Earlier today 40 000 Norwegians gathered in Oslo to sing the Pete Seeger song "Rainbow race". Similar arrangement were in many other Norwegian cities, as well as in many schools and other institutions.
This was a reaction to statements Anders Behring Breivik made in court last Thursdag, roughly translated.
Lillebjørn Nilsen is one example of a self-declared marxist who infiltrates the culture with pedagogic songs like "Children of the rainbow". These songs are so used to brainwash children in school. Nilsen has said straight out that he wants to influence society, not through laws, but through songs.
VG
While Lillebjørn Nilsen is clearly on the left, he isn´t a declared marxist. And while he has written many songs, the rainbow song Breivik is referring to is actually an American song, written by Pete Seeger: The rainbow race and then covered in Norwegian by Nilsen.
I suspect one reason Breivik is upset by this song being sung in Norwegian schoold, is that he probably has interpreted the Norwegian title "Children of rainbow" as a reference to children of different races and etnicities, a way that title is probably interpreted also by others. I think however the song ; it´s basically about a song about humans taking care of each other and the earth, and living peacefully together.
Singing at Youngstorget, in front of the headquater to the Labour Party:
One blue sky above us
One ocean lapping all our shore
One earth so green and round
Who could ask for more
And because I love you
I'll give it one more try
To show my rainbow race
It's too soon to die.
Some folks want to be like an ostrich,
Bury their heads in the sand.
Some hope that plastic dreams
Can unclench all those greedy hands.
Some hope to take the easy way:
Poisons, bombs. They think we need 'em.
Don't you know you can't kill all the unbelievers?
There's no shortcut to freedom.
Go tell, go tell all the little children.
Tell all the mothers and fathers too.
Now's our last chance to learn to share
What's been given to me and you.
While Lillebjørn Nilsen is clearly on the left, he isn´t a declared marxist. And while he has written many songs, the rainbow song Breivik is referring to is actually an American song, written by Pete Seeger: The rainbow race and then translated and performed in Norwegian by Nilsen.
I suspect one reason Breivik is upset by this song being sung in Norwegian schoold, is that he probably has interpreted the Norwegian title "Children of rainbow" as a reference to children of different races and etnicities, a way that title is probably interpreted also by others. I think however the song ; it´s basically about a song about humans taking care of each other and the earth, and living peacefully together.
Indoctrinated Norwegians singing along with Lillebjørn Nilsen, 2010 (before the attack):
A more artistic version on NRK, Norwegian state television. NRK was one of the institutions Breivik most seriously considered to target in his terror attack, but abonded in favor of the government building and Utøya.
An American version I found on youtube:
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From Oslo today:
The father of a boy who was killed at Utøya held a speech before the singing.
Prableen Kaur survived Utøya and got elected to Oslo city coucil this autumn, only 17 years old.
This little boy learnt the rainbow song of his aunt who died at Utøya. She used to sing it for him at bedtime.
After the singing at Youngstorget, people went to the courthouse to place roses outside:
From a smaller Norwegian town:
Norway´s prime minister Jens Stoltenber wathcing the rainbow singing from his temporary office - the government building that hosts his ordinary office was the main target of the Oslo bombing.
Anders Behring Breivik was asked in court earlier this week what he thought about the rose marches that happened in Oslo and around the country a few days after his attack last summer. - Typically Norwegian, the selfdeclared nationalist said pretty dismissivly. - Never allowed to get angry about anything.