Giant Blast and Summer Camp Shooting In and Around Oslo, Norway

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

I've been talking to my family a lot and one member is married to an American but has been living in Norway for over a decade. It is really hard to see this happen at all, but to see this happen to a group of young people, essentially the future of the country and even more so that the perp is someone many held something in common with, being a Norwegian farmer who completed military service.

I'm still bothered by the initial reaction and comments (via facebook ) blaming Islam and Muslim and some really hateful and obviously incorrect things were said, especially since Anders is a white Christian Norwegian male. It has been said his m.o. was his response to Islam, and some backtracked saying Islam and Muslims were still the problem (sigh), but their ignorance and prejudice was obvious to me. I don't expect people without a stake or relationship to Scandinavia or Northern Europe to be aware of the rise of white hate groups, but many of the commentators I had a problem with live in these places and know.

A quick news snippet I read on my phone's news feed yesterday said he would only be in jail for (approximately) 22 or so years and that made me sick and angry. I don't believe in the death penalty, and the USA is the only "Western" nation that has it, but I can't swallow that this person who has abnormal thought patterns and actions will get out some day.

ETA: People have told me they think I'm crazy to consider doing my field research in Norway/Sweden because this happened, but there could also be future "terrorist" attacks. For the record I consider this man a terrorist but the gist of people has been of the Al Qaeda variety of terrorist. I actually feel like there is more of a chance of something happening to me domestically, especially after being in Spokane with the bomb planted at the MLK Jr. parade/march last January. Overall I'm more concerned about random US violence than I'd ever be in rural Scandinavia and with the economy keeping funding to do what I need to do.

I've also read that they have the ability to lengthen the sentence if it's felt that the perpetrator is at risk for repeating the offense. I have a sense that this sentence would be lengthened when he finally goes through the system.