tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post7888785432303514019..comments2024-03-27T17:03:57.341-04:00Comments on Murder is Everywhere: A new, violent SwedenOvidia Yuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05749549092493567689noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-44567112612419523652013-09-29T23:52:23.314-04:002013-09-29T23:52:23.314-04:00Anders, you're doing your country a great serv...Anders, you're doing your country a great service--once again. Keeping the world alert to a nation's dirty laundry does have an effect. In Greece, I'm convinced that the relentless criticism of some in the international press of Greece's neo-Nazi Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi) Party is what galvanized the government into taking the steps that apparently now enable them to prosecute its leadership for serious criminal acts. The influence of a vigorous press in combating such hate groups cannot be underestimated. <br /><br />I hope to hear more from you on this subject, Anders, until there is no longer a need for more to be said...<br /><br />Thanks.Jeffrey Sigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00718317707555064653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-81099320869421140482013-09-29T12:09:00.359-04:002013-09-29T12:09:00.359-04:00Like Anna, your post really saddened me Anders. I ...Like Anna, your post really saddened me Anders. I too was brought up to think of Sweden as a shining light of democracy and good old common sense!<br />The London riots in 2011 might have been sparked by an incident which may or may not have had a racist element, but the £200 million plus of damage to property was mainly by hooligans looking for an excuse to be hooligans. It was the first time social media had been used to organise such chaos. Indeed, they tried to get some riots going in Scotland but it was raining and nobody turned up - except those who had tweeted the location as the 'place to start.' The police turned up instead and arrested them.Caro Ramsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08499318515241879831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-71756939430867442982013-09-29T11:47:18.112-04:002013-09-29T11:47:18.112-04:00Welcome, Anders! Your post is another "nail ...Welcome, Anders! Your post is another "nail in my belief" that the worst still lies ahead of us. History (the ebbs and flows of social culture) does seem to move in cycles that last approximately the life of a human being, about 80-100 years, sometimes more, sometimes less. "We" keep repeating these cycles, as generations follow generations, reacting to what came before, and 'forgetting' (via the deaths of generations) what society experienced during the previous cycles. The recent economic troubles are, I fear, mere prelude to something catastrophic (as the Great Depression was prelude to World War II). I'm not predicting a new world war (I sure HOPE not!), as catastrophe can take many forms. But the growing unrest all over the world, environmental problems (global warming, water shortages, resource shortages, destruction of forests, etc), and technical advances (weapons, cheap and easy genetic engineering, dependency on a VERY delicate internet for banking, shopping, politics, etc... all points to an increasingly fragile... cusp, breaking point.<br /><br />Most days, I try to ignore all of that, enjoy the day, read a good book. But it's always in the back of my mind, and your piece (along with Jeff's pieces on Golden Dawn in Greece, and many others), comprise an on-going series of "foot-falls".<br />Everett Kaserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12371555243187874414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990338437877873686.post-66414021608158056932013-09-29T10:32:46.641-04:002013-09-29T10:32:46.641-04:00Anders, first of all, welcome to MIE. It is great...Anders, first of all, welcome to MIE. It is great to have you with us.<br />Though I am glad to know the information you offer, your post makes me sad. I have long been ashamed of the violence in the US. We have more of it,, I think, than any "developed" country. But our killers are criminals or in gang fights, or garden variety nut cases. To my knowledge, it is mostly not motivated by what we call hate crimes. I could be wrong. But what you describe here sickens me, especially since it is happening in a land I and many of my fellow American have long admire as a bastion of good government and good will.Annamaria Alfierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12311596277267789834noreply@blogger.com