The Scandinavian countries are generally pretty keen on mandating tolerance, but there are, it seems, some exceptions. Writing for Reason’s Hit and Run, Michael Moynihan has the details:
…There was a time when the Scandinavian countries could reasonably boast that it was in the grim, cold north of Europe that the most liberal, socially tolerant societies were to be found. But something, it seems, is stirring; a disturbing acquiescence to the rising tide of religious fundamentalism. While criticism of the (American) Christian right are still regularly found in Stockholm and Oslo’s “quality” dailies (most of it overdrawn, but often entirely justified), the increasing fundamentalism of their fellow citizens is either ignored or excused. Take this most recent example, detailed here by Norwegian journalist Rita Karlsen, of the “Role Model of the Year” gong, awarded by Norway’s Ministry of Children, Equality, and Social Inclusion. (And yes, having a ministry with such a silly title is itself a problem.)
According the government, Mahdi Hassan won plaudits for his tireless work on behalf on indigent local youths:
“We know that good role models mean a lot when it comes to creating opportunities for children and teenagers. Mahdi Hassan is such a role model. He is visible, he has knowledge and a strong sense of commitment and makes use of these things to create a better day-to-day life for young people in Tynset. People like Mahdi Hassan make a difference and his award for ”2009 Role Model of the Year” is highly deserved.”
Well, huzzah for Hassan. The only problem, though, is that Hassan the Role Model has a wee problem with the gays; typically something that disqualifies one from being publicly celebrated in Scandinavia. According to Karlsen, “Hassan told the newspaper Arbeidets Rett that he wants a ban on homosexuality, based on the Koran.” Does he support the death penalty for gays? That’s “up to each individual country to decide.”
i’m curious if scandinavian elites will change at all when the first cartoonist is killed (at the current rate it looks inevitable).
Europe is rapidly becoming a creepy place largely run by creepy people (…again). At least their fear and hypocrisy is entertaining.
The Scandinavian elite’s opinions basically seem to devolve towards those beliefs which will keep them on the good side (or at least just barely not quite on the bad side) of the most dangerous group around.
Le Mur: America is just lucky that it doesn’t have a big population of Muslims (yet). In general the American establishment is as “blind” on that eye as the Europeans.
We should never forget that it was the Bush administration which coddled Islamic organizations of dubious inclination and Bush basically condemned the Mohammed cartoons and no mainstream publication printed the Mohammed cartoons in America whereas plenty of European ones did.
After the Fort Hood attack the predominant opinion in the mainstream media and from government officials was that the biggest problem here would be an anti-Islam backlash, not the way Jihadists get a pass based on political correctness. Just this last week an establishment conservative like Krauthammer essentially threw critics of Islam in Europe under the bus.
The problem is acute in Europe in terms of demographics, but America is still the no.2 target of Islamic hatred after Israel. And the willful ignorance of that fact in the elites will hurt America big time.
I suspect that many cherished politically-correct positions arose because people from minority ethnicities / cultures / religions wanted to make it impossible for society to act against any minority group – thus making things “safe” for themselves.
The possibility that it might be desirable to oppose and oppress some group doesn’t seem to have entered their minds.
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