A Scandinavian Perspective

[Blomst]

20 years ago, my husband and I moved to the US from Scandinavia. We, regularly read newspapers from home, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany on the web, and there seems to be an unanimous consensus for Obama in the media coverage and in public opinion. In my home country, Denmark (my husband is Swedish), even the most conservative political party prefers Obama as the next US president.

This morning, I just read a long article in one of Denmark's biggest conservative, daily newspapers, that addresses with great detail, Hillary's transformation into a dirty campaigner. They did not omit any details, quoting Bernstein, Andrew Sullivan and others. They covered the whole story and all her shenanigans. Such things do not go over well in my home country. The election is followed closely over there, and my strong impression is that they generally feel the same loathing for Hillary as many people on DU feel for Hillary. There was a time, when Bill Clinton was adored in Denmark. Now, his legacy has been tarnished by Hillary's lack of a moral compass. I don't know a single Scandinavian who prefers Hillary at this time.

[Tinksrival]

1. From a 1st generation Norwegian Swede American

I AGREE!!!! Vikings for Obama!!!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. Vikings for Obama? Never!!!!!

He didn't finish his beer. Would a Viking waste good beer?

:rofl:

[dbmk]

13. A real Viking wouldn't touch your beer with a 10 foot spear, dear americans.

:)

Hej Blomst! Rart at se nogle flere herinde. :)

Translation, just to avoid conspiracy theories: Hi Blomst! Nice to see more of us here.

I live in Denmark and I can approve Blomsts take on things.

To put it in perspective:
Last weekend I was with a group of friends in Copenhagen watching football(thats soccer to you) and we met this guy that usually was hanging with another group in a more private setting. He told us that he had been kicked out of that small club because they said he had dipped into the clubs little piggy bank. And when confronted with the "Did you, or didn't you?" his answer was "Weeell..yes and no.". Which basically was so far out an answer that it cracked us up, and then one of my friends - who I would characterize as relatively non politically interested - said "Sounds like something Hillary Clinton would say" - which just generated more laughter.

[Blomst]

15. Tak/Thanks

Tak i lige måde! Det varmer at få en hilsen på dansk på en mandag morgen!

Just thanking a fellow Dane for the Danish greeting. There are only around five million of us in the world.

[Ichingcarpenter]

17. Modtage

Goddag. Mig børn er Dansk / Amerikanere og høre hjemme i København. Tak nemlig jeres inddata og velkommen hen til DemocraticUnderground

[Blomst]

18. Thanks!

Wow, thank for that greeting in Danish. I appreciate it, very much!

[phatkatt]

16. That wasn't a Miller Lite he was drinking!

It was an ESB from a micro-brewery. We have some damn good brew coming out in small batches.

BEER SNOBS FOR OBAMA!!!!!!!!

[Tinksrival]

14. We've come a long way, baby!

We Vikings drink mead!

(not recommended on the campaign trail, contained 11-13% of pure alcohol!

[noel711]

2. There are cultural differences you are observing..

From my lifetime experience growing up, being educated here,
and living in several states (in the USA)
it seems that many Americans operate, and make judgments
'by the seat of their pants,' and, like 'good children'
believe what they are told by whatever authorities
they behold, be they newspapers, television commentators,
their pastors, their local political ward leaders,
or even rabid radio personalities.

I suppose it goes back to the industrial
revolution, where the workers were beholden to the
management... I'm just guessing there. Or perphaps
there's a comfort in going along with the crowd,
a 'mass think' interpretation. It seems if you press them
too closely with too much information, they blow up.
Don't make things too complicated..

Both of my grandparents immigrated from Scandinavia,
and they never allowed anyone to dictate how they
reasoned and decided how to live their lives.
Their independence, and ability to think deeply on
many things influenced me greatly.

Or maybe I just sound like an elitist...
Maybe that's my problem.. I'm a elitist..
I've been accused of being worse things..

[Blomst]

10. Mentalities

"many Americans operate, and make judgments
'by the seat of their pants,' and, like 'good children'
believe what they are told by whatever authorities
they behold, be they newspapers, television commentators,
their pastors, their local political ward leaders,
or even rabid radio personalities."

Wow, I could not have said it better. You hit the hammer on the nail.

I think that that is what has been most shocking realization for all the Scandinavian immigrants that I know over here. We come over here with the impression that Americans are rugged individualists that think for themselves, but they are often treated like children by the authorities, in ways that no Scandinavian would put up with for a second. One example is a sign that I read in the greyhound bus, years ago, that said, "Stay behind the yellow line, it's the law." I saw a similar sign, in a bus, in Denmark; it said, "Stay behind the line, it's for your safety." No offense to the many free thinkers over here, but I think that it is that kind of mentality that enabled Bush's power grab and all the offenses against civil liberties, without much objection from the American people as a whole.

[polpilot]

11. Informed opinions v. sound bites between 'idol' viewing.

Big differnece.

[ScarletSniper]

12. "Or maybe I just sound like an elitist..."

Nah, you're just an independent thinker that's open to the flow of information, and that comes from a black woman raised in the south and the daily baptist grind that grew up to be an agnostic and anti-establishment..lol

talk about being called worse things than an elitist..believe me I got ya beat

[Tesha]

3. Welcome to DU! (NT)

[Coexist]

4. welcome to DU

and thank you for your perspective. I wish I could read the article myself, but my Danish is rusty (and by rusty I mean nonexistant!)

[Eurobabe]

5. You could always pull a 007

and brush up on a little Danish. ;)

Sorry, couldn't resist. :hi:

[Coexist]

8. lol!

[YOY]

7. Tack blomst.

Men vilken sexist du och alle in Scandinavska landen ar! :sarcasm:

[Blomst]

19. Thanks!

Well, it is definitely not sexism that motivates European people to distance themselves from Hillary, but their contempt for dishonesty. If she keeps going like this and somehow takes the nomination, she will add to the suspicion that Bush was a catalyst for in all of Europe. How sad!

[YOY]

21. Quite sad really...but this is the "kitchen sink" tactic that we were warned about.

begging pardon but you lost me about Bush being the "catalyst for in all of Europe". The catalyst for what in all of Europe?

[Blomst]

22. Suspicion

Sorry, suspicion towards the US and its policies.

[Mme. Defarge]

9. Keep those cards 'n letters comin'!

[Snap]

20. missive from Aarhus

Hi Blomst,
We live in Denmark in the summer (our home port is on Langeland).
I was an Edwards supporter, but before the caucuses a friend from Aarhus called and hounded me to support Obama.
It was clear to him that Clinton would only issue in more of the same. I finally had to agree with him.

[Arugula Latte]

23. Interesting to hear this. Thanks, Blomst.

Welcome to DU! :toast:

[masshole]

24. Välkommen!

Volvo drivers for Obama!