Comment: Another excellent analysis piece by the Guardian of London over the political impact of Anders Hering Breivik’s killings and how politicians are still refusing to stand up and show leadership. They prefer instead to eerily pin the blame on immigrants during these dire economic and political times for Europe. The analysis sites “the failure of multiculturalism” as “racism’s most elastic alibi.”
Write Gavan Titley and Alana Lentin: “Despite the fact that Anders Behring Breivik was not permitted to publicly justify his actions in public on Monday, a scrambling defence of his repertoire of prejudice is already in full swing,” they continue. “(Wall Street Journal writer Bruce)Bawer blames mainstream politics for failing to address the corrosion of Europe by Islamicisation and multiculturalism, meanwhile The Jerusalem Post cautions that ‘Oslo’s devastating tragedy should not be allowed to be manipulated by those who would cover up the abject failure of multiculturalism.'”
As the economic situation worsens and our lives in Europe aren’t helped at all by what happened in Oslo, it is incredible how political leaders even in countries with small immigrant populations like Finland are blaming the “failure of multiculturalism” when, in fact, it is their own failure and of their policies.
One of the biggest answers that they have yet to give is what is the nexst step if “multiculturalism has failed or is dead?” How do we make our societies more acceptant of cultural diversity and how do we avoid the mistakes and our past issues with racism?
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Gavan Titley and Alana Lentin
Despite the fact that Anders Behring Breivik was not permitted to publicly justify his actions in public on Monday, a scrambling defence of his repertoire of prejudice is already in full swing. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Bruce Bawer, who is quoted by Breivik in his manifesto 2083: A European Declaration of Independence, emphasises his repeated warnings that a rightwing extremist may use violence to address “legitimate concerns about genuine problems”. Bawer blames mainstream politics for failing to address the corrosion of Europe by Islamicisation and multiculturalism, meanwhile The Jerusalem Post cautions that “Oslo’s devastating tragedy should not be allowed to be manipulated by those who would cover up the abject failure of multiculturalism”.
I think a good first step is teaching all the new immigrants how to do Telemark and Telespringar dances, how to play the fiddle, how to sing old folk songs – by heart; how to make the old costumes, including clogs, and how to moan about the environment, using Norwegian swearwords.
New immigrants must make these important efforts to assimilate so that they can really learn to love their new country of choice. It may not always be so pleasant to attend these classes, but it will bring a happy assimilation, with the proud Norsk’ers showing their culture.
I know that learning Scandanavian dances here in San Francisco was not so easy, but I attended regularly, 12 sesssions, once a week, and then attended a proper Christmas party in a fake-Norwegian costume to do the candlelight procession through all the great food.
I tell you, this IS a good way to bring outsiders in, to feel less outside the culture.
Certainly, if I moved to Middle Eastern countries, I’d learn their dances and songs with gusto.