As stated in my post on April 8, May 17 coming up, I am opposed to using other flags than the Norwegian one in the official procession on May 17, even the Sami one. What people do outside of the official procession is a matter of freedom of speech. If people want to wave the flag of their country of origin - fine. But it should not be done in the official procession. That one should be reserved for the Norwegian flag. That is what we are celebrating.Some, including journalist Hege Ulstein of Dagsavisen, have presented the issue as innocent little children being brutally thrown out of the procession should they not be deemed sufficiently nationally correct. That is missing the point. What we are celebrating on our national day is the Norwegian nation, which is symbolized by the Norwegian flag. That nation encompasses everyone living in Norway, not only people with hundreds or thousands years long Norwegian pedigree, but also people of recent immigrant heritage.
There is no contradiction in reserving one day of the year for celebrating the Norwegian nation, and embracing all our nations inhabitants, wherever they might originate from.
5 comments:
Lets give Wergeland the credit for an open view to the world and allow any flags on our National Day. Besides: I think most children in the parade will use the Norwegian flag anyway so the problem is exaggerated.
That I call celebration ;-)
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Norway's celebration of its national day is possibly one of very few of its kind in the world. Raising your flag and walking alongside your fellow nation in such patriotism is wonderful. The fact that Norway has taken in a lot of people of different nationalities over the years is indeed gracious. How can it be wrong for them to fly their flags saying 'we support you as a wonderful nation'. Norway is being celebrated, that is not being disputed...but Norway is being celebrated not just by Norwegians but everyone that lives in this country.
Every year since I have lived here, my daughter has proudly walked with both the Norwegian and South African flags in the childrens parade...I always supported it because it was me saying 'cheers Norway, from South Africa'...is that wrong?
Sevika
With the great many Norwegians of multicultural origin and the many immigrants that we have, that is a very powerful argument that you have. We do in fact have a significant part of the population that are Norwegian but also have a part of themselves that is not Norwegian. That does of course not make them any less Norwegian.
And as Renny says, what I posed as a problem is probably exaggerated. So if there is a time to take back what you say, let me very humbly do that now.
I guess it will not be forgotten what it is that we are celebrating no matter which flags we are waving.
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