Sweden: The Canary In The Socialist Landmine
October 19, 2008 / 11:23 pm • By Dr. Melissa ClouthierThis post, over at Brussels Journal is an excellent primer on how to ruin a Western Democracy. I’m excerpting a snippet, but please go read the whole thing:
“As political and economic freedom diminishes” said Aldous Huxley’s in Brave New World, “sexual freedom tends compensatingly to increase.” This fits perfectly with Huntford’s description. The state strips away your personal, economic and political freedom, yet grants you sexual freedom in return, boldly hailing itself as your liberator. Sweden in 2008 is a society with no real freedom of speech if you deviate from the ruling ideology. The more crushing ideological censorship and political repression become, the more frantic the displays of “sexual freedom” get. Sex is freedom; freedom means sex, and only sex.
State authorities present this as liberation of women and sexual liberation, but it is actually about breaking down rival sources of power: The traditional Christian culture and the nuclear family. This leaves the state more powerful since it can regulate all aspects of life and, most importantly, can indoctrinate the nation’s children as it sees fit, without undue parental interference. The state replaces your family, raises your children and cares for your elderly.
Meanwhile, the country is in the midst of the most explosive rape wave in recent history, largely caused by immigration. While Swedish girls are called “whores” by immigrants, Swedish boys are told to be as “gender neutral” as possible. Traditionally, a nation has been defended by masculine men who take pride in their heritage. By removing cultural pride and any sense of masculinity among native men, the country is rendered effectively defenseless. And maybe that was the intention?
In Western Europe, great emphasis is placed on destroying the heritage of the native population and instilling whites with a guilt complex and shame designed to alienate them from their own history. They are supposed to abase themselves in front of immigrants and tell them how worthless and evil their culture is, or alternatively how much they lament the fact that they don’t have a culture.
Americans wrongly believe that this sort of thing can’t happen here. Watching European nations stumble, one-by-one into cultural annihilation–Sarkozy says that Arabic is the French “language of the future”–it is pure hubris to think America is immune to the softness inbred by post-modern, relativistic, nihilistic, anti-Christian, politically correct thought.
19 Responses to “Sweden: The Canary In The Socialist Landmine”
By Matt Keyworth on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Let me get this straight. Swedish women are being raped because Swedish men have been taught that women are their equals. Huh?
The mere suggestion that Swedish men aren’t “manly” enough to protect their women from such attacks is absurd.
If anything, violence against women is a by-product of cultures that emphasize the dominance of men over women. Look at the nations in the world where the worst forms of violence against women, such as acid attacks and clitorectomies, are culturally acceptable and you’ll find that those are places where women are second-class citizens.
By Dr. Melissa Clouthier on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Matt,
Did you go read the post? Swedish women are being raped and called whores by the Muslim immigrant men. They feel justified raping sluts–thus keeping their Muslim women pure. Sweden has a higher rape rate than New York City.
Not all cultures are equally good and not all are equally dominant. Sweden and most of Europe is being consumed by a culture at odds with equal rights and freedom.
By mer on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Odin, Thor, Loki and a host of Valkyries are sitting in Valhalla shaking their heads about now.
Hey Matt, you may want to reread the bit above again:
“…Swedish boys are told to be as “gender neutral” as possible.”
This is not the same thing as “…Swedish men have been taught that women are their equals.”
By Matt Keyworth on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Dr. Clouthier,
I did go read the article, and the author does not give one shred of evidence for either of the propositions that 1) rapes are on the rise in Sweden, or 2) that Muslim men are responsible for that trend. With all due respect, you should be more critical of what you read and not just accept any opinion that originates from a conservative source.
Moreover, it is clear that the author links this supposed rise in rape with Swedish attempts to place women on equal footing with men. He asserts that Swedish men have been emasculated by “gender-neutral” upbringings, opening the way for outsiders to abuse their women. This suggests that women are dependent upon men for their physical safety, and that any culture where this isn’t the case is somehow defective.
Finally, Islam has by no means cornered the market on gender inequality. I was once a born-again Baptist, and I can tell you from first-hand experience that those folks consider women inferior to men. I know other Protestant denominations are more progressive in this regard, but not many. And that’s not even counting Catholicism, where gender inequality has been accepted since day one.
We’ll never live in a world completely devoid of oppression, but that should be the goal toward which we strive. We will never get any closer than we are right now, however, unless we begin to deal with people as human beings rather than demonizing them based on their religious affiliations.
By Matt Keyworth on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Mer,
Perhaps you can explain to me what you believe the point of “gender-neutral” education is. It seems clear to me that the idea is to break with traditional gender roles that keep women subservient to men, but if you have another take I’d love to hear it.
By mer on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Matt, unless I can’t read any more, the bit quoted above does not say “gender-neutral” education. It says “…Swedish boys are told to be as “gender neutral” as possible.”. To me, that sounds a lot like Swedish boys are supposed to NOT act like boys, but sit down when you pee, dress and act like a girl (metrosexuals anyone?), basically “Stop being boys”.
“And that’s not even counting Catholicism, where gender inequality has been accepted since day one.”
Boy are you wrong on this. Go ask a Jesuit this question.
By Cousin Dave on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Matt: It’s clear now that the whole point of so-called “gender neutral” education is to teach boys that masculinity is inherently evil, and then men are inferior to women. And that’s what we see in western Europe today. I take this point as self-evident. If you don’t see it for yourself, then there is no evidence I could possibly offer that would change your view. Then again, if you view the Baptist demonination as being every bit as bad as radical Islam, then you have already drank the Kool-Aid, and we’re all wasting our time debating with you.
The Brussels Journal piece hits on what I’ve called “the exchange of freedoms”, in which meaningful political freedoms are surrendered, or taken away, in exchange for relatively meaningless freedoms. From what I’ve read about Lenin and the revolution in Russia (which, admittedly, I’m not an expert at), I’d classify the exchange of freedoms as an intermediate state on the path to totalitarianism. Eventually the sexual freedoms will be taken away too, when the Party feels that its position is sufficiently secure. Of course, in western Europe, this is all being done in the name of supporting radical Islam, which is probably the most sexually repressive belief system existing on Earth today. So in the long term, a move in that direction is inevitable, and it stuns me that relatively few of the people enjoying the libertine pleasures of Europe today seem to see that train coming. Either that, or they don’t care, because they either presume they will be dead by the time it happens, or they plan to end their own lives then.
By Matt Keyworth on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
I’d love to stay and debate, but unfortunately the realities of life are quickly demanding my attention. I’ll leave it at this: anyone who sees gender-neutrality as dangerous needs to understand that the only alternative is a gender hierarchy that (almost) always places men in control of women’s lives. Of course many Muslims are guilty of perpetuating the social inferiority of women, but so are many Christians, Jews, etc.
At the end of the day, you either believe women are equal to men or you don’t. If you do, how would you propose fixing gender inequality in a society without using gender-neutral education? I genuinely hope one of you can give me a compelling answer.
By Glynn W. on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Question:
Why are Northern Europeans taller and healthier than Americans?
Answer: Northern European countries do a better job of SPREADING THE WEALTH and taking care of their children.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/04/05/040405fa_fact?currentPage=1
PS - This rape stuff is utter and complete foolishness.
By Matt Keyworth on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Mer,
I don’t need to ask a Jesuit anything to know these facts. In the history of the Roman Catholic Church, none of the 250+ popes have been women. There has never been a female bishop or cardinal either. When an organization excludes women from its highest levels of power based solely on gender, then that organization is, by definition, engaged in male supremacy. I’m not trying to single out Catholics here, just pointing out that inequality exists in many places outside of Islam.
By Cousin Dave on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Matt: The problem is that the defintion of “equal” in this context is “alike in every way”. In this context, the statement that “men and women are equal” is, prima facie, false. Thus, the subsequent question about gender-neutral education is irrevelent because it is based on a false premise.
And the fact that you want to excuse the abuses of radical Islam, re “Of course many Muslims are guilty of perpetuating the social inferiority of women, BUT…” tells me everything I need to know about your viewpoint.
By Mr. Chuckles on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
I thought the saying was “canary in a coal mine”…
This has a simple answer that has nothing to do with equality, religion, blah blah blah. Anyone who commits rape is a criminal, and should be dealt with accordingly. Rapist/sexual offenders have a 99% repeat offender rate, so castrate the bastards and be done with it. If the Swedes are putting up with this, then shame on them. Sorry, but I don’t think that thier form of government has much to do with an increase or endorsement of rape - they simply need to crack down. The implication here is that socialism caused loose morality, and that the muslims took advantage of this loose morality. A crime is still a crime, even in a sexually pervasive culture (if they really are that pervasive).
This piece sounds like opinion more than anything, and tries to drive home the point that western culture in europe is ashamed of itself. I find this very hard to believe, but if true, then yes, it needs to change. While some of you have heard my opinions regarding emporer Bush and his policies, make no mistake-I am vehemently opposed to radical Islam and it’s hijacking of western culture. Fundamentalism of any kind is a mental disorder. While I believe that going into Iraq was a boneheaded idea, you won’t hear me bash the operation in Afghanistan (where I believe the real issues are). Just my $1.50 (inflation adjusted).
By Mary D.B. White on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Mer,
Pardon my ignorance; can you give me the medical, clinical or biological definition of what it means to be a boy? And I am assuming this definition applies to all 3 billion boys in the world?
I may not be a Jesuit, but I am a woman and come from a strong Catholic background and yes, the Catholic Church, along with most of Christianity and organized religions, oppress women.
When a woman is not allowed to own her sexuality or her body then she is oppressed, when a woman is regulated to subservient roles then she is oppressed, when a woman (or man) does not recognize these things as oppression then she/he is severely brainwashed.
That’s right, I said it BRAINWASHED. Think people. Think for yourselves. Ask yourself why you believe in something, who is in charge, why they are in charge, who defines what and why. Think, think and then think some more. Try to move beyond what you have always been told as the truth.
And as for you Cousin Dave, are you really that ignorant of the atrocities of Christianity that you simply cannot phantom a comparison to Islam? If that’s the case then you drank the Kool-Aid, sir and it was probably when you were baptized. A simple Google search would suffice, heck maybe even a wiki search…or here’s a thought, and this goes for you, too Mer and Dr. Clouthier, pick up a book and check out what is going on for the other 99% of the world…seriously get some perspective. You will always be speaking from a narrow place unless you educate yourself properly. And it is quite obvious with your posts the limits of your formal education.
Here’s a start, pick-up Gender Trouble, Judith Butler and tell me what you think, I can wait…
As for you, Dr. Clouthier, shame on you. You have enjoyed the luxuries of women’s liberation and…I don’t even know where to start…shame, shame on you.
You are in desperate need of taking a women’s history course, desperate need. I am certain a freshman level course would blow you away.
And I am not sure why, if you really do believe in the sanctity of the nuclear family, then why don’t you have one?
I know you get to decide which messages are posted and I doubt you will post this one but you should know I would say this to your face and Cousin Dave and Mer but censor away, I think that’s what you people are good at, at least I know YOU will read this.
By Headless Unicorn Guy on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Doc, that’s an old method to keep slaves in line. Have your overseers crack down — HARD — on your animate property, allowing them only one outlet — Total Sexual Freedom. Not only will the animate property take their only escape route and put all their energy into getting laid instead of getting uppity, but it breeds lotsa baby slaves, each one pure profit to Massa.
By Mary D.B. White on Oct 20, 2008 | Reply
Headless Unicorn Guy,
Well, you’re just wrong. There’s a whole discipline dedicated to studying slaves and the people who actually do the research and examine the lives of slaves and slaveholders…well, none of them would agree that slaves had “Total Sexual Freedom”…again, do any of you know how to get at information, or do all of you function on heresay?
Please, for the love of God, read a book or two. Library cards are free.
By Cousin Dave on Oct 21, 2008 | Reply
Mary: You have just proven every point I made. First of all, the “artocities” of Christianity were the result of a pre-Reformation Church that bears almost no resemblence either to the early Church or to the Church that exists now. It’s kind of like saying that every U.S. President is equivalent to Robert Mugabe because William Howard Taft was corrupt. Radical Islam, on the other hand, is here and now, and it is based on a religion whose bible explicitly commands its followers to do what they are doing. No other mainstream religion on Earth has ever dared to go, ideologically, where Islam has gone.
As for the rest… well, calling your opponents evil and mentally deficient is a common tactic of the Stalinist left.
And yes, I have a nuclear family, thank you.
By Richard on Oct 22, 2008 | Reply
It’s absurd to say that if there is no gender “neutrality” then all that’s left is male dominance. Equality of the sexes is a fact of life despite exceptions that exist. Feminists, a la Catherine MacKinnon (Obama Is the Way Forward for Women, 10/21/08 WSJ article possibly only for subscribers), makes the U.S. sound like a living hell for women and Chicken Little sound like a sober commentator.
My frontier-reared, 19th-century-born father treated my mother with absolute respect, decency and fairness. No doubt zealots will see some dire and dark patriarchal oppression of her by dear old dad but it wasn’t there. Individuals work out their relationships in different ways and they had their imperfections as humans. But can the garbage about society’s guilt and the genetic male dominance over women.
Men can be men and women can be women without doing damage to each other. Men do some things better than women. And vice versa. On the dance floor men lead and women follow and both have a lot of fun. I have yet to dance with a woman who didn’t consent to be led — while engaged in that particular activity — and I could do precisely nothing if that consent were withheld. Feminists will nevertheless see this as a disgusting paradigm of male dominance thinking. QE bloody D.
Complaints about the horrendous oppression of women in the US and European society ring false. Where on earth is there a perfect society and the obsessive focus on our imperfections and exceptions draws attention away from the decent and generous civilization we enjoy. Any candidate alternatives are and have been socialist or third world pits.
Women have got it about as good as it can get in the West. Let’s upgrade practices and attitudes without making absurd claims about the rottenness of the whole enterprise.
By qwerty on Nov 27, 2008 | Reply
Dr.Melissa, Richard, Cousin Dave:
Feminists and Islamic clerics are a common lot. Both of them refuse science, both of them use shaming tactics and violence respectively to end discussion, both of them repress free speech.
It is time we ignore them as brainless trolls.
True to their name, the arguments of these ideologues are flimsy, Superficial and anecdotal. One can argue with a person well-versed in Logic, but not with a feminist immersed in their emotional world.