"Mowgli made leader of the Bandar-log" by John Charles Dollman
On August 3rd US Senator Brownback wrote a letter, expressing concern over Israel-hatred and anti-Semitism, to Norway’s ambassador to Washington DC. While this site published the letter on August 12th, Norwegian journalists failed to find it newsworthy. Members of the opposition disagree, and are now questioning Norway FM Jonas Gahr Støre over it.
The Progress Party, the third largest party and the enfant terrible of Norwegian politics, vexes the ruling west-of-the-river elite something terrible. Not only do Progress Party politicians fail to graduate from Berg or Oslo Katedralskole, but they are uncouth and unwashed, believe the wrong things for the wrong reasons and are generally quite annoying. It would be fair to say that the Norwegian establishment holds the same contempt for the Progress Party as Rudyard Kipling demonstrated that he held for the Indian independence movement when he depicted them as the Bandar-log, the apes who though they could become human by mastering the secret of fire.
Progress Party politician Øyvind Vaksdal now calls on Norway FM Jonas Gahr Støre to explain how he aims to deal with the letter. Unauthorized translation from the Parliament website:
Document 15
Question:
Øyvind Vaksdal (FrP): Is the Foreign Minister familiar with the communication from Norway-friend and Kansas Senator Sam Brownback where he expresses considerable worry for the increase in anti-Semitism in Norway, how does he react to the contents of the letter, and in which manner will the Government respond to this communication?
Grounds
Norway-friend and Kansas Senator Samuel Dale “Sam” Brownback sent on August 3rd a letter to the Norwegian authorities through our Washington ambassador Wegger Christian Strømmen, where he expressed considerable worry over the increasing anti-semitism in Norway. In the letter, which he asked be made known to Norwegian authorities and commercial life, he also attached a note from the Simon Wiesenthal Center where also members of the government were accused of having contributed to this disquieting and very negative development. With the exception of a minor mention in Dagsavisen on August 18th, the serious communication from Senator Brownback has, as far as the undersigned is aware of, been passed over in quiet.
The good Øyvind Vaksdal is of course quite right to ask this question, and it is concerning that the media has not already done so. The problem is, just as the Norwegian establishment regards the Progress Party as a pack of jeer-worthy Bandar-log, it regards the Jewish state of Israel as nothing less than that fierce-some man-eating tiger, Shere Khan. And we all know what must be done with such beasts, don’t we?
Norway FM Jonas Gahr Støre is yet to answer Øyvind Vaksdal’s question.
3 short points: 1. This inquiry is actually hope-provoking and very favourable for us. 2. Is that at all possible that only anti-Israelism (or its more brutish and sinister “sister”…) only what holds the Norw. coalition government together now, since I heard that it’s wobbly Aside, what makes it unstable, if anything?? Or this is not the case? 3. How on earth could I gain a password and see the restricted article below on the thread?
Dear Gábor
1. Yes, it is highly comforting to see the opposition question certain aspects of government policy. The problem is, the Norwegian media did not find the senator’s letter “newsworthy” to begin with, as opposed to tales of Israeli evil. So perhaps they will not find the opposition’s criticism newsworthy either?
2. Pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel sentiment has indeed glued the government parties together. So if this position weakens, then the glue weakens. The dissatisfaction with government stems to some extent from a) fatigue, this is the coalition’s second term b) luxury problems, the pampered electorate wants it all and since no government on earth can satisfy such a demand, the electorate is disgruntled c) an ideological shift, with more intellectuals speaking up in defense of liberal democracy rather than the stifling statist social democracy of Støre and his ilk.
3. The contributor to that particular post asked for it to be disseminated with care. I will send you an email where I explain more.
Best
C