US President Donald Trump's statements on immigration have sparked a new wave of reactions in the international public space, after he suggested in a speech that the United States should receive more immigrants from Nordic countries and fewer from poor or conflict-affected states. A Norwegian decided to answer the invitation directly. And his message went viral.
US President, Donald Trump/PHOTO: EPA/EFE
Chris Lund, a 43-year-old vocalist originally from Norway, reacted publicly after hearing Donald Trump complain at a Dec. 9 rally in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, that Americans are not getting enough immigrants from Norway, Sweden or Denmark.
In his speech, Trump resumed tough rhetoric on immigration, questioning why the US accepts people from “shithole countries” but not “nice people” from Scandinavia, whom he would “welcome”.
Chris Lund says it was this invitation that led him to do a simple calculation and ironically explain why Norwegians are in no rush to move across the Atlantic.
“There is a recurring irony in being told that America is > by someone who doesn't seem to understand that for a Norwegian, moving there would be a major setback,” Lund said as quoted by Newsweek.
On December 12, he posted a message on his Threads account that garnered tens of thousands of likes: “Trump says he wants more immigrants from Norway. I looked at the offer and I have to decline. The benefits package is terrible.”
Lund compared, point by point, the social systems: vacations, maternity leave, the health system and public safety. “You guys give two weeks of vacation if we're lucky; we get five. Your maternity leave is >; ours is a year. Your health plan is GoFundMe; ours is free. And your safety plan is >”he wrote.
The conclusion was couched in a metaphor that made the rounds on social media: “Moving to the US now feels like leaving a spa to work at a flaming hot dog stand.”
In Norway, employees are entitled to a minimum of 25 working days of annual leave, and parents are entitled to up to 12 months of paid leave after the birth of a child. The health system is universal, financed by taxes and compulsory contributions.
The reaction of the White House was not delayed. Abigail Jackson, a spokeswoman, told Newsweek that “America is the greatest country in the world” and that people who “hate America, don't contribute to the economy and refuse to integrate” should not be on US soil.
But Chris Lund says he has nothing against the Americans. He has visited the United States in the past and describes his experiences as positive. “There were times when the idea of moving was really on the table,” he says.
Today, however, his perception has changed radically. “From my perspective, the US looks more like a cautionary tale than a dream destination. I prefer free healthcare and a life that doesn't constantly revolve around surviving another political crisis.”
His post has garnered more than 83,000 likes and reactions have been mixed. Some found him right, others insulted him or asked him to “stay out of America's problems.”
“I'm not obsessed with the United States. I'm just careful,” says Lund. “What happens in America affects the whole world. Your economy and politics vibrate globally.”
Finally, the Norwegian also notes a detail that, he says, amuses him: “Trump should be careful what he wishes for. If we actually moved to the US and started voting, we certainly wouldn't be voting for him. We would be voting for the very things he calls >.”
