(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
The recent demonstrations have shown that the past has in many ways returned to Norway. After a couple of decades of limited popular commitment to the world wars, with the exception of the protests ahead of the Iraqi invasion of 2003, we now see an engagement with parallels to the Vietnam War rebellion of the 60 and 70 centuries. And then with relatively clear counterpoints both on the demonstration side in the streets and in the Norwegian public debate. It shows Thursday's and Saturday's large, but largely peaceful, demonstrations against the Gaza war in Oslo.
The contrast to the 1990 number is striking. Then over 100.000 people were killed in the wars that Milosevic, Mladic and Karadzic were chiefly responsible for
for having completed in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995. At that time, protest marches were arranged down Karl Johans gate towards the ethnic
the purge in the heart of Europe, a few hundred Bosnians mostly had to go alone – while most Norwegians at best watched from the sidewalk cafes. Even SV in the parliamentary elections in 1993 had no policy on how to get involved against the worst genocide on the continent since World War II, a war in which Norway and Norwegians were involved in several areas.
Today's commitment to those killed in Gaza is such a significant advance over the disinterest of the 90. It is better with genuine agitation
than passivating apathy. In this way, the involvement of the last few days has been a positive development. But Minister for Children and Family Anniken Huitfeldt has nevertheless marked his attack on adult Norwegians who have let their children participate in the demonstrations.
"It is an overly strong tool in the Norwegian context that young children were caught with" blood "in demonstration trains. It was dramatic for the kids. It is not common for children to be actively used in such contexts in Norway, ”she told VG.
Here we see the classic us vs. the Huitfeldt argumentation again. Like when she wrongfully went out and labeled immigrant parents most of the time as far more violent to their children than ethnic Norwegian. Huitfeldt's statements are now problematic for several reasons. One is that she is simply wrong. It has long been a tradition to use children in political contexts in Norway. We have seen pictures of Norwegian children, also in prams, participating in the May 1 train in 1972. Small children were also included in protests against the Vietnam War.
This was one of the methods of being able to report a higher number of participants to the authorities, in order to legitimize the adults' political struggle. The Alta campaign also involved many school children around 1980. Norwegian religious organizations have repeatedly used children in protest contexts, often with dramatic means. However, no critical questions have ever been asked about this. It only happens when someone with a minority background participates in democratic and peaceful demonstrations with their children.
There is thus nothing "un-Norwegian" in engaging their children in contemporary burning issues. It can be both right and important. A minister's public criticism and condemnation, on the other hand, is far more problematic: Huitfeldt is then in danger of publicly incapacitating his parents. Not to mention what harm such stigmatizing statements can also have on the engaged children. Subsequent statements from the parents involved, who point out that they had good control over their own children, show that there have been many hasty condemnations in this case. Also considering that for example
Socialist Youth had young people up to the age of 13 in the demonstrations. Political involvement should be praised, not condemned, by public authorities.
The violent elements are also not exactly new in the Norwegian context. But the question becomes how to curb that minority if the violence was perpetrated. A more sober presentation, where it is not the violence itself that is necessary to get the attention of Norwegian politicians, can be an important improvement.