Swedish far-right leader says Islamism is a bigger threat than Nazism

[inanna]

Source: Washington Post

January 27 at 12:30 PM

The Swedish Democrats (SD) won 13 percent of the vote in September’s general election, becoming the third-most-popular political party in the country. Their success took many by surprise, but in many ways it was the result of a shift seen in other European far-right parties: SD, which has roots in Swedish fascism and white supremacy, had tempered its more extremist policies, and instead focused on social conservatism, immigration and Islam.

On Tuesday, acting party leader Mattias Karlsson hammered that point home by telling public broadcaster SVT that "the threat of Islamism is perhaps greater than it is from Nazism." The comments, which came on the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, stoked controversy in a country grappling with a backlash against multiculturalism.

<snip>

"Nazism was quite a terrible threat, much worse in his time," Karlsson told SVT. "Today, I think that the threat of Islamism is perhaps greater than it is from Nazism. But one must of course take all ideologies seriously and fight them in every way."

The comments have drawn the ire of Jewish and Muslim groups in Sweden. "As we make this commemoration, we want people to recognize evil in the world and to know that this can happen to any group, not just Jews," Lena Posner-Körösi, chairwoman of the Jewish community in Stockholm, told the Local. "For Karlsson to talk about the threat of Islam as he has done is very dangerous and shows he hasn't learnt anything. And yes, he is from a group with a Nazi past."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/01/27/swedish-far-right-leader-says-islamism-is-a-bigger-threat-than-nazism/

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I, for one, really appreciate Lena Posner-Körösi's comments on this. I agree: this guy is dangerous.

[samsingh]

1. maybe not bigger

[shenmue]

2. What is the matter with people?

Do they never learn anything, from the persecution and the war and the ignorance? Why do people still want to be that way?

[inanna]

5. Right. I can separate radical extremists from the rest of a culture/religion

or political ideology.

Most rational people can do this.

Westboro does not represent all Christians. ISIS does not represent all of Islam.

[KamaAina]

3. Raoul Wallenberg could not be reached for comment.

[BlueCaliDem]

4. Oh great! Fascist RWers in this country will tout the Swedish "Democrats" as proof that Democrats,

not Republicans, are the Party of fascism. *sigh*

[jwirr]

6. Is there a big difference between the Nazi's and ISIS? Aren't both fascists?

[Android3.14]

7. Two sides of the same coin

meh.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. The SD, whis has its roots in Swedish fascism . . . had tempered its more extremist policies

and instead focused on social conservatism, immigration and Islam.

A fascist is a fascist is a fascist. The far right is what it has always been: a threat to freedom everywhere.

[blkmusclmachine]

9. Eine Teabagger, nicht wahr?