Swedish Hypocrisy
Swedish blogger Ilya Meyer points out Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt’s two divergent approaches to defamatory news articles published in the now-notorious Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet.
Regarding the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish blood libel published by Aftonbladet in August 2009:
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt repeatedly stated that the Swedish constitution and Swedish law prevented him from making any comment on the article, as this would constitute undue government interference in the press and illegal press censorship.
In fact, the government took Swedish Ambassador Elisabet Borsiin-Bonnier to task for criticizing the article, insisting her statements did not have government backing. Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt insisted he could not make any comments on the article as this would violate freedom of the press.
But Meyer demonstrates the Prime Minister’s about face in statements made on October 20, 2009 in response to an article in Aftonbladet by a Swedish right-wing party accusing Muslims of being a threat to the nation.
“We must increase tolerance in society.” Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, October 20, 2009….
“I acknowledge that there are tensions in Swedish society,” said Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt …on October 20.
Meyer asks a few pointed questions:
Did Reinfeldt lie to the nation and the world in August when he said that Swedish law forbade him from commenting on an article that insulted Jews, Israelis and Judaism? He had, after all, gone on record as confirming that it was the Swedish constitution that prevented him from commenting on the article. Or is he breaking the law now by commenting very publicly on another article in the very same newspaper, with the only difference that this time it is Muslims who quite rightly feel targeted?
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