IS THE OSLO GUNMAN REALLY RIGHT-WING?

As the world thirsts for information on the details surrounding the bombing and mass shooting in Oslo, Norway, the narrative has turned to gunman Anders Behring Breivik and his political affiliations. Quickly, he has been labeled “extreme right wing,”but is that really the fairest designation given what we know thus far?

Consider this: The Daily Mail opens its profile on Breivik with some information that would seem to shake up any simple explanation of who he is or what he believed:

The man responsible for the massacre in Norway was a member of a Swedish nazi forumwhich encourages attacks on government buildings.

It was also revealed by local police that he had extreme right wing views who hated Muslims.

According to Swedish website Expo Anders Behring Breivik is a member of ‘Nordisk’ which has 22,000 members and focuses on political terrorism.

[…]

[His Facebook profile] also listed interests such as body-building and freemasonry.[Emphasis added]

It’s also important to note that the terms of American politics are not easily transferable to European politics. Often, the extremes in Europe are communists on the left and fascists on the right. In America, “extreme right wing” has been hijacked to label conservatives who adhere strictly to the Constitution, or who fight for legal immigration. (Some on the American left have even succeeded in making “extreme right wing” synonymous with the Tea Party.) In Europe, however, the term could mean zealous nationalists and militant fascists.

So, an “extreme right wing” individual in Europe is not always an “extreme right wing” individual in America. That’s important to note, as the designation will undoubtedly make the rounds in the attack’s aftermath.

Read the rest of the story at THE BLAZE: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/is-the-oslo-gunman-really-right-wing/

See yesterday’s (Updated 11 PM, 7/22/11) BREAKING NEWS!!!! Norway: Phony(?) policeman fired shots at Labour Party Youth Camp, injuring several – Explosion in gov’t bldg’s in Oslo, 2 dead post located at: http://blog.beliefnet.com/watchwomanonthewall/2011/07/breaking-news-norway-phony-policeman-fired-shots-at-labour-party-youth-camp-injuring-several-explosion-in-govt-bldgs-in-oslo-2-dead.html