

Although they both disagreed on a range of topics of US and Danish policy, they both fully agreed that Bush was full of crap because he talked about religion all the time in his public speeches. They actually equated it to Muslim extremists, in that they are indoctrinated into doing crazy things in the name of religion. But, if they were actually allowed to live their lives, and decide for themselves the people they would be, then they wouldn't do things like acting as suicide bombers.

I was glad to get that point out of them, because at first, I thought they were just anti-Islam. But, once they made their point, I think they have a good one.

They pointed out that religion has no role in Danish politics. They pointed out that this was a reason that all people feel like they have representation in the government. Well, that, and that they have their crazy righties and lefties too. But, they insist that injecting religion into government is a bad idea.

Isn't that interesting coming from two Danes of two generations, talking to a son of a country that was founded on separation of church and State?

Okay, I'm going to bed for real now. It has kind of been more than a day and a half since sleep, but I look forward to being adjusted to the time tomorrow and kissing jetlag goodbye!

Tomorrow, I plan to go to the Danish Parliament and see if I can talk to someone there. Check back to see if it works!