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    The Envoy

    Global press largely overlooks heroism of couple in Norway massacre

    Hege Dalen and Toril Hansen. (Maija Tammi/Helsingin Sanomat)As Norway continues to grapple with the attacks by a home-grown extremist that killed 77 people last month, one couple, who moved to help young people fleeing from gunman Anders Breivik, is getting a bit of belated recognition.

    Hege Dalen and her wife, Toril Hansen, were eating dinner on July 22nd on the other shore from Utoya island when they heard screaming, the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sannomat reported.  After bombing government buildings in Oslo, Breivik had come to the island dressed as a policeman and went on to shoot more than 100 young people attending a Labour party camp there.

    "We were eating," Dalen told the newspaper. "Then shooting and then the awful screaming. We saw how the young people ran in panic into the lake."

    The couple took off in their boat for the island, picking up shocked victims from the water and transporting them to the mainland. They made four runs in all, helping rescue some 40 of Breivik's victims, the paper reported.

    "Between runs they saw that the bullets had hit the right side of the boat," the paper wrote.

    Some lesbian-gay news sites and blogs have picked up the account in recent days, noting the same-sex married heroes of the story haven't gotten much attention in the international press.

     

    4,960 comments

    • Diana  •  9 mths ago
      No, their sexuality does not (at least should not) matter. Just saying "Hege Dalen and her wife, Toril Hansen..".would have been fine. The reason people got upset is not because it wasn't plainly stated that they are lesbians. The reason is becasue their heroic actions were barely noticed/reported/etc. most likely because they were a lesbian couple, and because the original title was edited (censored). We don't need to label everyone as gay, lesbian, straight, bi, trans heroes...but we should also not omit or avoid news stories because they make the people who make other uncomfortable by their differences look good. I don't need or want everyone I know to introduce me to others as their friend, the lesbian, but I prefer that they introduce my wife and I as a couple, rather than friends. I also would not want to be ignored completely because someone didn't know how to address or describe me.
    • ceezee  •  9 mths ago
      Can we not stop bothering about the sexuality, color, religion of people, just say a couple, everything else is irrelevant to the story of two people who helped at their own risk.
      • Greaseman 9 mths ago
        Unfortunately it is very relevant in our society. I don't agree with it, but people have so many misconceptions about different people that sometimes you have to mention these things. Besides, if you just say "a couple" most people would immediately think of a white heterosexual couple. Thats the reality of the situation.
      • Volkan Özoğuz 9 mths ago
        I agree with Greaseman. It shouldn't matter, but until people start letting go of the awful stereotypes of gay people, it should be pointed out when people who do heroic, wonderful, spectacular things are gay.

        And yes, unless otherwise stated, I believe most people assume that the subjects of a story are straight white people.
      • Rebecca 9 mths ago
        What difference does it make what most people assume? When I see a story "man saved woman from burning car", etc. I don't even think about whether the man is gay or straight. It's not relevant. Why do some groups say they want equality and then insist that their differences be pointed out?
    • STUMPTHEUMP  •  9 mths ago
      They are heros, but who gives a flying #$%$ if they are gay or not, bet there were jews and christians who also helped.
      • JMAC 9 mths ago
        The press made it an issue ... who cares ? They od not think of themselves in this way .. heroes are members of the human race and come in every shape size, color nationality and orientation . We are all created in the image of God ,, so He must be a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll ! !
      • Max_80919 9 mths ago
        I also heard these heroes will get guest spots on Glee in Season 3....wonder why?

        @STUMPTHEUMP: BINGO!!!! RIGHT ON!!! It doesn't matter what their label is. I bet Jews and Christians helped too, and heaven forbid that maybe a Conservative or 2 helped out. Yowza! The liberal press is totally out of control.
      • David 9 mths ago
        Duh. It would matter if it was BECAUSE OF their sexual orientation that they didn't receive the same recognition that straight people would.

        Hope that clears things up a bit.
    • artemis  •  9 mths ago
      I just wanted to give a sincere thank you to these two people. To paraphrase: bravery is not the absence of fear, but the courage to act in spite of it.
      • Annie 9 mths ago
        Artemis - I couldn't agree more. That's always been my definition of bravery, too.
      • George 9 mths ago
        I agree with you, Artemis. However, do you feel that this couple's homosexual sexual preference made them more heroic than all heterosexuals that did the same thing?
    • My Evil Twin  •  9 mths ago
      What does their sexual preference have to do with anything? Would they have rescued more people if they were straight? Look, the way I see it is this ~ if someone is trying to kill me with a high-powered rifle as I'm swimming away from an island and two women show up as if by magic in a motorboat and offer to save me from the danger I'm in, I am NOT going to ask them "Hey, are you two ladies lesbians? Because if you are I'll just have to take my chances against the madman with the rifle back there..." Their sexuality has nothing to do with the story. All the press had to say was "Hege Dalen and her wife Toril Hansen saved 40 people, and here is how they did it..." and I think most of us could've figured out they're a gay couple, and a very brave couple at that.
      • Skye 9 mths ago
        My thoughts exactly! Who cares! So what! Let's see... one woman was also 5'6 (I'm guessing here)... and she steered the boat.
      • Greg 9 mths ago
        Point is they were ignored And the prejudiced alliance above want othere to forget who they are. Get overit and give due credit!
      • Skye 9 mths ago
        @NO THEOCRACY ... What I mean is - who cares what they were - gay, straight, bi, trangendered, it doesn't matter. They acted bravely for the children, for their country. That's all that matters. They put others' lives before their own.
    • bobbyA  •  9 mths ago
      Why focus on the fact that they are gay? Their sexual orientation has NOTHING to with the story. Would the news report that 'Heterosexual couple saves kids"?
      • Joshua 9 mths ago
        i agree to this if it was said that "Lesbian Couple Save the Day" or something to that effect. However, it wasn't, it is talking about the fact that these lesbians did not get any attention in the "Western News." Which I am not a person who reads the news hourly but that is pretty heroic and I haven't heard of it. I DO NOT agree with their lifestyle at all but it is true that they would have been in the news all over the world by now if they were straight. At least I believe so. Again, the point is not saying that two lesbians saved the day but two lesbians who have not received credit for their heroic acts as other people who are presumed straight in other disasters have.
      • sub_dio 9 mths ago
        The article is about whether their story was neglected BECAUSE OF their orientation. So.. you are incorrect. Their orientation is literally the SUBJECT of the article. Perhaps you saw the headline and made assumptions about the story without reading it?
    • DT  •  9 mths ago
      Two women came to the rescue of young adults being slaughtered. They were brave people and they did a good deed. Their sexuality is not why they saved those young folks. They just happen to be lesbians. So what?
    • Jesus_Follower2  •  9 mths ago
      Why can't they just be heros? What does their sexual orientation have to do with it?
    • Bob  •  9 mths ago
      This is as dumb as bringing race into the discussion. Why the "lesbian" qualifier?

      Who f***ing cares either way what they are? How about "A Norwegian couple" instead?
    • lincoln  •  9 mths ago
      is being saved by a gay couple any different than being saved by a straight couple ?
    • Dave65BTackle  •  9 mths ago
      Rowing a boat in open water in the face of gunfire to save kids from being murdered requires a lot of pure courage. I really do not care what their sexual orientation is because it has no bearing on their heroic act.
    • Genghis  •  9 mths ago
      I agree with the 'what does sexual orientation have to do with heroism' theme. Kudos for helping save 40 folks from certain death. But who cares if you are a gay boater or a dwarf Lithuainian glass blower.
    • Liberal Pillow Biter  •  9 mths ago
      I read about hundreds of people who helped during the crisis and the days following. Do we now have to ensure that following any event, there is mention of a GLBT in the news story? Good God, this diversity crap is going to drive society into the toilet. I don't care what you do with your genatial. I just don't want to hear about it ad nauseum.
    • Hey You  •  9 mths ago
      Hero's aren't gay or straight.
    • Steven  •  9 mths ago
      What does their sexuality have to do with them helping out in the situation? The media needs to stop putting sexuality as a story. Just say two women helped out end of story.
    • M.S.  •  9 mths ago
      I could care less if they are gay, black, white, jewish, whatever -----they need to be recognized. and honored by their country...
    • A Yahoo! User  •  9 mths ago
      congrats, sounds like they did a better job than the norway police force!
    • LockdownBG  •  9 mths ago
      Meanwhile
      - 2011.08.02 Philippines A 7-year-old child is among two killed by a Jemaah Islamiyah bomb blast
      - 2011.08.02 Afghanistan Kunduz Four are killed when Muslim extremists stage a suicide attack on a guesthouse used by foreigners.
      - 2011.08.01 Pakistan A woman dies from injuries when Taliban militants fire a rocket into her home.
      - 2011.08.01 Somalia Mogadishu Two African peacekeepers are blown to bits by a Al Shabab suicide bomber.
      - 2011.07.31 China Kashgar Muslim radicals hijack a truck and ram it into a crowd of Han (non-Muslims), then begin a stabbing spree that leaves 7 dead and 22 injured.
      - 2011.07.31 Iraq Baghdad An education official and his son are executed by Sunni Muslim 'insurgents'
      - 2011.07.31 China Kashgar Members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement kill a restaurant owner and waiter, then hack four others to death.
      - 2011.07.31 Thailand Narathiwat A juice trader is shot to death at a market by Islamic separatists.
      - 2011.07.30 Egypt Al Arish Children are among the casualties when fundamentalists on motorbikes go on a shooting spree while shouting Islamic slogans.
      - 2011.07.30 Pakistan Quetta Eleven Shia pilgrims killed in sectarian attacks

      - 2011.07.29 Yemen An al-Qaeda ambush leave six dead.

      - 2011.07.29 Afghanistan Nahr-e-Saraj Women and children are among nineteen torn to shreds by a Taliban bomb attack on their minibus.
      - 2011.07.28 India Sopore A civilian is shot to death by Islamic militants.

      - 2011.07.28 Iraq Baghdad Fundamentalists car bomb a liquor store, killing one.

      - 2011.07.28 Russia, Dagestan A village chief is machine-gunned in his home by Islamic separatists.
      - 2011.07.28 Philippines Abu Sayyaf "militants" kill and mutilate seven local soldiers.
      - 2011.07.27 Kenya Mandera al-Shabaab militants kill a local cop with a remote-controlled bomb.
      - 2011.07.27 USA Muslim soldier arrested while plotting to attack Fort Hood

      - 2011.07.26 Thailand Yala Islamists shoot a civilian to death in front of his 6-year-old daughter.
    • Recovering Republican  •  9 mths ago
      They were heroic in their actions. Who cares about their sex lives? The only time a person's sex life is any of your business is if you plan to do it with them. Otherwise, I don't want to hear about it, nor do I want to discuss my sexual activities with you.
    • Jeremiah  •  9 mths ago
      Did this couple act as they did because they are lesbians or because they are HUMAN BEINGS? I do not see the Press trumpeting which heroes were heterosexual or bisexual or transgender...maybe because IT DOESN'T MATTER! SEXUAL ORIENTATION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS HORRIFIC TRAGEDY!

      Now I am going to take two aspirin, lie down, and wait until common sense raises its head again.
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