Lesbian couple saved an estimated 40 Norwegian campers

[jumptheshadow]

http://www.hs.fi/ulkomaat/artikkeli/Sankaripariskunta+pelasti+kymmeni%C3%A4+leiril%C3%A4isi%C3%A4/1135268014839

This is in Finnish. Someone on another board translated it. I am summarizing:

Hege Dalen and her partner Toril Hansen were eating supper in the camping area opposite Utoya island when they started hearing gunshots and screaming....

Dalen and Hansen drove their boat to the island, and fished out of the water people who were in shock and young people who were injured and transported them ashore. Every now and then bullets almost hit the boat.

Since they couldn't fit everyone into the boat all at once, they returned to the island four times. They might have saved as much as forty people from the clutches of the killer.

[sudopod]

1. Kick

There are some people who deserve a Medal of Freedom. nt

[Snoutport]

2. Actions speak for themselves.

Yay for brave lesbians!

[oldhippydude]

15. please forgive my knuckles dragging ..

i cant resist a bad pun "fairy boat"... way to go ladies!!!

[AlbertCat]

34. please forgive my knuckles dragging ..

Mine too.

But who cares what their sexual orientation is?

[xchrom]

3. Bless them. A grateful world thanks them. Nt

[kstewart33]

4. Wow. Absolutely wow.

You go gals!

[William769]

5. Great story! thanks for getting the translation.

Rec.

[Booster]

6. K&R for the girls - they deserve it.

[UpInArms]

7. Sheros!

:hatsoff:

[HockeyMom]

8. Human beings caring for their fellow human beings

Who cares what their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, bla, bla, bla. We are all in this world TOGETHER.

[Bluenorthwest]

23. Presidential surrogate Donnie McClurkin has said that gay

people are 'trying to kill our children' as his reason for declaring open war upon us. So the facts at hand are religious nutter killing masses of people, gay people saving dozens of the victims. We care because the Straight Community uses those religious prejudices to prevent us from having equal rights, basic rights. To say 'who cares' when we do not have rights, and the straights actually accuse us of killing people, well, how spiffy and hip!
The fundamentalist Christian went on a rampage. The lesbians saved dozens. Deal with it. The Praysident says we lack a spiritual element, that straights are 'sanctified by God' while we are not. Do you agree with him?

[Ignis]

36. "The Praysident"

:spray:

[awoke_in_2003]

44. I think it should be brought up...

at least in this country. Politicians spend a lot of time de-humanizing gay people, so sometimes you have to fire back IMO.

[Angry Dragon]

9. Here is another hero

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1565170

Don't think he is gay but does not matter

[Divine Discontent]

14. That's fantastic! Thanks for the link, what a brave and good guy! :)

[spin]

10. K&R (n/t)

[donheld]

11. Wonderful

[wakemewhenitsover]

12. Sure, they saved a few lives, but don't even think of trusting them with marriage.

:sarcasm:

[Divine Discontent]

13. it's relevant (to those implying it's not) because the right-wing ultra-conservative murderer

surely detests GLBT people, and here this couple saved half as many as he killed. Shame the cops had transportation problems and took 90 min. to get there, thankfully, this couple was nearby!

[HERVEPA]

48. Exactly

[democrank]

16. K & R

[Butch350]

17. Is it significant that their Lesbians...

well, were they white, black, hispanic, greek etc.. lesbians?

[Bluenorthwest]

24. Their names are in the article

Do they sound 'hispanic' to you? Do you comprehend where this happened?

[Butch350]

39. Oh Gee Obviously you didn't get the point - huh homer.

[ZombieHorde]

46. The gunman was rightwinger, and the heroines' sexuality is hated by rightwingers.

The story compares beliefs with actions.

[HERVEPA]

49. If you're going for snark,

perhaps learn how to spell. It's "they're"

[fasttense]

18. Now those two show true Christian values.n/t

[marew]

32. Those values are much more than Christian I would hope.

They are human value: values of kindness, of compassion, and of love for others. Many Christians would never have done what they did. Heck, I've even seen animals rescue fellow critters. 'Christians' are the ones trying to put the sick and the poor in the street.

[Rebubula]

19. Recommended the OP...

...not sure why we feel a need to point out the sexuality of the heroes.

But - I guess labels are going to be important for some time until we are all equal and free to love\marry who we want.



I look forward to a day when we do not feel the need to point out race\religion (ok..that may remain important as religion slowly moves into the dustbin of history)\sexuality etc.

[jumptheshadow]

20. The sexual orientation of the rescuers

Theoretically I would agree with you that the world shouldn't have to care about the sexual orientation of the rescuers...

But, yes, it was important to link to the Finnish story in this case, particularly because the perpetrator espoused "Christian" values and killed or injured dozens of people...while these ladies, who probably have had to overcome barriers because of their preference for the companionship of women, are among the heroes and heroines in this story.

I posted this in the GLBT forum, too, because I wanted my community to know and be proud about this.

I, too, hope for the day when we can get beyond these issues.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. Oh, the straights declare that sexuality is irrelevant only when

the desire is to whine about a positive story about GLBT people. I note that the Straight Community has a deep seated need to point out sexuality and to dole out rights accordingly, that the Praysident says he is against our equal rights because he is a Christian. He wraps his prejudice in the shroud of the Christ, to up the drama and impact.
Cute for you to 'look forward to the day'. So do we, dear. So do we. Sorry those seeking equality bug you. But your annoyance is NOTHING compared to the rights your community refuses to allow. The Straight Community is to blame for all that we endure. Think that over for a few minutes.

[Butch350]

40. Don't whine about the whiners please - it moots your post.

[Rebubula]

51. I am sorry...

...that you got offended and missed my point.

And thank you for the condescending reply.

Too bad you see a friend as a quasi-enemy.

YOU..think that over for a few minutes...

[wickerwoman]

45. It's important for kids to see role models they can relate to...

particularly for gay and lesbian teens to see that they can be different and also be an action hero.

How many books, TV shows or movies portray gay heroes (and not just snarky comic sidekicks or martyrs to AIDS)? Not very many. So when a real life couple comes along, I don't see a problem with celebrating them and pointing out who they really are.

[FreeState]

52. What does it hurt to mention who they are?

Seriously what harm comes from it?

[fascisthunter]

21. Awesome!!!!

[jumptheshadow]

22. More details (German)

My German is rusty so I had to put this through the Google translator:

http://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=14695

The couple were two of many rescuers who were able to save approximately 300 people with 20 boats. Here's the (very rough) Google translation of two paragraphs:

>>But the most troubled her that she had the first trip, where they fished all ten people from the water, leaving one person. "The boat was about to capsize. It was terrible to have to decide who we take," says Toril the NRK. You do not know if anyone else could save the person. "There were so many people in the water. I wonder how many have drowned."

The youths were mostly swam in shoals, it is possible that young people were drowned, because others swam across it. A terrible idea, like so many things that tormented the couple. Most of the youths who were rescued Torill Hege and seriously injured. Also inside: "You have seen up close how the assassin had shot at people," says the portal Torill vg.no. "They were turning blue from cold and fear."<<

[blackspade]

26. +1000

Sexual orientation has no bearing on heroic action.
These ladies flat out rock!

:headbang:

[RedCloud]

27. Lesbians save lives while heteros dawdle.

[HERVEPA]

50. I'm sure orientation had alot to do with the dawdling.

:sarcasm:

[suffragette]

28. Here's a pic of the courageous and compassionate couple

from the article at http://www.queer.de/detail.php?article_id=14695




Torill on the left and Hege on the right

[marew]

30. Bless them! n/t

[Chorophyll]

29. Incredibly brave and selfless.

People like this amaze me. I'd probably have been lying on the ground weeping. (Calling 911 at best.)

[marew]

31. I was on Huff po the other day...

I am as straight a woman as they come but I was on Huff po a couple of days ago trying to go back at the bigots. Good god, they cannot see beyond their own noses. Their arrogance and hatred is as virulent as they come. They really are nuts. They go bombastic if someone doesn't have the exact behaviors and attitudes they do. Their is no morality but theirs. They see bogeymen everywhere. Remember a few years ago when the research showed how fearful conservatives are. This is why these neanderthals cling to their guns. They are incapable of independent thought.
I believe it was Schopenhauer who wrote “Religion is the masterpiece of the art of animal training, for it trains people as to how they shall think.” He sure got that right!

[KurtNYC]

33. the oppressed oppress n/t

[Smilo]

35. What bravery....

kudos to Hege and Toril.

[Moostache]

37. I wonder if the survivors care that they are "sinners" and the shooter was "saved"...

Religion is like a penis....its fine to have one (though not necessary to be human), its even OK to play with your own (in private of course), but you should never run around showing it to other people and NEVER have it out around children.

[LittleGirl]

42. OMG

I've never read anything so profound and hysterical at the same time. Ha ha...thanks for the belly laugh. I saved that.

[Cracklin Charlie]

38. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes

Bless them.

[Zorra]

41. Lovely. Those are two brave and beautiful sisters.

:loveya:

[supernova]

43. Thank you for posting

Saw the headline briefly this am but then couldn't find it again.

Courageous women.

[Taverner]

47. Norwegian Guardian Angel Lesbians!

Awesome!!

[RetiredTrotskyite]

53. May God and Goddess Bless Them!

What wonderful brave ladies. I am so glad they were able to save all those people.