tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6052268402341976092.post4792633330016686401..comments2023-09-16T10:21:33.980+02:00Comments on Dagens DC: Oslo: Reflections on U.S. and Norwegian reactionsH.E.R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01687134033312936768noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6052268402341976092.post-32816407233682566402011-07-25T22:04:41.309+02:002011-07-25T22:04:41.309+02:00It is true that the fact that high-profile news ou...It is true that the fact that high-profile news outlets in the US jumped to hasty conclusions in this tragedy is reproachable. It is true that Islamic extremism is much more salient to the American political psyche at this moment, and for obvious reasons, but that doesn't justify mass misinformation. (Though in my opinion, the American news media lost their credibility years ago, probably the day they discovered that alarmist reporting sells more papers.) It is also shameful that our politicians would jump to use such a horrific tragedy to promote their own political agendas. Educated and thinking Americans everywhere have no shortage of reminders of the failings of our political machine, as you and international commentators everywhere never fail to point out. <br /><br />However, I don't believe that there was any ambiguity in Obama's statement, quoted in your post above. The point that he makes is an important one: That terror is terror, regardless of its origins. Tragedies such as this one underscore the truth that the political landscape around the world is increasingly polarized and hate-driven, and this situation is not unique to the United States. <br /><br />Frustratingly, the distinction between domestic and international (i.e. islamic extremist) terrorism seems to be an exaggeratedly important one for those who would like to reassure themselves that they are still not an Al Qaeda target. While the importance of this distinction might be downplayed a bit much by American politicians, I feel this post overemphasizes it, especially considering that this is basically the only aspect of the "reaction" you comment on. While it may give many Western Europeans some degree of comfort to know that this wasn't a jihadist, it offers no consolation to those families whose children will not be returning from Utoya. The fact that news commentators seem to be mourning at the same time as they are wiping their brow in relief at the end of this nightmare simply because it was "just" a domestic terror act is repugnant to me. At the end of the day, nearly a hundred people have been murdered: terror is terror, and the whole world is just as vulnerable to it as the US. Sorry folks, crazy people are everywhere. <br /><br />So please, cut a little slack to your new friends in the US-- try to remember that we're not so different from you. Don't judge us all based on our joke of a news media, unless of course, you know of a Norwegian news outfit that has NEVER misreported on anything. And please don't bend our president's statements out of shape...Leave that to the NYT!! :) Remember that our countries *are* friends and political allies, that we face similar challenges, and that in spite of our faults, American people are putting their lives at risk in their best effort to dismantle the machine of terrorism, because we all have a stake in it.DoughGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02776462045691683337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6052268402341976092.post-16066079710083404432011-07-25T21:41:42.790+02:002011-07-25T21:41:42.790+02:00Well spoken Hilde.
It complements this comment fro...Well spoken Hilde.<br />It complements this comment from Carlie Brooker, The Guardian, UK. <br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/comm​entisfree/2011/jul/24/charlie-​brooker-norway-mass-killingsLiuhdlfckjnoehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18291695852005370857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6052268402341976092.post-65985257180831961662011-07-25T20:20:13.683+02:002011-07-25T20:20:13.683+02:00Denne kommentaren har blitt fjernet av forfatteren.DoughGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02776462045691683337noreply@blogger.com