[See Parts 1 and II in veteran journalist and political activist Ron Ridenour's series on Denmark and its alliance with U.S. imperialism]
Midway in Wimbledon's championship last July, Denmark's favorite son, Rune Holger, bashed a forehand over to his senior by 16 years, the seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, who had leg surgery a month before. I missed the return as a loud Danish voice droned over the TV.
"Russian missile hit children's hospital killing...."
True or false is not my point. Lies are spread incessantly about this war. I was away from it today, enjoying my favorite sport, when Big-Brother-Is-Watching came into our living room.
Denmark did not experience the McCarthy period as I did when still an American Exceptionalist believer. Since this war began, Denmark has effectively prohibited any rational or irrational voice to be publicly expressed that maybe the Russians have a right to fight for their own sovereignty.
Schools do not even allow teachers to discuss if Russians might fear that the U.S. plus its NATO are edging into Russian territory with the intent of taking over. Facts to support that are not allowed, such as: recruiting countries' governments into NATO at Russia's border; money-arms-training for terrorist organizations to fight color revolutions and overthrow non-compliant governments. Not to mention, U.S./U.K. invasion of Russia shortly after communist revolutionaries won a relatively bloodless revolution in 1917, and on and on.
Даже в университетах царит атмосфера нацистской Германии Berufsverbot (профессиональный запрет).
History Professor Jens Joergen Nielsen was fired after four teachers walked out of the "People's University" because he taught there, and one of his students contended that he was too "pro-Putin" for their taste. Nielsen has written three books on Ukraine and Russia. He knows their languages. Nielsen had taught there for eight years, and was teaching about the current war. While he spoke against Russia's invasion, he explained what motivated Russia. Both sides were taught.
Jens Joergen Nielsen. [Source: flyingeogfred.dk]
Nielsen was able to tell the media his version after he was fired, in November 2022. His main concern had been to prevent world war. "We stand in a situation that could end in an atomic war." "There has been a shitstorm. I mean, there is a wrong take on Russia and Ukraine. I am inspired by some American realists, such as John Mearsheimer and Henry Kissinger."
Kissinger died recently, 100 years old, after having been a major figure in forging U.S.'s wars in many countries. He is especially known for his role in the Indochina war, and for overthrowing democratically elected Salvador Allende, a mild socialist. His choice was establishing General Augusto Pinochet as dictator of Chile in the first 9/11 coup d'état, September 11, 1973.
Kissinger's reasoning: "I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves."
Kissinger, nevertheless, was placed on Ukraine's Myrotvorets "hit list", because he "suggested that fully antagonizing Russia threatens stability in Europe." This list is backed by Kyiv's government, and the CIA. At least a score of people on it have been murdered, a couple thousands arrested, and thousands of critical journalists are named. Professor Nielsen is now listed, as is CovertAction Magazine's managing editor, Jeremy Kuzmarov.
Myrotovrets"Peace keepers" hit list connects Kiev, CIA, and assassins of people and free speech. [Source: mronline.org]
Manufacturing Consent to Militarize Society
In this free-spirited land that first brought pornography legally to the world, today's mass media is daily fraught with anti-Russian reportage and editorializing á la the red scare.
During most of this two-and-on-half years of Ukraine-Russia war, the key television stations devote hours daily to the war, in one way or another. For days on end, there is often a program with Danish military officers showing where the fighting is happening, and who has the best of it. News coverage never suggests that Russia has a point of view other than as an imperialist grabbing European territory and will not be satisfied only with devouring Ukraine.
As I write this, September 17, the main TV channel is showing a special "Horizon" program: Neighbors to Russia-will war also come to me?" A Dane reports from Norway at the artic speaking with young guards who, she says, wonder if or when Russia will invade Norway.
Again, the media doesn't consider that would mean 140 million Russians are so stupid, including the two generation-long experienced president and the military, that they are prepared to war against 32 nations at once.
"The alliance has increased its NATO Response Force deployments in Eastern Europe, and the combined militaries of all NATO members include around 3.5 million soldiers and personnel. All member states together cover an area of 25.07 million km² and about 973 million people."
Daily Newspaper headline: "Despite prohibition Danes Can Still Read Articles from Putin's Propaganda Machine." [Source: Photo Courtesy of Ron Ridenour]
I took this photo of a major daily front page at my local food market this summer. Another customer held the newspaper for me. When he asked what I wanted this for, and I explained, he became livid with patriotic anger that I could question the rationality and morality of censoring "the enemy Russians" right to tell their side of the story and my right to know what they say.
Denmark and the EU have made it subversive to read, see or hear Russian media. If one can figure out modern technology, or get help as I must, it is still possible to go around their technologic Berufsverbot and see RT.
Even the anti-Semitic Martin Luther Lutheran state church is for the war. Its 10 bishops encourage their priests to be "field priests"-consoling soldiers fighting the "common" enemies. Several of them write for newspapers, especially the "Christian Daily" (KD), which I rename the "Anti-Christ Christian Daily."
KD uses parish priest Jesper Bacher as a commentator. His July 26, 2024 piece is headlined, "The Arms Industry Comes in from the Cold."
"Weapons must there be so life can grow," is Bacher's lead. He concludes: "It is, in fact, unethical to be for fine to invest in our common security" so the weapons industry must end "their ethical reservations for investing in weapons industry." He does not explain when any weapons industry had such "reservations."
My effort to debate via letter-to-the-editor was, of course, a waste of angry energy. I met one of these "field priests" at a dinner invitation some years ago. He sat before me wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with: "Operation Enduring Freedom," which he had obtained when praying for Danish soldiers as they fought Afghanistan Taliban soldiers.
He didn't know that the CIA had created the Taliban, and he refused to take off his t-shirt. I walked away from the venue waving a clenched fist.
The most grotesque yet is that "field priests" are training to kill U.S. enemies when they travel to a land the U.S. wants to dominate. In October 2024, The government sponsored TV network DR sent a four-part series entitled: "Priests at War-from Priests Dress to Uniform"
The advertisement for it shows a priest shooting his pistol at a target range:
"A priest takes aim with his gun to pass a shooting test. Adam is currently a parish priest in Gentofte church, but is training to become a field priest. And when priests have to go to war, they must be able to both shoot and run if necessary. But why would a priest expose himself to danger and conflict when he could live in peace in his rectory and his church?"
The government's media war propaganda escalates. At the same time it sends God's earthly delegates killing for the US-ARME, DR sends an hour-long, six part series in which Danish soldiers kill people in several countries for the U.S. entitled: "Velkommen til frontlinjen." [Welcome to the Front Line]. It goes on to say:
WARNING: The series contains violent images. "The risk of dying in war is there, but it is a shame when it is because we are not up-to-date with our equipment." says Jesper.
Another of the anti-Christ headlines (May 25, 2024) is too tempting not to mention here. "Europe can achieve peace, if we can realize that war never disappears." So much for the holy church messages to us sinners in the name of some kind of "Christian" god.
During last May's EU parliament elections, three candidates from three different political parties were signaled out by two lunch counter newspapers for being connected to a Russian fund, which helped Russian speaking citizens living in Denmark with "legal assistance."
After being slurred in the media, they all dropped out of the race. One of them, 28-year old, Danish born Alexandra Sasha Bessmertnaia, was a member of Venstre (liberal-conservative) party, known for its perennial war hawkish positions. Sasha was a star for her party, and publically supports Ukraine in this war. Yet she was "exposed" for having connections with Russia at forums, such as the European Russia Forum, before the war. She has a Russian background. She designs and sells fashion clothing.
Alexandra Sasha Bessmertdeltager (l) December 2015, at a Russian Business Conference at UCLA, where she studied (as did I in the 1960s). [Source: piopio.dk]
A Russian expert at the Danish Institute for International Studies, a pro-military think tank, told B.T. that the European Russian Forum is a "forum of influence." I could find no evidence that it is blacklisted.
Be that as it may, Sasha not only dropped out of the election she dropped out of politics.
Without having spent much time researching the mainstream media throughout Europe, I can conclude, nevertheless, that the Danish media can be proud that more Danes, and other Scandinavians, are more gung ho about warring against Russia than the average European.
In the latest EU-sponsored poll (ECFR May 2024) of the 15 countries polled only Sweden represented Scandinavia. It placed 2nd highest (66% to 16%) wanting to continue sending arms/ammunition/funds to Ukraine. Greece, Bulgaria, and Italy majorities opposed doing so.
In earlier Danish media polls, 72% Danes considered Russia an enemy opposed to EU average of 54%. In the same period, 80% to 7% wish to continue sending more weaponry.
"Enhedslisten" (Red/Green) was created, in 1991, as a Marxist political party by the traditional Communist Party, the key Trotskyist Party and Left Socialists. It has been in the parliament since 1994. Yet today it is mildly social democratic and 68% of its members say yes to arming Ukraine to 19% no. "Marxists" and the MSM can congratulate themselves for assisting the slaughter house.
Original article: CovertAction Magazine