- cross-posted to:
- world@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- world@lemmy.world
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/28815530
Summary
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, during his first visit to Denmark since taking office in March, rejected Donald Trump’s push to annex Greenland, stating the island “will never be a piece of property that can be bought.”
Standing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, he added, “We are in a foreign policy situation which means we have to move closer together.”
Frederiksen said Denmark was ready to invest more in Greenland as part of a “modernisation” of the two countries relationship.
As an American I don’t approve of empires: I don’t want Denmark or France to have colonies in the Americas. That doesn’t mean I want Greenland for the US though, let them be a free country of their own (or they could join Canada).
I’m consistent here: I do not approve of having Hawaii as a US state/territory. The other worldwide territories we have: have tiny populations (Guam at 168k) and military bases are an unfortunate necessity. However if anything has or grows to a significant population (with Guam already borderline) they should be left free. Puerto Rico is at least in the Americas: they can go free if they want, or join as a state - they should not be a territory.
So you are in favour of returning the entirety of the Americas to the natives, right?
Denmark has claimed Greenland for longer than the current batch of Inuit live there. Norse settled there some 500 years before Columbus, in completely uninhabited lands. Those settlements failed, current batch of Inuit moved in, history happened. At some point Danes ceased to be assholes thus Denmark fully recognises the Inuit’s rights to self-determination, to declare independence if and when they so desire. No “unfortunate necessity” excuse why they can’t do it which you seem to believe is justifiable. There’s also no deciding for the Inuit “you must become independent, now”, like you’re doing.
Go, look in the mirror, have a long, deep, thought about who has a colonial mindset, here, and who doesn’t. Who is keen on deciding things for another people, and who isn’t.
I’m not sure what you think I’ll see in the mirror: I have a consistent philosophy that does not align with my government.
Just because Denmark has claimed Greenland for a long time does not make it right.
Convenient of you to not address self-determination in your answer. And, no, your position is not consistent or there wouldn’t be “unfortunate necessities”. A weasel clause if there ever was one.
Yeah i oppose empire but support self determination. If the Greenland inuit want to be Danish that’s between them and Denmark
They definitely don’t want to be Danish, as in ethnically, but they want their Scandinavian welfare state and not be worse off independent than as they are as part of the Kingdom. It’s doubly complicated as they can’t readily join the EU without being part of Denmark, too small population-wise, the Faroese are in pretty much the same situation.
I will never go back to reddit, but oh, how I miss r/shitamericanssay ;-)
Doesnt Guam have a bigger population that Greenland?
I don’t mind terretories being part of bigger countries as long as those countries have a real choice to leave as they want. “You can leave, but then we will put sanctions on you” does not count
What is the difference between joining Canada or remaining an autonomous territory of Denmark? Greenland also has the option of leaving Denmark, and this not a topic without controversy and debate within Greenland, so while I appreciated you not wanting them to be forced under US hegemony, I find the rest of your comment a little arbitrary.
And what a funny “option” it is. Even the most boneheaded separatists there have smelled the true smell in the winds from the west by now, and of course even they like a few more hugs and kisses with Denmark so much better.