It's still too soon to know what motivated the man pictured at right who murdered more than 90 people in Norway yesterday through a bomb blast at government offices and then a horrific shooting spree that killed dozens and dozens of youths at an island political party camp. However, several reports suggest that the shooter was a right wing extremist who also considered himself a conservative Christian. Besides the obvious example of the consequences of far right rhetoric, the incident also raises the question of why the Hell anyone outside the military should ever be able to possess automatic weapons. Without automatic weapons, the shooter could not have taken so many lives. The BBC has this brief elements on the shooter:*
Police chief Sveinung Sponheim said his internet postings "suggest that he has some political traits directed toward the right, and anti-Muslim views".
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On the Facebook page attributed to him, he describes himself as a Christian and a conservative.
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The Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang quoted a friend as saying that the suspect turned to right-wing extremism when in his late 20s. The paper also said that he participated in online forums expressing strong nationalistic views.
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Even the less than sensationalistic Virginian Pilot had this about the shooter:
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The same man - a blonde-blue eyed Norwegian with reported Christian fundamentalist, anti-Muslim views - is suspected in both attacks.
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The Swedish paper Expressen has these additional details on the shooter:
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According to Norwegian TV2, he belonged to right-wing circles in East Iceland - the part of the country where, among other things Oslo included. He also had multiple weapons - according to VG, he had a pistol, a rifle and a shotgun. According to witnesses, several weapons also remain in his car - including a machine gun.
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Anders Behring Breivik has been active in various right-wing forum in Norway and he has among other things, wrote that the fight is between nationalism and internationalism. According to VG, he calls himself a nationalist. He has also written a number of Islam-critical posts.
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There is also speculation that the shooter might have been in line with some politicians who have been openly voicing concerns about how Norway's culture might be diluted by immigration from countries with different religions and values.
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Does any of this sound familiar? Yes, it sounds just like the hate and venom coming out of far right extremists and far right Christians in the USA - many of whom have been exporting their poison overseas. Let's be clear, extremism of any kind is dangerous, but religious extremists are the most dangerous because in their warped view, God is on their side. One need not look far to see examples all around in this country where Christianists are constantly disseminating propaganda that could easily encourage (Lou Sheldon of the hate groups Traditional Values Coalition recently stated that gays are the very face of evil).
Police chief Sveinung Sponheim said his internet postings "suggest that he has some political traits directed toward the right, and anti-Muslim views".
*
On the Facebook page attributed to him, he describes himself as a Christian and a conservative.
*
The Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang quoted a friend as saying that the suspect turned to right-wing extremism when in his late 20s. The paper also said that he participated in online forums expressing strong nationalistic views.
*
Even the less than sensationalistic Virginian Pilot had this about the shooter:
*
The same man - a blonde-blue eyed Norwegian with reported Christian fundamentalist, anti-Muslim views - is suspected in both attacks.
*
The Swedish paper Expressen has these additional details on the shooter:
*
According to Norwegian TV2, he belonged to right-wing circles in East Iceland - the part of the country where, among other things Oslo included. He also had multiple weapons - according to VG, he had a pistol, a rifle and a shotgun. According to witnesses, several weapons also remain in his car - including a machine gun.
*
Anders Behring Breivik has been active in various right-wing forum in Norway and he has among other things, wrote that the fight is between nationalism and internationalism. According to VG, he calls himself a nationalist. He has also written a number of Islam-critical posts.
*
There is also speculation that the shooter might have been in line with some politicians who have been openly voicing concerns about how Norway's culture might be diluted by immigration from countries with different religions and values.
*
Does any of this sound familiar? Yes, it sounds just like the hate and venom coming out of far right extremists and far right Christians in the USA - many of whom have been exporting their poison overseas. Let's be clear, extremism of any kind is dangerous, but religious extremists are the most dangerous because in their warped view, God is on their side. One need not look far to see examples all around in this country where Christianists are constantly disseminating propaganda that could easily encourage (Lou Sheldon of the hate groups Traditional Values Coalition recently stated that gays are the very face of evil).
1 comment:
I agree. What purpose (other than mass killing) does one need an automatic rifle for? Norway has gun control but he obtained the weapon legally citing 'hunting' as the intended use. Needs tightening up.
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