State of Emergency

Benjamin has just told us he supports the emergency law. We are four friends who meet for lunch every fortnight or so. And Benjamin, he’s the one who likes to provoke.

What with foreign submarines and frigates sailing along our coast, he says, it is nice to know we finally have a resolute government in place. And then he goes on about April 9, the day the Germans invaded Norway more than ninety fucking years ago.

No, says Ole-Bernt, the government is just following the rest of Europe. The so-called threat from enemy countries is part of the lies that push us into the arms of authoritarian leaders. That is why people accept that Prime Minister Buland and his lackeys haul people they can't stand into prison. How many have they locked up in the new camps? Do you know what this is called, Benjamin, says Ole-Bernt, wagging his finger.

We all know very well what it is called, there are several words for it. But Benjamin is throwing more fuel on the fire. Buland has the fucking right to get a little tough when people are rioting in the streets, he says.

A little tough? we throw back at him. Who are sent to the camps? Opposition politicians, environmentalists, journalists, Muslims, human rights activists ... democracy is falling apart everywhere, says Gunnar. Even here, in peaceful Norway. The country of compassion. The country of solidarity. Don't you deny it, Benjamin.

Is Benjamin really this steamed up? Or is he just having fun?

You’re this close to calling a legally elected government fascist, he hisses. I'll tell you something, he continues, what we need right now is precisely the Buland government. And as soon as everything returns to normal, Buland will shove the emergency law back into its packaging.

Now I'm pissed off, and tired of taking Benjamin's provocations for pretend entertainment. Buland, I say, Buland is the textbook version of a narcissist and a psychopath. He's Hegseth and Vance on speed.

President Hegseth is no fool, maybe Vance isn't either, Benjamin says, as if he means it. Hegseth has done everything right, he adds, just look, there's not a single American soldier left in Europe … and what he did for Denmark... fantastic.

Benjamin is referring to Hegseth slicing Greenland into two, just a week after his inauguration last year, North Greenland to the US, South Greenland to Denmark and the Greenlanders. Except North Greenland is four times as big as the southern part.

The most beautiful deal in the world, Gunnar ironically says. And what about Svalbard? And Varanger and Kirkenes? How long are the Russians going to be there? Where were Hegseth and Vance when that happened?

At this moment two soldiers enter the café. Military police. They look inside, seat themselves on stools by the counter. Do they order coffee? They do. It looks like the waiter doesn't want to be paid. What worries us, including Benjamin, is they have a robot with them, restlessly moving its insect legs. It's a combat robot and it carries weapons.

Ole-Bernt makes a failed effort to cool things down. Not everyone is like you, Benjamin, he says softly. No point in making those cops over there aware of us – if we're going to get rid of them, we must stand together in the street, he argues. You need to come with us, Benjamin, we're going to the demo at two o'clock. Why the hell do you think Buland says he's ready to send soldiers back to the barracks? It's because of us, he knows he’s come to the red line, he knows we are ready to fight. Just like in Europe. Ordinary people fighting the insanity.

Ordinary people, who the hell are they! Benjamin says, ejecting spit at the same time. Fortunately, he's lowered his voice. You're not achieving anything other than giving Buland a huge reason to step things up, because he's going to ...

We fall silent. Is that damn robot coming to our table? No. It heads towards the toilets, then stops by two young people wearing slogan t-shirts. Then we notice a drone. It sails over to our table, grabs the ceiling lamp above us and is hanging still.

We sip lukewarm coffee and we talk about the new ration cards. We agree the cards are a good idea. It’ time to move along, Ole-Bernt says in a slightly strained voice. We get up and put on our jackets.

See you at two, then? These last words come from Benjamin.

© Copyright Jørn A Jensen - Originally published in Nye Nova