Issue 14, April 7, 2004:

Bush Stirs Debate at Nordic Deli

The temperature is rising high at Nordic Deli on 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn after the shop-owners placed a cardboard figure of George W. Bush in the middle of the store. "Some have said they don’t want to shop with us anymore," Helene Bakke said.

By IRINA LEE
Brooklyn, NY

About a month ago, Nordic Deli got a brand new attraction. Among the shelves filled with fiskeboller, syltetøy and flatbrød, a life-size poster of George W. Bush now greets customers. The newcomer has not received only praise after he made his entrée.

"It’s interesting to see how people react. When they come in and notice him, they’re either frigthened and angry, or they’re happy. Some even salute him," Arlene Rutuelo said. She runs the shop together with her mother, Helene Bakke.

Moved Around
"Most of them say ‘Hi, George’, but a lot of people ask us why we have him here," Helene said.

"We have moved him around a bit. He was standing in the middle of the store for a while, but we had to move him back to the gift corner because he knocks over. He’s not very steady," Arlene explained.

"I had actually moved him into the back, because of all the reactions," Helene said. "But, then one guy came in and said ‘to heck if you’re gonna do that! This is a free country.’ So I got him back out," she added while laughing.

Love or Hate
The shop owners have noticed that Bush’s appearance either sparks controversy or joy.
"There’s no middle ground," Arlene said. "Either they don’t like him or they love him. It’s hatred or love. It’s amazing."
"It should be neutral. He is the sitting President of the United States. That’s what doesn’t make sense to me," Arlene added.

"We happen to be Republicans as far as party, but we vote for the person. I couldn’t dismiss Clinton when he was the president. I may not agree with him, but it’s not like he was a candidate. Bush is a candidate to become president again, but he’s still the sitting president. So the controversy is interesting, because it seems like people forget that," Arlene explained.

Arlene and her mother Helene are both Republicans, a fact they’re not afraid to admit.

"We’ve been here 18 years, and most people know where we stand. They know that we are very vocal on our views, and people ask us our opinion. We try not to favor one candidate over another, but they do know that we are conservative," they explained.

"One Norwegian lady said she was not going to shop with us anymore. She can go and shop someplace else. It’s our right to voice our opinion, that’s what we live in America for. That’s the freedom we live for," Arlene said.

"Do you think Norwegians over here are more involved and have stronger feelings in regards to politics?"
"Absolutely! In Norway, a lot of people don’t vote anymore," Helene said.

Arlene thinks she has one possible explanation for the gap in opinions among Norwegians in Norway and the U.S.

"In the 50s and the 60s, when the mass immigration came, Norway lost a huge amount of people. A lot of the things you’re seeing crippling in Norway now – voting, passion, morals – is caused by the group of people who left Norway. Some of the morals they had back then were twisted as well, but the things that I learned as a child, kids my age never heard of. And now you wonder why things are distorted in Norway? It’s because those hundreds of thousands of people who left the country left a vacuum."

Shopping and Politics
Her mother Helene moved to the U.S. in 1958, and together they opened Nordic Deli in 1987.

"Is it’s OK that people discuss politics while they’re shopping lefse and lusekofter?"

"Of course! People are coming in here just to have a debate with Helene," Arlene said.

"My mother and father were both very political, so I guess it’s in my blood," Helene added.

But never before have the shop owners experienced this type of controversy.

"It is a fine line between business and politics, but we do not want to lose our own personality either. Just because I’m in business, doesn’t mean that I have to shut my mouth," Arlene said.

She reckons 80 percent of their customers have reacted positively towards the Bush poster, while one percent has expressed pure hatred towards the president.

"It’s a small group, but those are the ones you remember," Arlene said. "Some have said that they will not shop with us anymore, others have said that we will lose all our customers. One person said that he’s the worst president we’ve ever had, and that he was going to tell everybody that ‘you have someone like that in your store’. I mean, it’s a poster! It’s ridiculous."

"What about those who love him, what do they say?"
"They either just say hello to him, or ‘You’re doing a great job.’"

"Some people even stand here, having a conversation with him. ‘You’re doing a great job in Iraq, but I wish you would have done so and so and so’, one guy said. I’m thinking to myself, ‘Do they realize they’re talking to a poster?’" Arlene said while laughing.

"I think what comes out is what they would have said if they really met the president."

Will Not Move Him
Despite the negative comments, Helene and Arlene have no plans to remove the poster boy. They will leave him standing in the gift shop at least until the election in November.

"And if he gets reelected, will he still be hanging around?"
"Nah, that’s no use. He can’t run again, you know. This will be his last term," Helene said.

"What do you personally like the best about him? His suit, his eyes, his smile...?"

"I like the person, but he looks fine to me! A lot of people go after the look of the person. Some have more charisma. He’s not the best speaker, but I think he’s good. He’s like a common person," Helene said, while making sure Bush is standing firmly on the floor.

Previous Stories:

• Issue 13, March 31, 2004
The Last of the Norwegians
on Lapskaus Boulevard

• Issue 12, March 24, 2004
Successful Debut for Nordic Expo

• Issue 11, March 17, 2004
Sokndal - A Town in Slow Motion

• Issue 10, March 10, 2004
Friendly Visit in Troubled Times

• Issue 9, March 3, 2004
New Film Explores the
Heroes of the North

• Issue 8, February 25, 2004
Kofi Annan Greets
Norwegian Artists

• Issue 7, February 18, 2004
Bølgen & Moi Open
Restaurant in Hudson

• Issue 6, February 11, 2004
Norwegian Diva With
Broadway Dreams

• Issue 5, February 4, 2004
Norway's New Princess Named

• Issue 4, January 28, 2004
Helga's Historic Walk
Across America

• Issue 3, January 21, 2004
Arne Næss Jr. Dies
Climbing in South Africa

• Issue 2, January 14, 2004
Norway's Kurt Ready
To Conquer the World

• Issue 1, January 7, 2004
Dragsten Honors Sons of
Norway's Founding Fathers

• Main Stories 2003