Swede pop star offends Americans! (1 Viewer)

[Revolutionary]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301369.html

Aparty at the Swedish Embassy took an undiplomatic turn Sunday when visiting rock star Ola Salo's edgy political banter crossed the line. Salo was performing on the embassy's front lawn when he looked up at a plane approaching Reagan National Airport and told the crowd: "In this country, you don't know where those planes are headed." Then, according to witnesses, he said it should go "into the White House."

Salo, 29, is lead singer of the Ark, a glam rock band ("Queen meets Abba" according to hipster critics) that is wildly popular in Sweden and Italy. The group kicked off its U.S. tour with a free public concert at the embassy's gorgeous new home on the Potomac, as part of the week-long inauguration celebration.

Not a typical musician or opinion in Sweden I hope.

 

[shuamort]

I'd have to care about someone's opinion before I'd get offended.

 

[Calm2Chaos]

LMAO... this is so absurd I can't even come up with something sarcastic to say about it.

 

[Deegan]

Nope...............I got nothing!

 

[Rosalie]

Considerring how most of the rest of the world feels about the current US Administration, I don't see how it could really shock anyone.

It really was just a joke, anyway. It was probably something that was mumbled, got a few laughs and a drum hit, and that was about it. But you'll always get someone.

 

[Calm2Chaos]

Considerring how most of the rest of the world feels about the current US Administration, I don't see how it could really shock anyone.

It really was just a joke, anyway. It was probably something that was mumbled, got a few laughs and a drum hit, and that was about it. But you'll always get someone.

Some things are appropriate and some inappropriate. This was completely inappropriate and should never have been said. I don't think I was shocked by what was said, just beffudled at who said it...LOL

 

[Revolutionary]

What the article points out is that he got approval from the audience. One can imagine the audience at an embassy opening -- upper class elitists. These were not people from a poor Muslim ghetto of Malmo or a working class section of Gotenberg, this was undoubtedly a group of wine and cheese munchers. Maybe the upper class are the ones to blame for the attitudes we hear coming from Europe all the time.

 

[Calm2Chaos]

What the article points out is that he got approval from the audience. One can imagine the audience at an embassy opening -- upper class elitists. These were not people from a poor Muslim ghetto of Malmo or a working class section of Gotenberg, this was undoubtedly a group of wine and cheese munchers. Maybe the upper class are the ones to blame for the attitudes we hear coming from Europe all the time.

Well actually, since this was a swede rock band nobody has ever heard of in this country. And it was performing at the swedish embassy (Finally a facility more useless then the UN). Odds are the majority of the people atending were swedes of some form or fashion from the embassy with a few dignataries thrown in. I highly doubt there were any "Wine and Cheese Munchers" at the "Ark" glam rock concert. If anything it would have been there kids.

 

[Bergslagstroll]

Well first of all Sweden have alot of artist touring in America and other places and it's seems only this band had made a stupid joke that are that offensive. But yes it was a stupid comment even if the correct one was: "I hope they fly into the White House rather than here". That even if you got free spech you can't joke about everything (but the problem is always there to draw the line). Also it's only Salo himself that now that i actual meant, but he has apologied and it's seems like a stupid joke.

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5314&date=20061025

Then it's come to Swed in general I thin many of our sceptical to alot of things in America ecpecially Bush and his foreign policy. That at the same time we like alot of things in America. Also USA roll as both the most powerfull country in the world and heavy exporter of your culture (American tv shows, movies american imaged products), leads to that alot of people in Sweden and in most other countries have opinions about the USA.

A big study about world opinion for example about USA:

http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=247

 

[Cremaster77]

What this does show is a fundamental difference between the US and many Islamic countries. The reaction here is "Who is that guy?" and "Who cares?" In many Islamic countries, there would full scale riots and torching of the Swedish embassy.

 

[Calm2Chaos]

Well first of all Sweden have alot of artist touring in America and other places and it's seems only this band had made a stupid joke that are that offensive. But yes it was a stupid comment even if the correct one was: "I hope they fly into the White House rather than here". That even if you got free spech you can't joke about everything (but the problem is always there to draw the line). Also it's only Salo himself that now that i actual meant, but he has apologied and it's seems like a stupid joke.

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5314&date=20061025

Then it's come to Swed in general I thin many of our sceptical to alot of things in America ecpecially Bush and his foreign policy. That at the same time we like alot of things in America. Also USA roll as both the most powerfull country in the world and heavy exporter of your culture (American tv shows, movies american imaged products), leads to that alot of people in Sweden and in most other countries have opinions about the USA.

A big study about world opinion for example about USA:

http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=247

I think a vast majority of people in the US simply don't care what others think of us. If you like us thats great. He.ll I would rather have a supporter then a detractor. If you don't like us thats great also. More then likely you need me more then I need you. It's just not on the top of our list of concerns. Everyones opinion is self interest generated. There are some that care, that cry about not being liked or thought pleasantly of. They tend to be the ones trying to give our country away. But I believe most aren't to concerned over the whole like us , don't like us debate.

As far as the comment. Having the right to do something doesn't always means it's the best course of action. He has the freedom of speech to say pretty much anything he wants. I however think that maybe common sense should take over, and you should think if its the right thing to say. Either way in the grand scheme of things there only words and his opinion. Neither of which will be remebered after we stop talking about it...

 

[Bergslagstroll]

I think a vast majority of people in the US simply don't care what others think of us. If you like us thats great. He.ll I would rather have a supporter then a detractor. If you don't like us thats great also. More then likely you need me more then I need you. It's just not on the top of our list of concerns. Everyones opinion is self interest generated. There are some that care, that cry about not being liked or thought pleasantly of. They tend to be the ones trying to give our country away. But I believe most aren't to concerned over the whole like us , don't like us debate.

But maybee you could atleast ask yourself why people don't like you? Yes it maybee just be because misconceptions but it can also be that you doing something wrong. Because americans as little as sweds have all the answers and it can be hard to lock at problem outside the box (in this case your own culture).

As far as the comment. Having the right to do something doesn't always means it's the best course of action. He has the freedom of speech to say pretty much anything he wants. I however think that maybe common sense should take over, and you should think if its the right thing to say. Either way in the grand scheme of things there only words and his opinion. Neither of which will be remebered after we stop talking about it...

But sadly words have an effect. As in this case it has lead that they had to cancel there entire show in America. Because yes they of course have to take the consecvence of there action if people don't want to come to the concert because of that they say (someting that I think is stupid but what I can accept). But according to the swedish newspaper (not yet in the local) they have to cancel because of deaththreath and that is both unacceptabel and even more stupid then the original comments. That fine if you don't like what a artist say and do then you can boycott him or write to your local paper but you don't make deat threaths.

 

[Rachel]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301369.html

Aparty at the Swedish Embassy took an undiplomatic turn Sunday when visiting rock star Ola Salo's edgy political banter crossed the line. Salo was performing on the embassy's front lawn when he looked up at a plane approaching Reagan National Airport and told the crowd: "In this country, you don't know where those planes are headed." Then, according to witnesses, he said it should go "into the White House."

Salo, 29, is lead singer of the Ark, a glam rock band ("Queen meets Abba" according to hipster critics) that is wildly popular in Sweden and Italy. The group kicked off its U.S. tour with a free public concert at the embassy's gorgeous new home on the Potomac, as part of the week-long inauguration celebration.

Not a typical musician or opinion in Sweden I hope.

I hope so too, but I fear it might be more typical of the general attitude in some European countries than we would like to think.

As the guy in the article wrote: "I was stunned," said Skemp. "I was more stunned at the reaction of the crowd, because they laughed and clapped."

What bothers me most is he's not just saying that a plane should go into the White House, what's even more offensive is that he's joking about 9/11.

I bet he's considered really anti-war, and some of his fans in Sweden probably agree that in the name of peace and tolerance a plane should crash into an American building, not just any building of course, just the White House. Yes, since they oppose Bush and only want peace and love, a plane full of innocent people should crash into one of America's most recognized symbols. Wouldn't that be nice...

I love the anti-Bush crowd, they're so enlightened... :sigh:

 

[Calm2Chaos]

But maybee you could atleast ask yourself why people don't like you? Yes it maybee just be because misconceptions but it can also be that you doing something wrong. Because americans as little as sweds have all the answers and it can be hard to lock at problem outside the box (in this case your own culture).

As for why.... I think it has a lot to do with policy. But over and above that it has to do with action. Some people realize you can talk something to death for only so long. At some point you either have to shut up or put your a.ss in the wind. I believe there are some general misconceptions about this country. It's alittle bit of everything I would assume, not just one problem. Before Bush we still had our detractors, they just found something else to complain about is all. We will always have our naysayers. But no matter what there are a few things you can count on. *We will always have those that hate this country foreigners and Americans. *Our policy will always piss somebody off. *And we will continue to not put to much stock in what others say about us.

But sadly words have an effect. As in this case it has lead that they had to cancel there entire show in America. Because yes they of course have to take the consecvence of there action if people don't want to come to the concert because of that they say (someting that I think is stupid but what I can accept). But according to the swedish newspaper (not yet in the local) they have to cancel because of deaththreath and that is both unacceptabel and even more stupid then the original comments. That fine if you don't like what a artist say and do then you can boycott him or write to your local paper but you don't make deat threaths.

I think it's a little silly. But in the end you live with the consequences. Common sense should have said it might not be the right thing to say, and if your not sure, just say nothing.

 

[Gardener]

These were not people from a poor Muslim ghetto of Malmo .

Now, that brings up an interesting question. If a glam band appeared in one of these neighborhoods, would they even last long enough to appear on the stage so as to spread this message?

 

[Willow]

But maybee you could atleast ask yourself why people don't like you? Yes it maybee just be because misconceptions but it can also be that you doing something wrong. Because americans as little as sweds have all the answers and it can be hard to lock at problem outside the box (in this case your own culture).

Sure the Americans should ask why people don't like those who don't like them do things like say blow buildings up and kill thousands but at the same time many people especially Europeans seem to think that the Americans should be prepared to accept the consequences of that dislike and be responsible for the consequences. How many debates have been had just on this forum alone about who was responsible for 911? When in actuality the people who were solely responsible for killing all those people were the terrorists.
All countries have been

doing something wrong

according to other countries since the beginning of time. Why should the Americans question themselves more then any other country. Actually I think they do question themselves more. Most Americans seem to be ready to believe everyone hates them and many people seem ready to place the blame for 911 on politicians and the CIA or FBI or whomever rather then on the terrorists themselves.
As for American culture what is American culture? Americans gave 260 billion dollars to charities in 2005 yet we're supposed to believe according to Europeans that they're greedy and immoral, according to the study that was posted.
As for this guy, he made a crass comment and he suffered the consequences. If you want to gain popularity in a country mocking the deaths of thousands of it's citizens, even accidentally:roll: is not the way to do it.