Erik Bergesen provides expert insight into Norway’s reaction to Anders Breivik’s attacks on Parliament and Utoya which killed more than 90 people in the Huffington Post today.

Erik compares the reaction of the US after 9/11 to the Norwegian reaction after the events of last weekend. While the United States took tighter security measures, Norway is avoiding the finger pointing, excessive security and instead increasing social trust.

The importance of this can be seen as Michelle Goldberg points to Anders’ rambling 1500 page manifesto to show that he was a socially maladjusted misogynist. Only through inclusion of those outside the mainstream can they have a reasonable dialogue and the social trust that will prevent another atrocity.

It is a credit to the Norwegian people and press that they remained calm and cool headed, avoiding headlines such as the Sun’s claims of an ‘Al Qaida’ attack. The Norwegian model is one worth defending, even if unfortunate tragedies would urge us to think otherwise.