Westergaard: Danish "Hero" Abandons Granddaughter

[International: Commentary]

Kurt Westergaard the Danish cartoonist, who portrayed the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb on his head as a turban, is celebrated in some misguided circles as a "hero."

His cartoon caused outrage in the Islamic world. Westergaard has received the Sappho Award, which is awarded by the Free Press Society of Denmark to journalists who combine "courage" with a refusal to compromise.

On January 1, 2010 a young Somali Muslim entered Westergaard's house with an axe and a knife. Westergaard's house is furnished with steel doors, a panic room, and surveillance cameras. Westergaard needs these accoutrements.

Realizing that this young man was not there to help him trim the trees in his garden, Westergaard ran for the panic room. So here we have a man of "courage," who has won an award for bravery, running to the panic room. The police came and shot the intruder, wounding him.

Westergaard was saved. The brave man was rescued.

The press has praised his "courage" for standing up to Islam and terrorists. But media are neglecting an important point. He ran for the safe room and left a priceless belonging behind him. No, not a Rembrandt. His five year old granddaughter. Yes, the man, who was lauded as "brave" for his cartoons, left behind his five year old granddaughter to face a man armed with a knife and an axe.

Contrast Westergaard's actions with that of Angel, a Labrador retriever, in Canada. The dog saw 11 year-old Austin Forman being attacked by a mountain lion. Angel went after the cougar. The police came and shot the cougar.

That fellow with the axe and knife was lucky that Westergaard did not have Angel, the Labrador retriever, in his house.

It's a sad commentary when a Labrador retriever shows more courage than a grown man.