Norway tragedy

[Bamafan]

I am stunned and saddened by the events in Norway. I've been buried in the hospital for the past 36 hours and didn't even know about it until I read about it in the acrimonious Winehouse thread.

Norway deserves its own thread. Please continue.

 

[OrbWeaver]

I was pretty horrified when I read the first news postings that popped up after the event. Not only did the guy blow up a building, he decided killing kids would be a good idea, too. Absolutely disgusting.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

It is indeed horrible, and considering this attack happened in one of the wealthiest, low-crime countries in the world, it really goes to show you that these things can happen anywhere (which is why I think the whole of Scandinavia is particularly horrified by this attack). Of course my thoughts are with the victims' families. Awful.

 

[Bamafan]

It is indeed horrible, and considering this attack happened in one of the wealthiest, low-crime countries in the world, it really goes to show you that these things can happen anywhere (which is why I think the whole of Scandinavia is particularly horrified by this attack). Of course my thoughts are with the victims' families. Awful.

I agree that the unlikely country for an attack such as this threw me. This would be a tragedy anywhere in the world, but the shock must be overwhelming for Norwegians. I can't even imagine what people must be feeling there.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

I agree that the unlikely country for an attack such as this threw me. This would be a tragedy anywhere in the world, but the shock must be overwhelming for Norwegians. I can't even imagine what people must be feeling there.

Shocked & apalled at this heinous crime. It's one thing to be pissed off at things in your governments direction, but blowing up buildings & shooting KIDS? I'm saddened that this has happened in such an open country. I fully expected this to be a 9-11 type of assault, and was even more shocked that it was a native Norwegian, and resembles the Oklahoma City bombing much more than 9-11,,,,My thoughts & prayers are with the people of Norway.....

 

[Akumu]

It's absolutely horrible. I have a friend in Oslo and she says the entire city is grieving, and the rest of Scandinavia is obviously shaken as well.

Here are a few links she's been spreading around:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=244185822272540
http://www.diaryofdavid.co.uk/

And here's the Prime Minister's speech at the Oslo Cathedral yesterday:

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Whats amazing is that I heard about this from a friend in Norway on FB hours before the news reported it. I figured the news would get to it much quicker. The details are horrifying, but it looks like this dude might be responsible? Anders Behring Breivik.

Purported manifesto, video from Norway terror suspect detail war plan

Horrible. There are so many home-grown maniacs, all around us.

 

[dcowboys311]

His manifesto is already on the internet and it's just as loony as you'd expect.

 

[AngraRULES]

I am still shocked and the events still haven't left my mind. I have some close friends who live in Oslo and needless to say, it was a little nerve-racking to see it all unfold.

I was talking to one of these friends at the same time when it was happening, and he was basically describing the whole situation (he lives within walking distance of the building that got bombed) - sent shivers through my spine every time I got a message from him. Thank God he and his family were okay.

Thoughts and prayers go to everyone in Oslo.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

His manifesto is already on the internet and it's just as loony as you'd expect.

This reminds me of the Oklahoma City tradgedy and Timothy McVeigh. He was trying to revolt against a "tyrannical federal government" through terrorism. -_- Often, I think that home grown crazies are the worst.

 

[OrbWeaver]

This reminds me of the Oklahoma City tradgedy and Timothy McVeigh. He was trying to revolt against a "tyrannical federal government" through terrorism. -_- Often, I think that home grown crazies are the worst.

Few rarely expect betrayal from within their own homes. This is not to say that any outside terrorist attacks are less horrifying, but people always seem to be the most devastated when such violence occurs from their own citizens.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Few rarely expect betrayal from within their own homes. This is not to say that any outside terrorist attacks are less horrifying, but people always seem to be the most devastated when such violence occurs from their own citizens.

This one in particular makes you think a bit more seriously about the crazy racists in our own society. I mean, this guy snapped because he thought that Islam was taking over their culture. There is a large group of Europeans who actually agree with him, on a violent level. In the US, we have an active KKK group and Neo Nazis who express violent intentions on a regular basis to enforce racial purity. That's horrifying.

 

[TheLongshot]

This one in particular makes you think a bit more seriously about the crazy racists in our own society. I mean, this guy snapped because he thought that Islam was taking over their culture. There is a large group of Europeans who actually agree with him, on a violent level. In the US, we have an active KKK group and Neo Nazis who express violent intentions on a regular basis to enforce racial purity. That's horrifying.

Given the relatively low birth rate and the dependence of immigration for population growth, such fears are par for the course. Particularly since most European countries historically haven't been as open to immigration as the United States.

I was reading an article on the guy, and they found his logic rather faulty considering that the "Christian" countries actually has some of the lowest birth rates in Europe, mainly because they give few options for women to choose both a career and family.

 

[MartinW]

Please don't let this thread turn into the usual pointless immigration debate. That is exactly what this terrorist wants.

As someone who lives in Scandinavia, I was and am still shocked. This was a tragic and brutal attack on democracy. He killed children because they had an opinion and cared about something. He's not just a mass murderer or a madman, he is a 110% pure undiluted terrorist and should always be labeled as such.

 

[TheLongshot]

Please don't let this thread turn into the usual pointless immigration debate. That is exactly what this terrorist wants.

I'm sorry if you took my post that way. That wasn't my intention. My only point is that his viewpoint wasn't shocking, even if he's very wrong.

 

[MartinW]

I agree with you, his opinions are widespread but very wrong and dangerous. I was mostly just trying to kill the whole immigration discussion in advance. I've seen it happen in so many places around the internet the last couple of days, which feels so wrong given that these terrorist attacks were evidently carried out in order for him to get his message out and spread his hatred (and become famous).

 

[DuchessOfDork]

I agree with you, his opinions are widespread but very wrong and dangerous. I was mostly just trying to kill the whole immigration discussion in advance. I've seen it happen in so many places around the internet the last couple of days, which feels so wrong given that these terrorist attacks were evidently carried out in order for him to get his message out and spread his hatred (and become famous).

Well, it's kinda stupid to go and shoot a bunch of white people when your message is to "save the white people". This guy is clearly insane, and this is a tragic incident that happens when you let crazy people slip through the cracks. Just like that dude who gunned down Gabrielle Giffords. People were reporting strange erratic behavior on him for months, and it wasn't looked into. We need to start taking people's mental illnesses more seriously.

 

[MartinW]

Well, it's kinda stupid to go and shoot a bunch of white people when your message is to "save the white people".

No, it isn't. It is entirely consistent with his twisted, fucked up ideology. I can explain why, but I would need to go into the way Scandinavia works, which is different from the USA. Basically, all these kids belonged to the ruling political party in Norway, which is a left-wing party (much to the left of anything that exists in mainstream American politics). According to him, they enabled all the things he didn't like to happen. By attacking their future politicians, he wanted to spread terror, to make people afraid of joining them. He is not a lunatic, he is calm and calculating. Everything went according to his plan and he chose the perfect target.

Also, Scandinavia is not nearly as uniformly white as people seem to think - especially not left-wing youth organizations. I bet you anything that many of the casualties were first or second generation immigrants.

 

[MartinW]

All those depressing things said, Norway has been amazing in dealing with this. The government and the Prime Minister have done everything they should, and the fact that over 100,000 people gathered for a demonstration today is very moving.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

That is so f'ing sad. :/ That's one of the biggest signs of sociopathy; no respect for human life.