The Norwegian media landscape does not do justice to the physical geography it's supposed to serve, and I've often reflected that the marxist-leninist Klassekampen is the only newspaper that takes journalism seriously. Well, this illusion was blown to smithereens this weekend when this rag made a headline out of a supposed "closed company" inviting to a forum "against Islam."
This was in reference to a conference arranged by Hans Rustad, Nina Witoszek and Shabana Rehman to discuss "antisemitism in Norwegian," a topic that should interest everyone in light of the Gaarder spectacle.
The arrangers have received death threats, which (sadly) may not be news for them. Bjørgulv Braanen, the editor, kind of sort of sticks to his guns in saying that "against Islam" is the most apt description he can think of, and that it's closed because participation is by invitation only.
Braanen probably heard of the event because one of his own reporters was invited.
So are we to infer that anyone who is against antisemitism must be anti-Islamist? And is the corollary that anyone in favor of Islam must by necessity hate Jews?
I'm never sure how to respond to such absurdity. I suppose it tells us a lot about Braanen's twisted world view, one in which you have to choose one form of bigotry over another, where it's actually suspect to be against antisemitism. And that only sinister motives could convene a group of people to talk about the subject.
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