SD calls opponents traitors – this can never end well

A Swedish politician's accusation of treason against opponents marks a dangerous escalation in public discourse, according to an opinion piece in Dagens Nyheter. Richard Jomshof, a Sweden Democrats (SD) lawmaker, shared a collage on X (formerly Twitter) depicting Aftonbladet's political editor as a "quisling," a term associated with Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian collaborator convicted of treason and executed after World War II.

Jomshof also labeled Social Democrats party leader Magdalena Andersson a "quisling." The article notes that the SD party appears to endorse this rhetoric, suggesting it is seen as risk-free due to past instances of "troll factories" spreading white power messages anonymously. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's previous reluctance to confront SD leader Jimmie Åkesson over such issues is cited as evidence of shifting boundaries.

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He has made a collage: On the left is the Norwegian Vidkun Quisling, who was convicted of treason after World War II – and executed. To the right: Anders Lindberg.

The piece highlights a trend of "worry reports" being filed against the children of politicians and journalists deemed inconvenient, a tactic the author suggests would have been unthinkable a decade ago. This gradual erosion of public discourse norms is attributed to actors who seek to intimidate rather than engage with arguments and facts.

The author expresses concern that a climate of fear is being cultivated, where expressing an opinion in public can lead to personal repercussions. The article warns that this "absurd carelessness" in public discourse, particularly in alternative media aligned with the governing parties, encourages personal attacks over reasoned debate. The piece concludes by questioning whether this is the public sphere Sweden desires, one where expressing dissent carries the risk of violence.

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I am damn tired of this now. Tired of having to have bodyguards.