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Anders Breivik: Lessons Learned From The Norway Massacre
The horrendous crimes committed by Anders Behring Breivik have alerted us to the fact that right-wing extremists pose just as much threat to our society as Islamic fundamentalists.
Freedom, prosperity and safety are all part of what makes much of Europe such a charmed area of the world to live in. Sadly, as Norway discovered last weekend, such comfort can also lead to a dangerous level of complacency that needs to be addressed if such societies are to prevent a repeat of the horrors of Oslo and Utola.
It must be clear by now that such horrific terrorist attacks can occur almost anywhere and need to be adequately prepared for. Hopefully nowhere in Europe will ever again get itself into a position whereby it takes over an hour to react to an attack in progress because an essential component of the response team (for example, a helicopter crew, as appears to have been the case in Norway) is on holiday and no cover is in place. Correcting such failings is a relatively straightforward case of better contingency planning. But stopping these incidents happening in the first place presents a more complex challenge.
There is undoubtedly a problem with a minority of people in Europe feeling severely alienated from the realities of modern society and taking refuge in potentially violent political or religious extremism (or both, in the case of the right-wing Christian fundamentalist Anders Breivik in Norway). As the example of Breivik demonstrates, such extremists are not necessarily a product of economic deprivation and social exclusion but are as likely to come from comfortable backgrounds. Nor, as previous outrages such as the 1995 Oklahoma City bombings showed, are they restricted to the fringes of one religious group. Ultimately, identifying why some people become like Breivik may never be feasible. The task in the immediate term must be to limit their numbers and reduce the risk that they pose.
In the UK, the government should extend its already effective counter-extremism work beyond its current focus on violent Islamism. The Home Office’s “CONTEST” strategy is based on actions to “pursue” and “prevent” terrorism and to “protect” and “prepare” against it. At its heart are painstaking, coordinated police and intelligence work and initiatives to isolate extremists from the wider community. This approach has proved successful in foiling planned attacks and tackling the rise in extremism over recent years and provides a useful model which should be drawn upon to tackle potential terrorism from other sources. The most urgent new focus is right-wing extremism, which has been on the rise in the UK for several years and whose threat can no longer be ignored after the horrors of Norway.
Of equal, if not greater, importance is the need to change the political environment and debate. Now that overt racism has become the hatred that dare not speak its name, “multiculturalism” has become the latest code word used by racists to spread their poison. Responsible politicians should avoid pandering to them and stop making nonsensical speeches about multiculturalism’s supposed failure. Such speeches do nothing to improve the governance of society and, as the likes of the BNP and Breivik’s old friends in the EDL have been quick to point out, embolden the extremists by making them believe they are setting the agenda and gaining mainstream support. As the Norwegian case graphically illustrated, Siv Jensen, the leader of the right-wing Progress Party, of which Breivik had been an active member, almost certainly did not intend to provoke mass murder with her anti-Muslim and xenophobic rhetoric. But she and others like her do bear some responsibility for creating an environment which enabled a maniac like Breivik to believe he was acting in the interests of his country.
Debating whether multiculturalism should exist is, in any case, pointless. It is a done deal. The world has already globalised and cultures will continue to cross-over with each other. Multiculturalism is nothing more sinister than a variety of cultures existing alongside and overlapping with each other, in a spirit of mutual respect. It is no coincidence that the two most economically successful cities on earth, New York and London, also represent the pinnacle of multiculturalism - because it means expanding the range of available talent and ideas as far as possible. On a lower plane, it has increased the variety and quality of our food, football, fashion, music and potential lovers exponentially. Most of us have benefitted from all of this in some way – even some EDL members love a curry - and the successful societies of the future will be the ones who embrace this reality and find ways to make it work for them.
Draining the swamp in which extremists have been allowed to thrive will require a firmer application of the UK’s existing laws against promoting terrorism and incitement to violence. Those who propagate malicious falsehoods in order to demonise different people in our society should be prosecuted more aggressively. This should apply to newspaper editors and politicians too. Hiding behind “free speech” is no defence in this regard. We have never had such a thing as absolute free speech – democracy imposes an element of responsibility too and speech likely to inspire hatred and violence has always been, rightly, curtailed.
The onus falls on everyone in society to raise their voice a bit more often to correct that borderline racist in the pub or that colleague spreading bigoted nonsense about Muslims or immigrants at work. Once the terrible grief has eased in Norway, one of the conclusions may well be that the “it couldn’t happen here” complacency of a civilised country that did not prepare properly and was too tolerant of the sentiments of the likes of Breivik was a factor in failing to stop the horror of last weekend. Well, it did happen there. And it could happen here too if we do not take adequate steps to prevent the growth of extremism in all its forms.
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COMMENTS
'Breivik’s old friends in the EDL' - piss poor lazy, uninformed journalism. 'even some EDL members love a curry' - the sikh and hindu members perhaps? the EDL is not the BNP and you write them off as racists at our countries peril....they have valid concerns shared by millions. if the far-left press continue to try and paint them as racists akin to the BNP then what you're doin is actually making racism acceptable.
Well said Paul. A brave subject to deal with. I feel the true heart of the issue lies with how to overcome the extreme economic inequality we have in the UK which creates the disillusioned, frankly poorly educated people who get swept up by groups like the EDL/BNP/NF etc. and also how to monitor and stop these messages of hate getting out while still maintaining a free press and freedom of speech. I think forcing some accountability on the newspapers who print drivel like Muslim only pubs, and schools banning xmas when neither are based in fact might be a start. PS. Dekker, I was part of the counter protest against the EDL marching through Portsmouth 2 weeks ago and I saw enough nazi salutes and heard enough racist songs to know exactly what the EDL is about.
Eat my shit, dekker.
You'll never stop nutters. Like Breivik I blame our governments past and present for the sorry state of our country at this time. But never in a million years would I dream of doing what he did or anything similar. Though if a legitimate revolution came along I would probably sign up to it if I believed it was the right way forward. As regards racism the only way forward is to be brave and stand up to them and try to have a decent discussion with them. Sadly this does not often work 'cos they are uneducated or thick
is that what passes for intelligent critique these days stan? i'm an anti-facist but unlike other so-called 'anti-facists' such as the UAF (a front for the SWP btw) i have no all-consuming hatred of america or israel which blinds me to the very real facist threat posed by islamic extremism.
dekker - see your comments on the Celtic/Rangers article. Hardly Anti-fascist is it...?
Is this what you call intelligent critique Dekker... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjuNuqIev8M&feature=related
try writing about things yourself Chris...i'm sure i could find some youtube of islamists threatening to bring sharia to england if i was lacking in skills to debate things. do you think the EDL were instrumental in the attacks in Norway and do you think there repeated inclusion in articles concerning such are warranted? do you think the cheap comments about 'curry' are in fact racist in theirselves? do you consider the EDL 'far-right' - if so explain why...
@ chris - i missed your earlier post - so you have no problem sharing a platform with facists who are brown skinned but what you percieve as white 'facists' is what irks you? what do you call a racist song btw? the muhammad is a nonce one?
I don't consider the EDL to be far right, more like just a bunch of idiots. The types of idiots that can say they're not racist but then chant "who's the paki at the back". The types of idiots who say they're not nazis, but then give a nazi salute.
I'm pretty far from a leftie bunnyhugger and even I know the EDL are a bunch of doylems.
gents - those who march (i've never been) may be neanderthals but the basic concerns of the EDL are, imo, valid and the point of my post on this article is that the writer has dragged the EDL into this terrorist outrage in Norway when no actual linkage exists. this is shoddy journalism. i wonder if the writer gets so fired up about the islamists proclaiming tower hamlets (or wherever it was) a shariah area and posting up signs dictating peoples freedoms. this islamist action is straight out of the neo-nazi playbook yet where are the links between these groups in the media? to my mind nazis, facists and islamists are birds of a feather and the sooner we all recognise that the better. the EDL are just naive football lads...nothing more sinister than that. they are not a 2010 redux of the BNP / NF / C18
In response to Dekker above, the linkages are (1) there was evidence of direct contact between Breivik and EDL members, (2) their strikingly similar views - see Breivik's "manifesto" and (3)he could also have been dismissed as a naive idiot, until it turned out he was in fact a lethal naive idiot. On getting fired up about Islamists - yes I do, when they are violent and threaten others lives and well-being (see my earlier ST article on the death of Bin Laden for a hint of my views on this).
@ paul - the evidence of linkage is flimsy at best and being deliberately mis-represented at worst...the EDL member concerned is a chap called Paul Ray who has his own EDL division that is quite distinct from the 'main' organisation. the facebook linkage is laughable. as for their similar views - i'm still struggling to understand how such views lead one to murder children and to imply that the EDL condones such behaviour is nonsense; indeed such behaviour from Islamist groups is the reason that the EDL came into existence in the first place. fair enough if you see Islamists as the fascists they are. my final point concerning the EDL - to analyse them as an evolution of the BNP is quite erroneous...there is no underlying white supremicist idealology and there is no racism inherent within the aims of the organisation. quite simply they are a single issue protest group who took offence at the softly-softly treatment of islamist protestors when lads who go to football have been given lengthy prison sentences for running onto a football pitch.
I found this an intelligent and enjoyable article. However, I do feel a slight concern at the comment that the way to tackle this type of terrorism in future is a firmer application of existing anti-terrorism laws. To me this seems as though it would be just an excuse for the government to further erode civil liberties. Perhaps a wider application of anti-terrorism laws so that they don't just focus on muslims. That way we might finally get rid of dickheads like dekker from otherwise enjoyable websites.
Yes they are breeding like cockroaches, raping left right and centre, always violent towards any criticism, see suicide bombing as acceptable, are destroying the western welfare sdtate and still run a 1400 year old slave trade. Too true!!
The Norwegian mass murderer is a lunatic but not one fueled by a Dark Age ideology but one convinced that western governments do not care about the oncoming Sharia wave soon to hit all of Europe. Nothing can condone what he did but perhaps his reasons have some fact behind them however ludicrous they are as a justification of his acts.
@antionan what oncoming Sharia wave soon to hit all of Europe are you referring?
"...and there is no racism inherent within the aims of the organisation" As statements go this is about as derisory as it gets. Don't take my word for it though... http://edlnews.co.uk/index.php/featured-stories/edl-nazis
There is a lot of 'missing the point' here - if, in a democracy, governments, media, society continues to ignore part of the voice of the people, it will inspire drastic acts maybe similar to Britvics due to the fact that no one is listening. Borederline racists dont need to be hushed - they need to be listened to and understood - this is how diplomacy works, so you can find a way to bring society together and representative. This holier-than-thou liberal attitude is a large part of the problem. What makes the liberal/left correct then? When was that law made? Every time you patronise someone on the right wing and pat them on the head saying "haha silly racist" you run the risk of creating more mentalists like Anders Britvics. You wont listen? they'll probably do something to make you pay attention
Jesus, that's some kind of logic, that is! So, basically, if racists and fascist wing-nuts aren't accommodated there will be more Anders Breiviks??? The irony, or hypocrisy to be more accurate, is that the Muslim extremists the unhinged right so vigorously condemn can't fall back on that excuse following one of their atrocities, can they? Oh no. It's different when the 'muzzies' do it, isn't it? As for "What makes the liberal/left correct then?" well, it's a simple matter of basic humanity and common decency, frankly, that racism, the discrimination and persecution of other human beings on the basis of skin colour and/or religion is disgusting and doesn't really have a place in any society that aspires to legitimacy and decency. The fact you can't grasp that, that it seems such an unfair and alien concept to you speaks volumes about the kind of horrific dystopia the far-right seek to bring about. Disgusting, frankly.
And of course the real tragedy is just how fecking utterly and completely wrong the far right is! These idiots with 'patriotism' and loyalty based on nation and race just don't realise that the nation state uses them to divert attention from the daylight robbery and exploitation their rotten system imposes on us all. Divide and conquer, blame the foreigners etc. Stupid bastards, the fecking lot of them. How the hell anyone can have learned so little from the rise of fascism in the '30s, the horrors of the holocaust and WW2 is utterly beyond me.
Reading some of these comments I don't know if I should laugh or cry - I think I'll do both. Fanatics from any wing, religion or background need handling with great care. They have the ability to appeal to the frustrated ,the marginalised. Don't forget Adolf didn't force his way into power, he was voted in by ordinary Germans pissed off and scared by events out of their control. Once Hitler was in power all hell, literally, broke out... The rights and wrongs of people to express their thoughts, no matter how dumb, need protecting. Equally the right of society to respond to threats to it's very existence need protecting too. The Norway slayings strike me as the work of a man not in touch with reality. Muslim extremists, on the other hand, seem to know exactly what they are doing and hide their actions behind a twisted version of their religion. Norway is the work of a wannabe far right nutter, nothing less and he shold be judged as a mass murderer not some kind of political hero. The far right and the far left are as bad as eachother. Until they have been fully understood and dealt with the Norway nutter and the maniacs of the London bombings will continue to attract other sad people. Here's hoping they are caught before they make their mark.
We've had our own Anders Breivik over here; David Copeland. Fortunately the deranged nazi scum, BNP member nail-bomber was a bit thick, a bit crap and wasn't able to wreak anywhere as much carnage, but he gave it a go.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Copeland
Again Harry Paterson you've got yourself jumped up there and you have inferred comments i have not made - there are people in every nation who arent in favour of bending over backwards and having to pay for and give in to people not from their nation - it happens everywhere - these people are not necessarily swastika tattoed scum. And with "the muzzies" we DO pander to their concerns. You ought to calm yourself down before you have a fit, my friend because you are displaying exactly the kind of idea i was explaining - a form of left wing facsism. You cant differentiate between people people that consider themselves nationalists and people that are nazis. Consider that a Erusian born in, living in, and working in Erusia might not actually hate Belkans but doesnt support his government constantly putting Belkan needs ahead of Erusians. Now to you, this is racism of the highest order but the problem is yours, not theirs - they at least listen to the points and disagree - no one (except for me) is calling you names and considers your views fascist and dangerous. Simply, we live in a democracy and all voices should be heard regardless of the pov - to ignore voices is not democratic, diplomatic or right regardless of your views on humanity/decency. Do i support Britvics/Copeland? No, i never said i did but if we persist in alienating certain sections of the population they will be turn to extremism - the alien concept YOU fail to grasp
Think about it, Harry - if people were engaged politically and their concerns, say, about how immigration has altered communities for the better/worse, were addressed and there were actual discourse on the matter - i'm sure policy would reflect the peoples desires and concerns. As it stands, forcing 'multiculturalism' on to people at the rates seen in Europe isnt going down very well in some European nations. People just want to be heard/listened to and, unfortunately, the only people listening to such concerns are the extreme groups - you see, THAT is the danger - do you get it? I'm sure in your simplistic mind it all still comes down to not liking the brown people, but try growing up in, say, Newham and not notice the speed of change due to immigration. Governments are supposed to listen to their people
Er, 'GB' I was responding to 'Oh, Reginald', actually...
Sigh... Maybe you really believe my views are coloured by some sort of naive moralistic impetus but I'm afraid that is simply not the case. History teaches us all the lessons we can handle and time and time again the ruling class' age-old tactic of scapegoating the outsiders to divert the attention of the simple and gullible away from the *real* cause of social crisis, is wheeled out in times of economic depression. It's a mug's game and no surprise that its only appeal is to idiots, racists and those desperately seeking some sort of semi-legitimate justification for their already preconceived bigotry and prejudice.
And despite the feverish, paranoid fantasies peddled by the far-right, today the Muslim population of the UK is...2.4% Quick! To the bunker, Adolf! We're being swamped!
So whoever these mythical tyrants are, responsible for "forcing multiculturalism" onto the hapless UK people, they're not doing a particularly good job, are they? When total non-white peoples account for barely 6% of the total UK population (and that includes the aforementioned 2.4% Muslim figure), you have to wonder what, exactly, does motivate the far-right if not outright unhinged racism and bigotry. Answers on the proverbial, please...
This hits things squarely on the head and gets the cause-and-effect the correct way around http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2012/04/leader-believing-absurdities-committing-atrocities
And should any right-wing nut-job try and sneer at the suggestion there is a connection between Breivik and them, well, take a look for yourself... http://www.edlnews.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/latest-news/702-edl-member-threatens-to-pipe-bomb-muslim-area-oslo-style
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