A bombing, then a shooting. Norwegians reel from the Oslo and Utoya massacres. The casualty count has hit the nineties.
Early reports mentioned jihadist terrorism, but the malefactor appears to be Norwegian, white, and Christian. “It’s not just that Anders Behring Breivik is not a jihadist,” wrote Jesse Walker at Reason.com. “It’s that he hails from the wing of the right that defines itself by its opposition to jihad, and to the leftists that it sees as jihad’s enablers.”
Like so many examples of jihad in the Mideast, Breivik’s “anti-jihad jihad” is as puzzling and self-defeating as was the anarchist “propaganda by the deed” of just over a century ago, as pointless as it is horrific.
What’s worth noting is the demonstration of that too-human propensity to adopt the tactics of one’s enemies. Desperate, hate-filled zealots of Islam commit horrible crimes, indiscriminately killing innocents. Everyone with a lick of sense opposes such horrible actions (including most Muslims). But some people really worked up about this decide not only that “some have got to pay,” but that terrorism itself is worth emulating.
Human history is filled with such irrational over-reaction: feuds, vendettas, even wars.
Norway’s prime minister immediately assured everyone that his government’s reaction will be “more democracy, more openness.” “More democracy” might be vague, but he foreswore naivety, and besides, the sentiment is spot on. We who oppose violence must never resort to matching the criminals’ criminality.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
8 replies on “Becoming What You Oppose”
But, an article in the NYT stated, “we have been focusing on Islamist terrorists, but this is a right-wing extremist fundamentalist Christian home grown terrorist…”
So, look for more TSA rules set up for innocent Americans who fit the “fundamentalist Christian conservative” tag.
Maybe you shold do a little more research on this guy. I just read elsewhere that his website says he is an athiest and a Darwinist, not a Christian.
Doesn’t matter. Anything becomes a justification to ramp up the vitriol on the opposition. Not a Christian? Sure, but he could have been.
Incompetant governor who refuses to ask for help in front of a hurricaine? President who follows tha law and doesn’t try to override the incompetant governor? Bad result? It’s Bush’s fault?
Congress votes to attack Iraq? Bad result? It’s Bush’s fault.
Is he deemed a Christian because he is not a Muslim? Being a Christian means following Christ as your Lord and Savior. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 – 7) Jesus teaches “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt. 5:43 – 45)
There is nothing in the teachings of Christ that justifies what this young man has done. Nothing.
BUT IF HE WAS A MUSLIM, THE LEFTISTS, APOLOGISTS FOR THE MUSLIMS AND ENABLERS WOULD ALL SAY, ” BUT WE DON’T KNOW IF IT WAS RELIGIOUS/RACIAL (PICK YOUR TERM) MOTIVATED”.. (See, Times Square, NY attempted car bomb; Ft. Hood shootings, etc.).
AND LOOK AT NORWAY’S LEANINGS ( AND SWEEDEN’S, FOR THAT MATTER) ON THE MIDDLE EAST. ISRAEL IS ALWAYS WRONG; THE MUSLIMS ALWAYS RIGHT.
No comments or condemantion from either government that I have seen for the rocket attacks on Sderot; massacres of children, etc. by Palestinians.
There is a link, in the material provided by Paul Jacob, to the bomber/shooter’s own writings, where he calls himself a Christian.
He wasn’t upset about Muslim terrorists, so he wasn’t becoming what he opposed. He’d been building up a head of steam for about fifteen years, since Serbia was bombed. He wanted people to notice him. He got what he wanted. And now the left will do what it does best: exploit a crisis to discredit all who oppose it.
Timothy McVeigh is no longer alone. People will bring up Anders Breivik’s name along with McVeigh every time we’re attacked.
Funny how two people are the equivalent of over ten thousand. Before long, more people in America will know Breivik’s name better than Mohammed Atta’s.
I am amazed at the enlightened Norwegians. This despicable individual only faces 21 years in jail if convicted. No respect of individual lives just the socialist collective.