Norwegians are pretty much Sweden’s cousins with cod, coastline and oil. When the right-wing, white supremacist (pick your own version of evil white guy who hates non-white) Anders Breivik, killed 77 people, most of them young adults and teens, in Norway last summer, all Swedes mourned with their cousins.
Yesterday, about 40,000 people joined voices to sing together. Their purpose: to annoy Breivik. They sang
“Children of the Rainbow” by Norwegian folk singer Lillebjørn Nilsen. It is Nilsen’s adaptation of “My Rainbow Race,” written by American folk singer Pete Seeger.
The satisfactory charm of the protest was the reason behind why they chose this particular song. During the ongoing trial, Breivik had cited the song as an example of Marxist influence on Norwegian culture saying the song was “typical of brainwashing Norwegian student.”
In the Norwegian version of the song the chorus goes, “Together, we will live, each sister and each brother, small children of the rainbow and a green earth.”watch the event on YouTube. According to TheLocalNorway
The Swedish Cultural Minister, Lena Liljeroth, more likely in the news these days over her infamous FGM political gaffe, was among the community singers.
Liljeroth could use some good press about now. I just hope she didn’t sing in blackface.
Tags: breivik, children of the rainbow, lena lijeroth, my rainbow race, pete seeger
What a silly comment by Boston Battle. Lena Liljeroth has done nothing wrong. Everyone with the slightest insight of the circumstances, the artist and the minister knows that.
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Another opportunistic article of little worth and even less dignity by the glory seeking sub-intellectual blatte.
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@Jossi. Lena Liljeroth made a very poor decision when she participated at an actor in a concept art installation that was so inappropriate and provocative. It isn’t her role to politicize artistic messages. And if it is, then the message had better be a message she and her government are prepared to stand behind. That’s the reality of a political position–it’s no longer your own.
As for the artist. No, he did nothing wrong. But he completely missed on delivering his message because he tried some cheap and off-the-mark sensational tactics to get some attention. It got attention, but it did nothing to distribute what we presume was his message which should be to stop the atrocity of female genital mutilation. In short. He failed.
@Harry. Nice to see you again harryboy. Had no doubt you’d be reading.
BB
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BB
I think the artist delivered their message. I don’t think the artist was strictly highlighting female genital mutilation, more the Swedish moderatminister’s view of Africans. The artist captured a room of privileged westerners mingling around the work. You didn’t have to lead them far to have them think the whole think was fun/absurd. And its not just a lefty art attack against a conservative politician. I’m fairly sure the artist was out to lampoon culture vultures as well.
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@ Required. You think the artist’s point was to exploit and criticize the minister and the government? Even more a reason for a politician to not allow him/herself to be part of the art.
BB
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Not necessarily just the minister and the government. Anyone standing around thinking this culture lark is fun, or thinking that artists are weird and just go along worth it, was a legitimate target. Seriously, its a culture minister that couldn’t see she was being set up.
Who do you blame? The artist or the minister that doesn’t understand her subject.
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@Required. Can’t say I agree, especially considering the artist explained his artistic motivation and your suggestion wasn’t his agenda.
I don’t feel a need to blame anyone. I don’t think a cultural minister is supposed to “understand” the culture but to just give it an opportunity for the rest of us to experience it. Actually, I think her accompanying advisers/assistants are the only people who need to rethink their professions.
BB
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Singing to annoy Breivik.
Ok that sounds like something a bunch of women would think up.
Right up there with gluing your boyfriends penis to his leg with super glue.
Chick Revenge!
Ooooh!
First of all Breivik is a nut, and I’m not just saying that because he is a Scandinavian.
That would be a given.
No, but because normal people do not shoot children, even if the parents are phyco leftist.
So in reality he most likely does not give a Shit!
That is assuming he can even hear the idiots outside.
LOL!
Give me a break!
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