Punishment in Norway

As most of you know likely know this past weekend a bloke set off a bomb in government buildings and went on a rampage killing 90 people. He took full responsibility for his actions, admitting that his alignment far right extremist, and that he was unhappy with the country's immigration policy, believing that the country is allowing too many Islamic people into the country. So he bombed government buildings and then went to a small island on a lake dressed as a cop and started shooting. It took a while for police to arrive on the scene due to the remote location but when they did he surrendered shortly after.

The thing that gets me about this isn't so much why he did it but instead the consequences of his actions. Norway considers themselves a very civilized European society, and because of this no death penalty, and no life sentences. The maximum sentence is 21-years. They can than appeal the verdict and add on five year increments to this sentences, and although that is what the prosecution will try to do to get a life sentence. Officials in government know however that this won't happen as there is no precedent of this sort of crime in Norway.

Given this, buddy will be paroled in say 10-20 years. And his stay in prison will be quite comfortable. Norway prisons in comparison to say a Turkish Prison is much more like a resort then a prison. I want you to think about that and look at some pictures (courtesy of CBC).

One man, a bomb, two automatics, 90 dead, more injured. = some years in a person.

Issue one. Why was he even arrested? He surrendered after police called him out in about two minutes. Did he run out of ammo? Shooting at that many people, killing and injuring and missing I imagine that is a lot of shoots. Say about eight magazines? How many you think he brought?

So he walks up to police hands held high and surrenders. If I was the arresting officers I would have yelled gun and put a bullet or thirty to him. Why? 90 dead.

Issue two. Now I know Norway, which isn't actually significant in most ways, prides themselves on being civilized and won't allow this man to live the rest of his life in prison or simply take him out back the court house and shoot him. I mean really I am sure there is enough well adjusted family members of the victims that would have no quarrel with an opportunity to beat this man to death even if they were only given popsicle sticks. They would find a way to make it work. Maybe in prison they will do just that, the inmates anyway. If you are Norway and you want to say, we are civilized, we have civilized laws, then simply disappear the motherfucker. Wait a year or two while he is in prison. Lock him in the basement and simply forget to feed him. Few weeks later, problem solves itself. Tell the papers you didn't know he was flushing his food down the toilet, and malnourished. Simply get rid of him. There won't be any grand inquiries. No one of sufficient significance would make a fuss with this man suddenly being dead. And you know why? 90 dead.

I honesty believe that the evil in men isn't something that should be nourished and gently pampered. It should be something that should be surgically removed. Like a cancer. Perhaps I feel this way because I read a lot of Punisher. Perhaps it is because I am right. Either way I look forward to when the headlines read, Norway shooter killed in prison shower with a whole mop bucket in his ass. Until then, the waiting game...