Infamous Swedish establishment newspaper Aftonbladet’s editorial writer and columnist Lina Stenberg argues that it’s not radical Muslims who are responsible for Sweden’s elevated security situation – but the Sweden Democrats and those critical of Islam and immigration who have “provoked” the Islamists.
“Now Swedes risk their lives simply for being Swedes. We must not forget who bears a significant responsibility for the heightened security situation, who invited Paludan to burn Qur’ans, and those who stoked the fires saying ‘if they get upset, burn a hundred more’ despite the world’s horror”, she comments on Monday evening’s bloody terrorist act in Brussels, on the platform X (formerly Twitter).
Svenskar riskerar nu sina liv bara för att de är svenskar.
Vi får inte glömma vilka som har ett stort ansvar för det höjda säkerhetsläget, vilka som bjöd in Paludan att bränna koraner och vilka som eldade på att ”blir de upprörda, elda hundra till” trots omvärldens förfäran.— Lina Stenberg (@LinaAStenberg) October 17, 2023
When the opinion maker and journalist Sakine Madon asks what the Aftonbladet profile means by “responsibility”, Stenberg replies that she is referring to “the same gang that benefits from pitting Muslims against ‘the Swedes'”.
Vilka som har ansvar för det höjda säkerhetsläget? Samma gäng som vinner på att muslimer ställs mot ”svenskarna”
— Lina Stenberg (@LinaAStenberg) October 17, 2023
“Where do you draw the line?
However, many question her blaming of those who “offend” radical Islamists, and twitter user Laura Saiepour wonders where the line is drawn.
“Where do you draw the line? Salman Rushdie was recently stabbed for writing a book, 30 years ago. Samuel Paty was beheaded for showing images he WARNED about. Lars Vilks lived under death threats because of his art, ex-Muslims do because they have left the religion, etc. Exactly where is the bending of the spine appropriate? When is it NOT okay for people to be killed? Where is the limit to ‘risking one’s life’?” she asks.
Omar Makram, who runs the podcast “The Last Supper”, also questions the logic and wonders what kind of life it is to live in subjugation and constantly adapt out of fear of otherwise being murdered by radical Islamists.
Här kom det. 'Om vi inte böjer oss för islamistiska fanatiker kommer de döda oss'.
De vill döda oss för att de hatar vår frihet, vårt sätt att leva. Vad är det för liv att leva i underkastelse? https://t.co/xNaDJzlSZP— Omar Makram (@OmarMakramSE) October 17, 2023
Lina Laments
Following the storm of criticism, Lina Stenberg has lamented the response she received, arguing that anyone pointing out the Sweden Democrats as responsible for the security situation risks being subjected to an internet mob.
“Don’t you dare suggest that SD is responsible for the heightened Swedish security situation. Then you’re accused of being in Erdogan’s leash, siding with the rapist, and generally being an idiot by right-wing Twitter and its brave keyboard warriors”, she comments.
