ØRSKOG (VG) Frp has not been known as the gays’ main defender. FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug has never ridden a Pride train. – But now it’s time, she says.
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– After the terrible terror in Oslo this weekend, it is extra important that we all stand together in the clear message that it should be allowed to show that you love the one you love.
Listhaug tells VG.
– Therefore, at the first and best opportunity, I will line up in a Pride train or at a Pride event, because it is extremely important to give queer support, after what they have been exposed to. You should be allowed to live life with whoever you want, whether you are heterosexual or gay. And you must be safe in Norway, says the FRP leader.
– Half-naked
She had a slightly different train attitude in 2009.
– For me, gays have to party and celebrate when and where they want, and many clearly have a strong urge to mark themselves. But I do not think it strengthens their case when half- and almost completely naked people dance around the streets of Oslo, she told Dagbladet that time.
–She says this is an important reason why she has not ridden a Pride train before.
– It is because I disagree with parts of the political issues that the Pride organization Fri stands for. But after what happened in Oslo this weekend, many gays are naturally worried. In such a situation, it is extra important to be clear in their support for them that they should be allowed to live with the one they love without being exposed to anger, violence or other negative experiences.
– FRP has not been the gays’ main advocates?
– We have respected that people should be allowed to live their own lives, but then we have had a more conservative attitude to questions about children and marriage.
Drepte to
Listhaug will have both a debate about freedom of expression and the role of the police after it became known that it was Zaniar Matapour (43) who was behind the attack in Oslo on Saturday night where two people were killed and over 20 injured.
He is now charged with murder, attempted murder and terrorist acts. The Iranian-born man came to Norway as a refugee at a young age, but is said to have been radicalized over the years, according to the Police Security Service (PST).
– It is important that we do not cut all Muslims across a comb. All people are different. Some are strongly believers, others are secular; there are large variations, says the FRP leader.
But she says many Muslims take with them attitudes Norway must address.
– What we know is that in the countries a number of Muslims come from, have the death penalty for gays. In some other countries, it is forbidden to be gay. We know that many do not leave their values at the border when you come to Norway.
She says that is why they in the government introduced 50 hours of training in Norwegian values, among other things.
– Norway’s laws and acceptance of homosexuality are important.
–Listhaug refers to a Fafo survey Aftenposten wrote about in 2017. Among other things, 7386 young people were asked if they think their parents think homosexuality is ok.
– Among young people with a Pakistani background, 67 percent answered that their parents would never think homosexuality was okay. 41 percent of the young people said that they themselves did not think homosexuality was okay. We have to take that into account, she says.
– What do you mean?
– We must work to ensure that these values are also followed by those who come to our country. We must dare to take hold of this line of thought as well, no matter what the motive for this attack may turn out to be.
Many gay Muslims
She says there are many gay Muslims.
– Of course it is.
Among other things, she refers to a strong meeting with a young Muslim man who told her that he would never be able to tell his parents.
– Because they would never accept it. It is very important that this type of attitude is combated.
– Is not enough
Parliament President Masud Gharahkhani said in connection with the terror this weekend that hatred is hatred, regardless and that it has nothing to do with religion.
– It is an argument that does not hold. We must accept that these are extreme Islamists and that it is an environment that is dangerous and linked to religion. We can not push it under the rug, even if it is difficult, we must discuss it.
– You risk contributing to stigma?
– No, I do not, this is too important a debate for us not to be able to talk about it because of such accusations.
– Reservation
She is skeptical of what has been revealed so far about PST’s role after this weekend’s terror in Oslo.
– I make a reservation that there is a lot we do not know and the investigation is ongoing. But it has emerged that the person who shot himself in Oslo on Saturday night is connected to the extreme Islamist Arfan Bhatti. It’s worrying.
She adds:
– And especially that the threat assessment associated with extreme Islamists must have been scaled down nine days before he went on the attack: This means that PST’s role must be investigated.
– Investigation
She wants an external investigation.
– We are very pleased that the government has made it clear that the role of the police and PST will be evaluated. But we believe it is not good enough to set up an internal group in the ministry or in the police and that the police may have to evaluate themselves. We believe that an independent commission of inquiry should be set up to review the entire case complex.
She says the main motive is to see how PST and the police have worked and what must be done differently in the future.
– When someone who kills people in this way has been in Bhatti’s network, there is every reason why the alarm bells should ring.
Listhaug believes that it should also be considered whether a change in the law is needed.
– Yes, if there is a need for a change in the law so that PST and the police can do a better job to secure us against such terror, then we must be open to it.
The FRP leader acknowledges that it is a complicated job for the police.
– They have many people they are worried about and flashing out the ones you should follow extra closely is very demanding. But we must investigate whether this terrorist attack could have been avoided.
– Very wrong
She says that freedom of expression is under pressure and that the killings in Oslo this weekend have triggered a need to have a debate about it.
– Sps Jenny Klinge has experienced it and most recently Danby Choi, editor-in-chief of Subjekt, who has been hard hit by his statements. He is portrayed by some as triggering what happened. It is with respect to report very wrong. That he, as a gay man who has expressed something critical of Pride, should almost be blamed for what happened, is absolutely incredible.
–She adds:
– It is dangerous if we do not manage to discuss difficult issues we disagree on. It is not tolerance, it is intolerance.
– What is not acceptable?
– I think we must be able to discuss also heated political issues without being able to make serious accusations against them, mostly within the framework of the law. We must tolerate people having different opinions.
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