In September 1787, on the last day of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin was approached by a woman who wanted to know what kind of government they had chosen. He famously replied: “A republic, if you can keep it.” »
He might have added – and if you can bear it.
The ability to tolerate our fellow human beings has long been considered an essential element of a free and open society. And yet, a tolerant society can only protect and preserve itself by attacking intolerant ideologies and the intolerant people who believe in them. This is called the paradox of tolerance. And this is a central premise of Fjorda film by director Cristian Mungiu in theaters this month.
Based on a true story, the film follows a devout Pentecostal couple, Mihai and Lisbet Gheorghiu, who emigrate with their five children from conservative Romania to a remote village in liberal Norway, where Lisbet’s family lives, only to have their children taken away by the state, which opposes their traditional approach to parenting. Initially, authorities say their investigation stems from credible allegations that the Gheorghius beat children to discipline them. However, the ensuing trial reveals a deeper, thornier conflict, that between the religious values of the Gheorghius and the progressive values favored by the Norwegian government – and becomes a microcosm of the frictions of cultural mixing in an era where welcoming immigrants has become a core tenet of progressive and left-wing thought globally, but newcomers often arrive armed with values, beliefs and practices that make progressives deeply uncomfortable.
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