Fransk redaktør provoserer med Breivik-essay

Samme dag som dommen falt i Oslo tingrett, ble det publisert et essay i Frankrike som mener Breivik er et resultat av europeisk dekadanse og som sådan forståelig.

Hvis essayet var forfattet av en marginal person ville det neppe vakt oppsikt, men forfatteren er Richard Millett, en av seniorredaktørene på det anerkjente forlaget Gallimard. Det gjorde essayet umulig å overse.

Millett skriver i en tradisjon av intellektuelle høyreekstreme, som estetiserer vold. Den inkluderer navn som Robert Brassillach, men også forfatteren Celine, hvis roman «Reisen til nattens ende» var en kultroman for 68’er-generasjonen. Celines roman er stor, men han skrev også antisemittiske traktater.

Millett var også forlegger for Jonathan Littell, amerikaneren bak den voluminøse romanen De velvillige, som skildrer SS-soldaters opplevelser på Østfronten, og perspektivet er bøddelens. Boken solgte millionopplag i Frankrike, hvilket røper en mottagelighet for en tvetydig omgang med sadismen.

Europa har hatt forfattere som teoretiserer over vold på en annen måte enn vi er vant med. Det tillater at man kan gå svært langt i å beskrive og forstå. Men Millett tramper rett ut i en virkelighet som er Utøya og dagens flerkulturelle, konfliktfylte Europa.

“Multiculturalism, as it has been imported from the United States, is the worst thing possible for Europe … and creates a mosaic of ghettoes in which the [host] nation no longer exists,” Millet told France Info radio on Aug. 27. “Breivik, I believe, perceived that and responded to that question with the most monstrous reply.”

Little wonder that such views — published just as Breivik was being sentenced Aug. 24 — have sparked controversy in France. As word of Millet’s writing spreads, so too may the objections it has inspired.

………..

Breivik, Millet writes, is “an exemplary product of Western decadence” and a “child of the ideologico-racial fracture that extra-European immigration has introduced in Europe.” Because he sees the resulting “loss of national identity” and “Islamization of Europe” decaying “Christian roots” everywhere, Millet appears to believe acts similar to Breivik’s may be replicated outside Norway as well.

“Within this decadence, Breivik is without doubt what Norway deserved, and what awaits our societies that won’t stop blinding themselves in denial,” Millet writes in “Éloge Littéraire d’Anders Breivik,” one of three essays published under the collective title Langue Fantôme (Ghost Language) on Aug. 24 by publisher Éditions Pierre-Guillaume de Roux. “European nations are dissolving socially at the same time as they’re losing their Christian essence in favor of general relativism.”

Millet tar selvsagt avstand fra 22/7, men han er slått av dens «formale perfeksjon» og – her kommer en setning som er vanskelig å svelge for et norsk publikum – «litterære dimensjon»! Man skal ha sittet på ganske lang avstand fra Oslo tinghus for å kunne skrive en slik setning.

In its Aug. 27 review, the daily Le Monde points to his accompanying essay, “De l’Antiracisme Comme Terreur Littéraire” (Antiracism as Literary Terror) as reflecting Millet and his conservative worldview:

The man hates a lot, and [does so] in a refined style that’s sometimes obscure. But it’s sufficiently clear for the objects of his malice to distinctly appear: social democracy (and democracy, full stop), extra-European immigration, the remainders of Marxism and their supposed corollaries of ignorance, political correctness and the weakening of language. All of that is leading to the crumbling of Europe — a decomposing continent where “a civil war is under way.”

Så kort tid tok det altså før noen våget å behandle 22/7 og gjerningsmannen på en estetiserende måte, som ser på volden med kjølige øyne, som sympton, og sporer sykdommen tilbake til samfunnet. Dette er en kjent høyreekstrem, fascistisk tradisjon og det er viktig å være klar over at den har appell ved sin litterære, intellektuelle kvalitet. Denne teksten er skrevet av en kjent forlegger.

Forfatterne på Gallimard reagerte med bestyrtelse da de fikk vite at teksten kom fra redaktørens hånd. Samtidig er man i villrede, og fordi Millet er en av deres egne har man problemer med å kreve hans avgang.

Men Millet angrer ikke, og han sier noen svært sårende ting om ungdommen fra Utøya:

Indeed, the man who described Breivik’s 77 victims as “mixed-raced, globalized, uncultivated, social-democrat petit bourgeois,” appears to take a certain pride in the anger and consternation his essays have provoked.

“I’m one of the most hated French authors,” he told France Info on Monday. “It’s an interesting position that makes me an exceptional being.”

Estetisering av vold er ikke noe ukjent i europeisk eller amerikansk litteratur. Men at et slikt essay skulle se lyset samme dag som dommen falt, er overraskende. Det sier noe om at dommen ikke kommer til å sette noe punktum. «Storyen» vil leve videre og bli plukket opp av andre.
Read more: http://world.time.com/2012/08/28/french-essayist-blames-multi-culturalism-for-breiviks-norwegian-massacre/#ixzz251iboEl2

Essayet det siteres fra er av Bruce Crumley i Time magazine, som ellers er meget politisk korrekt og legger skylden for Breivik på høyresiden. Men denne gang har han mistet kontroll på storyen. Millet passer ikke helt inn i det vanlige mønsteret.

Les Le Mondes omtale, oversatt til engelsk:

In Norway , nobody knew about Richard Millet until July. Man storefront, though.Born in 1953, this French writer belongs to the prestigious peer Gallimard, where he works as an editor for several years. Above all, he is the author of a work abundant, consisting of fifty novels and essays, one of which, The Feeling of language, won the Test of the French Academy in 1994 (editions of The Round Table).

In the midst of this avalanche, not a book of Norwegian accessible. It is therefore not the quality of his prose which earned Richard Millet a little media coverage, but it has caused amazement. On 23 July, the information given by daily Aftenpostenwas picked up by several sites and Norwegian newspapers. All were moved by the title of a chilling pamphlet to be published in Paris by Pierre-Guillaume Roux.

Published one month later, on August 24, this collection Language phantomincludes two texts by Richard Millet, one of which is called «literary praise ofAnders Breivik . » And that the same day the court renders its verdict Norwegian in the trial of the man who killed 77 people coldly, July 22, 2011, in Oslo and on the island of Utoya. Verdict: guilty of terrorist acts. Since then, silence in the media in Norway. In France, however, the case raises Millet a mixture of embarrassment and indignation in the middle felted publishing.

Millet speaks what, exactly? After having taken the precaution of saying he does not approve the act of Breivik, the author refers to the «formal perfection» of the crime and its dimension «literary.» the Norwegian would, somehow, the spearhead of despair European facing a generalized loss of national and cultural identity. In eighteen pages, Richard Millet place with rage litany of hatred that has spilled into other writings, including Stigma, published by Gallimard in 2008. Part of a right-wing thought which does not hesitate to astheticize violence, Millet is not in its infancy in terms of anathema.

A book published simultaneously in Pierre-Guillaume Roux, From the terror antiracism as literary, gives also the perverse pleasures of the genre. The man hates a lot, and in a style elegant, yet often convoluted. Still clear enough that the objects of his scorn appear distinctly the social -democracy (and democracy itself), the non-European immigration, the remains of Marxism, as well as their supposed corollaries, ignorance, politically correct and the weakening of the language. All leading to the collapse of Europe , a continent where defeated «civil war is over.»

«Ravages of multiculturalism»

Breivik is not insane, Millet insists it is a «sign hopeless and despairing, the underestimation of Europe from the ravages of multiculturalism.» His actions are«at best a manifestation derisory survival instinct civilization. «And again:» In this decadence, Breivik is likely that Norway deserved, and what awaits our companythat s continually ‘s blind to better deny . «

Even teachers to think of the extreme right have hardly ventured to comment onthe killings in Norway. They «low profile,» said Jean-Yves Camus, a researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), a specialist in sweeping lines. Why then does it take a publisher risk publish such a text?

Pierre-Guillaume Roux, who created his house in 2010, the response was immediate: «This text is part of the tradition of the pamphlet that grows a little respect, says the publisher. It is an old tradition, which allows to emerge a real debate, even if they are harsh. In the case of Richard Millet, it is a great contemporary writer, so the meaning of the questions which it is all the greater . «What is there to respect staff, the content of this book? «I understand what he wanted to say in these pages, «answered Pierre-Guillaume Roux, who surprised» violence of the echo. «

Gallimard side, however, it is time to embarrassment. Already in 2008, Antoine Gallimard told the world he would not publish other books like The Stigma. Afterhaving stated that he saw in Richard Millet «one of the best editors» of the house, the CEO had concluded: «I paid my tribute to solidarity.» Since Millet was the editor of Alexis Jenni , Goncourt in 2011, as he had been that of Jonathan Littell , Goncourt 2006.

That make today a particularly effective employee, maker of literary prizes, but the ideological drift worsens from book to book? Especially in May 2012 editions Fata Morgana published a pamphlet (Syrian Spring) in which Richard Millet, faithful to its past commitments to the Lebanese Phalangists, provides strong support forBashar al-Assad .

Antoine Gallimard, who is on vacation, did not respond to this question. But in the house, the confusion is palpable. We feel at Jean-Marie Laclavetine , also a writer and editor. «I feel a sense of desolation and sadness, but not anger. This is not the first time he publishes unacceptable things. He writing beautiful texts, it is sensitive and profound when it comes to music or literature, but it is stupid when he talks about politics . I feel that it is not him. «To the editor, who has always maintained friendly relations with his colleague Richard Millet «is better than meaningless these positions, summary, which draw the hair on the head. «He can not imagine to go ask the head of his colleague Antoine Gallimard, who remains in control of the decision.

«An act politically dangerous»

Same side consternation of some authors Gallimard. Tahar Ben Jelloun , for example, believes that Richard Millet «loses his head.» To Moroccan writer, it is the employer Millet judge the situation, but it is obvious that this «praise» «of risk pose a problem to the reading committee. «Jean-Marie Laclavetine As he says» chagrined «that» derives strange and very worrying «.

Annie Ernaux is even more so. It considers that this text Breivik is «a politically dangerous act» and that his publication challenging the presence of Richard Millet in the committee. «His ideology, his stance undertake the house,» said the writer, before adding : «The question of a collective response is now asked of all writers Gallimard.»

Meanwhile, many are shared between perplexity, despondency and a feeling that Richard Millet desperately trying to attract attention. It is true that this text bazooka may assert the writer more notoriety, albeit terrible, all his books together. The author takes delight in advance when he wrote in De antiracism as literary terror: «I am one of the most hated French writers. Interesting position, which makes me an exceptional being.»

In Norway, this «interesting position» now allows him to exist – at least on the Web.Since July 23, Richard Millet been a leaflet Wikipedia, installed by an administrator Norwegian. An honor that very few contemporary French writers may flatter , including more famous and thought far more subtle.

Raphaëlle Rérolle