The Knight of Destruction (w/ english translation)
The text of this found&performed poem is taken from an article in the newspaper, written by “consultant”, Halldór Ragnarsson, and I found very funny. It was a retort to some articles Icelandic writer Hallgrímur Helgason had written about the government and it’s response to the financial crisis. The “Found & performed” poem is above, but below is a translation of the article (done in a hurry – if there are many faults with my english, let me know – although I must add the article didn’t necessarily make much sense).
AN ANSWER TO THE KNIGHT OF DESTRUCTION
So it seems – after all that has come to pass – that writer Hallgrímur Helgason, wishes to continue to demolish and destroy. In Fréttablaðið [an Icelandic newspaper], on December 7, he ordains himself the Knight of destruction, and thinks he knows everything better than everyone else. Better than the Independence Party. Better than the Alliance party, denouncing those who toil for betterment of the nation and tries to launch a political discourse of hate in Iceland, on top of everything else.
I have become a bit tired of Hallgrímur. Again and again he goes to far. He is obsessed with Geir H. Haarde [Icelandic PM]. He has taken to calling the Prime Minister names, saying he’s trembling, tired and irritated, without talent for leadership, that he appears in the role of a youngster spouting wisecracks. Talks of his phobia for decisions while Geir makes decisions as if on a conveyor belt, every hour of every day, with statesmanship and resolution for Iceland. With great dignity. Without succumbing to neurosis. In the order that will bring the nation the greatest fortune at this time. It is no easy task to govern a country. Not the least when the problems arrive on a conveyor belt. What, really, is Hallgrímur’s point? Is he speaking of himself? It is ridiculous to change admiration into contempt in the manner which Hallgrímur has done and denounce the pillars of society, the Independence Party. Although Hallgrímur seems, deep inside, to respect the party to some degree, and everyone knows it is the only party that can guarantee the nation a future income, along with its collaborator in the Icelandic Government. But then Hallgrímur attacks his own party, which is also doing its best, the Alliance Party, and echoes the cheap demogoguery of the Left-Green Party, which profits from the nation’s distress. That is ignoble, and does not suit him.
It is very easy to harp on prejudice against those who carry the nations entire burdens on their back. Does he realize how much the Prime Minister has to carry, 24 hours a day? Does he think that the challenges of Geir H. Haarde, which he has to face every day for the nation, are some sort of joke? “Iceland is a burning building”, says Hallgrímur. “Its inhabitants stare desperately out through the smoke”. Very funny. Does Hallgrímur think that the situation that Iceland finds itself in is something to make fun about? That the nations predicaments are some sort of joke? Iceland is bleeding and he allows himself to belittle both the nation and those who try to save it with the greatest integrity and seriousness from the worst crisis of our republican era.
There needs to be some moderation in what people say. And what they say must make some sense. That is the law of the damage extremism can cause, an extremism that can inhabit us all. And this time it’s in Hallgrímur. Because this is demogoguery without it’s equal. Groundless animosity. Which does not help anyone. Not Hallgrímur. Not the Alliance Party. He is encouraged to inspect his own heart. He hurts the Alliance Party and himself. He needs to stop his hysterical destruction and start rebuilding with the rest of us.
Hallgrímur doesn’t seem to understand the problems of politics. The problems of the real world. He thinks that nonsensical patent solutions in a clichéed style will bring us out of the grave problems of an entire nation into the future. But that is all wrong. It is no easy task to govern a country. Not least when you take respecting all its citizens as your guiding-light. Then you need the wisdom of Solomon. This is something the chairman of the Indepence Party and the Prime Minister of Iceland – Geir H. Haarde – understands. This is something that the vice chairman of the Independence Party – Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir – understands. This is something that the Independence Party understands. This is something the Alliance Party and it’s leadership understands. But it seems to be too much for Hallgrímur Helgason to understand.