Iceland grieves after police kill a man for the first time in its history

[LiberalArkie]

http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-03/iceland-grieves-after-police-kill-man-first-time-its-history



"The nation was in shock. This does not happen in our country," said Thora Arnorsdottir, news editor at RUV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

She was referring to a 59-year old man who was shot by police on Monday. The man, who started shooting at police when they entered his building, had a history of mental illness.

It's the first time someone has been killed by armed police in Iceland since it became an independent republic in 1944. Police don't even carry weapons, usually. Violent crime in Iceland is almost non-existent.

"The nation does not want its police force to carry weapons because it's dangerous, it's threatening," Arnorsdottir says. "It's a part of the culture. Guns are used to go hunting as a sport, but you never see a gun."

Snip

http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-03/iceland-grieves-after-police-kill-man-first-time-its-history

[Politicalboi]

1. Iceland got it right

No guns.

[sarisataka]

5. Might want to clarify that

http://m.bbc.com/news/magazine-22288564

[Uncle Joe]

8. From your link I believe this is key.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22288564

First - and arguably foremost - there is virtually no difference among upper, middle and lower classes in Iceland. And with that, tension between economic classes is non-existent, a rare occurrence for any country.

" The tycoon's children go to school with everyone else”

Björgvin Sigurðsson Social Democratic Alliance

A study of the Icelandic class system done by a University of Missouri master's student found only 1.1% of participants identified themselves as upper class, while 1.5% saw themselves as lower class.

The remaining 97% identified themselves as upper-middle class, lower-middle class, or working class.

On one of three visits to Althing, the Icelandic parliament, I met Bjorgvin Sigurdsson, former chairman of the parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Alliance. In his eyes - as well as those of many Icelanders I spoke with - equality was the biggest reason for the nation's relative lack of crime.

[sarisataka]

11. Agreed

Social equality removes many of the causes of violence.

[Adam051188]

6. ............

[Recursion]

14. It's one of the most armed countries in the world

It's at 30 guns per capita, which is pretty much where Canada and Iraq are.

[Codeine]

28. It's the 15th most-armed nation on earth

on a per-capita basis. It's not the guns, it's the culture within which those guns are located.

And the fact that you could put the entire population of the country in four Rose Bowls and have lots of seats left over probably makes it a rather different environment.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. If only...

We are a barbaric country.

[JI7]

3. in other countries it's seen as a horrible thing, in this country it's seen as freedom

[nomorenomore08]

4. Seems they didn't have much of a choice, in this case. But sad nonetheless.

[Adam051188]

7. too bad their language is so....not american

i suppose that's the way they like it though. keeps the Scandinavians from becoming stupider by listening to us.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I traveled in Iceland a couple of summers ago...

They generally speak English. The people we encountered did.

They do listen to us, and they probably shudder.

[Adam051188]

12. living there is extremely difficult without speaking the language

who'd want to come back, after all?

[Diclotican]

22. Adam051188

Adam051188

I'm able - to a degree to read modern Icelandic - on the other note I have no ability to speak it - but I'm able to read a news paper in Icelandic - if I take my time to read it slowly and clear up some of the Icelandic special words - who is rather difficult to read...

It is verry similar to reading the old norse language - or Norrønt as it is in norwigian - difficult to read for a modern man - but not to difficult if you just take your time reading it...

Diclotican

[Mojorabbit]

27. I am going on vacation there next month!

If you know of something I cannot miss seeing please pm me.

[Diclotican]

21. Adam051188

Adam051188

Technically speaking Iceland is not part of Scandinavia - it is Sweden Denmark and Norway who is Scandinavia - as the same suggest it is Sweden Denmark and Norway in one word - but Iceland and Finland is both part of "norden" who share some of the same history going back a millennium at least - in most cases even more.. But from the outside everyone would say Iceland and Finland is part of Scandinavia so I guess it is more of a issue for us than for the rest of the world But we are all good friends then...

But yeah - I think we be best without some of the more americans things - mostly because I doubt it will work very well over here - an egatalian country is the best way to solve social and economical issues....

Diclotican

[Aerows]

23. We could only hope

for the sensibilities of the Scandinavian countries. You folks get it right.

[Diclotican]

24. Aerows

Aerows

Sometimes we do it right - other times we fault as everyone else - but it works when most people is trusting his nabour next door - and most of the sauces in scandinavia is about the trust between government and most of the people.. A trust who is rather solid at least for the most - I just hope the conservatives who are governing for the moment both in Sweden and Norway are not messing up things to much the next 3 years - hopefully they are able to understand that the unwritten "contract" between the leaders and the people are not to be broken - the consequences could be horrible... It was brewing for revolution less than 100 year ago - it was mostly because people got a voice - and a better life that Norway, Sweden and Denmark was able to transform them self to real democracy.. Before it was a lot of political struggle between they who had - and the rest.. And it was a reality danger for a communist revolt both in Norway and Sweden in the first couple of decades of the 20th century - but it subsided - as people got a voice in how to run things.... It was a long and hard strugle - but we - the pepole won out - and I do hope, just hope our conservative coalisation are not messing up things to mutch....

Diclotican

[Aerows]

26. You folks get it right

most of the time, though.

Unless it comes to food, then I'm truly frightened.

(That was a joke)

[Diclotican]

30. Aerows

Aerows

yeah I agree, we do have some food who might scare others - we are after all the desants of vikings But mot of the food who is somewhat speciall is good -when you get used to it - but before you get used to it - it can be a shallenge to eat it!

(I understood it was a joke )

Diclotican

[opulent80]

9. Pretty tough to compare Iceland to other countries

Most Icelanders are descendants of Norwegian settlers and Celts from Ireland and Scotland who were brought over as slaves during the age of settlement. Recent DNA analysis suggests that around 66 percent of the male settler-era population was of Norse ancestry, where as the female population was 60 percent Celtic. The Icelandic population today is remarkably homogeneous. According to Icelandic government statistics, 99% of the nation's inhabitants live in urban areas (localities with populations greater than 200) and 60% live in the greater Reykjavík Area. Of the North Germanic languages, the Icelandic language is closest to the Old Norse language and has remained relatively unchanged since the 12th century. Because of its small size and relative homogeneity, Iceland holds all the characteristics of a very close-knit society.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Iceland

[A Simple Game]

13. And if I recall correctly they aren't afraid to put a banker or two in jail. n/t

[Adam051188]

16. that has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT

THE CHARGES DIDN'T EVEN STICK IT DIDN'T MATTER PUTTING BANKERS IN JAIL DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD YOU COMMUNIST FASCIST OLIGARCHIC CLOD!!@!!@!

everyone knows laws are for people who can't press a key on a computer and create money from nothing.

[A Simple Game]

17. My apologies, I see I must have reopened an old wound. Happy keyboarding. n/t

[Adam051188]

18. not really, just not a good idea

how would our bankers make such great decisions about how they manage our finances if they had to worry about little people problems?

[csziggy]

25. Do you need this?

(To insert it in your posts type the word with a : on each side.)

[littlemissmartypants]

15. Heavy. Kicking. eom

[tclambert]

19. "The nation does not want its police force to carry weapons"

"because it's dangerous, it's threatening."

Wayne LaPierre just declared war on Iceland.

[valerief]

20. Wow, those cops must not be on roids like ours. nt

[Codeine]

29. To be fair, they're policing a much more

peaceful country. One imagines that leads to a much more peaceful view of law enforcement across the board.