While most Norwegians are in a cheerful mood and think that celebrating Norway’s national day is an important thing, the mood is different in Dagsavisen.

Political editor at Dagsavisen, Lars West Johnsen, went round the editorial office to draw up a list of things the employees love and hate about this traditional day, he writes in a comment in the newspaper.

“One side of the survey was surprisingly small. If we are to believe my colleagues, a day almost to be despised,” writes Johnsen.

The first thing Dagsavisen’s political editor does is make fun of other nations’ national day, so to speak: “But we, we celebrate with children, ice cream, sausages in our strange little pockets and tiny flags on a birch stick”.

He then says that most people don’t know why we celebrate National Day, and adds himself.

“Say ‘Eidsvoll men’ to a Norwegian teenager and you will be met with a resounding whoop? I can’t remember what I myself learned about Eidsvoll at school. But I don’t think it was big.”

Then he quotes “the left’s great thinker” Magnus Marsdal, who wrote the following in Klassekampen:

“It was not the people’s government that was legislated at Eidsvoll in 1814, but an exalted elite’s political dictatorship… The owner and civil servant elite loved the idea of democratic freedom for themselves. They abhorred the radical idea that the same freedom should be granted to servants, workers and householders – not to mention women”.

Then Johnsen has made it to Dagsavisen’s list of the national day’s thumbs up and down.

First up is nationalism.

“The nationalism that is the day today, obviously full of cuts both ways. The kind, inclusive nationalism with the children’s parade, diversity and community under one flag is good. But if you shake your head a little and look at it from a slightly different angle, it can also look as if we are pushing these innocent children in front of us and cultivating Norway as the most beautiful and spotless, magnificent place on earth. Which is not so good. So this is both pleasant and scary at the same time.”

Then there are clothes.

“When some 18th-century farmstead has become the rule and not an exotic exception, some of us know it.”

Then there is the royal house.

“It is the royal house’s big day. The day when the royal few show their relevance and receive the tribute of their people. We Republicans squirm a bit in our blue suits. We don’t like it on May 16 and not May 18. We are happy with the king, but we do not believe in inherited rights”.

Corps.

“Corps! Janissaries and horn music? The jury is out. We love marching bands, but we really dislike rhythmic marching, especially school bands that are too coordinated and sharp in the trouser press, we can’t handle it.”

The ending is as sour and laced with acid regurgitation as it is descriptive of socialists, globalists and in woke-inspired naïves:

“A final addition to the list of things we don’t like, in addition to the obvious: slightly too drunk ladies in bunads or stiletto heels, and bragging, drunk dudes, raving Russians and of course salmon, scrambled eggs and pavlova, is that it’s not allowed to be sad. If you want to be angry, you should preferably stay indoors. Because on May 17, you should be cheerful and happy, because this is fun. Get with the program, it’s Norway’s birthday after all!”