Those of you who have been following the case of state-kidnapped Domenic Johansson may not be aware that a smear campaign has been waged by anonymous persons against his father. I didn't know until yesterday (12 March 2011) when out of the blue a poster in a British Homeschooling Group, of which I am a member, sent the following:
"Questions have been raised as to just how happy and normal this child's life was before he was taken into care. His father is heavily involved with the Vaken website, which specialises in anti-semitic conspiracy theories. Domenic was not taken into care just because he was being home educated. I think that the Swedish authorities were genuinely concerned for his welfare and when they heard that his parents had given away all their belongings and were taking him to India so that he could while they started an orphanage; I think that they were worried."
Surprised that such a statement would come from someone in the British homeschooling community, I immediately penned a reply:
I don't know where you got this information (perhaps you could tell me - I am after all here in Sweden and can check it out, and definitely want to know if it is true) from but I will say two things (since I am involved in helping this family):
1. The state has not once said publicly OR to the Johansson family itself OR to their lawyers that this was one of its "concerns". The official reason for the kidnapping of the boy was "homeschooling" and only later did they add concerns about tooth cavities and vaccinations. Though the state has said there were "other reasons" when asked to elaborate they have consistently said that it was "secret" and for a government which has said that it wants "openness" - see Hoffsted's Dark Secret. In a truly democratic society someone who has been accused of a crime has to be told what it is. Spreading rumours - if that is what this is - merely re-enforces the concern that it is the Swedish government that is involved in a conspiracy to protect its own dark deeds.
2. Even if what you say is true and that the father was involved in such things (I would very much like to see the evidence for this, incidentally, so please be so kind as to supply sources (not simply newspaper speculation) and explain what your relationship is to the Johanssons, the Swedish government, or what your interest is) that is no grounds for ripping apart and traumatising a family - not that they are alone, state-napping is a common phenomenon in Sweden as it fuels a rotten child-trafficking business. Sweden has been under investigation for human rights abuses for some time now.
Believing in conspiracy theories or wanting to sell your goods, assuming this is even true, is none of any goverment's business unless it is making a prior claim to our thoughts. If it is, then we know what kind of government it is.
I will look into this further in the meantime.
After some preliminary research I posted back to the Group and made a report on the internet group Christer Johansson was allegedly a part of (which I had never heard of before myself):
"I have checked out http://www.vaken.se and as you will see it is a non-racist group that is opposed to government totalitarianism. It's quite simply libertarian, hardly a crime. You can read it's FAQ in English (see below).
VAKEN.SE - English FAQ
We often receive questions via e-mail and during our meetings. We have therefore compiled a list of frequently asked questions.
What does Vaken.se's want to achieve?
Vaken.se strives to bring forth information that regular mainstream media usually neglects or minimizes the importance of. We long for a more transparent news coverage with a larger spectra, which in its turn leads to a more open and free society.
What is Vaken.se's goal?
Supporting mankind irrespective of gender, ethnicity or religion, to be able to receive unlimited knowledge and freedom by uncovering information that previously has been difficult or kept hidden from them.
Who are Vaken.se?
Vaken.se is part of an international grass roots movement loosely called "the freedom movement" that is completely without religious or political ties. It consists of a cross-section of society - old and young, male and female, colored and white etc - we are therefor not a homogenous group, but nonetheless a very large group of different people with different desires and interests.
What does Vaken.se do?
Our work consits of organizing meetings, lectures with both Swedish and international speakers, film showings and handing out information to the public on the streets of Sweden. In the spring of 2010, Vaken.se held an "open house" where different speeches, activities and discussions. On our news portal www.vaken.se we publish a vast array of important news. Here you can also watch free documentaries, read articles on broad range of topics and writers, and also partake in our online-forum. We regularly send out info packages consisting of articles, fliers, DVD's to musicians, writers, journalists and policy makers.
How long have you been active?
Mikael Cromsjö started Vaken.se summer of 2004. Since the middle of 2006, we have been out on the streets on the 11th of every month handing out information and talking to people. Here are videos from the bigger manifestations we have every year on the 11th of September [2010] [2009] [2008] [2007] [2006]
Does Vaken.se do interviews?
Yes we do! Contact us at info@vaken.se. Vaken.se has previously been on Swedish national television, "SVT Sydnytt", "TV4 Kalla Fakta", "SVT Debatt", local radio shows and in several newspapers. Glenn Beck featured one of our videos on his show and called us in this video "a Swedish network of independent reporters".
How many visitors does Vaken.se receive per month?
The average is 30.000 unique visitors per month (December 2010).
How can I meet up with your groups?
Every month we have information hand-outs and open meetings in both Stockholm and Malmö. Find out more in our calender.
How does Vaken.se finance its activities?
We do not receive any finacial support from the government or other tax funded institutions. We solely finance our activities by donations from supporters, visitors to our site etc. 100% of the funds go to further activities and expansion of Vaken.se's work. We also fund Vaken.se's work with our own money.
Is Vaken.se racist?
No. Vaken.se distances itself from racism and xenophobia.
Is Vaken.se religious?
No, Vaken.se has no religious or polticial profile. We do however respect the indiviuals right to their views on religion and politics.
Is Vaken.se political?
To take a stand and to be for or against something is a political action in itself. We have taken upon ourselves to inform the general public on various topics showing how the political system and their actors work. Vaken.se is not political or religious. Our aim is that more people look into the information that is out there but not always publically available. It's up to you, the individual, to study the material and make an active decision based upon this new information.
How are the people running Vaken.se?
Vaken.se is run and maintained by Vaken.se's administration group. The administration group has a responsability to uphold the vision and goal of Vaken.se. You can contact the administration group by e-mailinginfo@vaken.se.
Why can't Vaken.se be found on Wikipedia?
The moderators at Wikipedia do not think that Vaken.se is relevant or big enough to be published on Wikipedia. It's not enough to have been on several TV programs like "SVT Sydnytt", "SVT Debatt", "TV4 Kalla Fakta" and several mainstream magazines, newspapers, radio programmes, etc. You can view Wikipedias history of erasing the Vaken.se entry here: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaken.se
How come Vaken.se focuses a lot on the September 11th 2001 attacks?
Many people who are involved with Vaken.se and the truth movement want a new independent scientific investigation into the attacks surrounding September 11th 2001. The official investigation has not be able to satisfactory tell us what really happened on that day and raises more questions and gives very few answers. There are currently over 1300 architects and engineers (as of December 2010) demanding a new independent scientific investigation into the collapses of the towers WTC1, WTC2 and WTC7. We support Architects & Engineers For 911 Truth (ae911truth.org).
Do you believe in the scientific method?
Yes, we do. The scientific method of being able to tell if something is true or false is very important. Unfortunately scientific data is some time attacked and not taken up to review due to consensus trance. The problem is NOT the scientific method but the hierarchical system that by selction lets certain information thru and other information is neglected and inaccessible. For example 1421 architects and engineers in the organization "Architects and Engineers For 911 Truth" are working towards a new investigation surrounding the attacks on the 11th of September 2001, but this is not debated and examined but instead scientific information is met by slander, mockery, personal attacks and character assassination.
Why does your forum contain a lot of so called "conspiracy theory" threads?
The forum on Vaken.se is public. Therefore anyone can publish and discuss anything they wish as long as it's consitent with the forum rules. Vaken.se does not claim responsability for what other people express or publish on the forum. It's important to not mix the information found on the forum with the rest of Vaken.se. It's also important to not supress or immediatly dismiss information because of ruling consensus belief, but let new information flow freely so that it can be scrutinized without restrictions.
How can I help Vaken.se?
Are you good with graphics or a good programmer (PHP)? Please contact us at info@vaken.se and let us know what you can or want to do! You are very welcome to meet us in person at meetings, informations handouts or any other activities we arrange.
I am hoping that you have simply been misinformed by some Swedish newspaper (the media is heavily controlled here) and would encourage you to do some responsible research on the Johanssons to find out the truth for yourself. Trust me, this family has been horribly abused.
I wrote into one of the international watchdogs on this case and asked for more information. This is the reply I got (12 March 2011):
"...This is a very OLD accusation. We've seen it before. No one has ever been able to back it up, but since one person writes it and posts it on the net, it becomes gospel truth for others. You are absolutely correct of what the Johanssons are actually accused. And, if you go to the Friends website and read the story regarding the December 2009 decision in this case, you will see they stand accused of nothing substantial whatever, except for the "crime" of homeschooling. There is not even anything "secret" as the state of Sweden claims. I read the entire court document behind that particular article and you can read it yourself here:
http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/JohanssonOpinion.pdf
You can also point readers to this for a clear defense of the Johanssons:
http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/JohanssonApplication.pdf
I accordingly replied to the British homeschoolers' group:
(13 March 2011).
I have now pursued this allegation and have traced it to an old anonymous smear campaign against the Johanssons. It has no basis in reality. For those who want to know the truth about this persecuted family, please see:
http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/JohanssonOpinion.pdf
http://oldsite.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/JohanssonApplication.pdf
Apparently this myth is being circulated in the UK, for reasons he alone can give, who writes a blog called "Homeschool Heretic" and seems bent on smearing the Johanssons. I don't know who this man is but he seems to look down his nose at everyone and sits as judge and jury over those like the Johanssons. I am assuming that he is anti-homeschooling but if he is a homeschooler, then both the UK and international homeschooling community need to treat him with caution.
Again, I repeat, the Swedish Government and its agents are on a damage control operation and it has proven itself more than willing to destroy innocent families in order to maintain its slowly crumbling international image as a government of enlightenment. You can take that as fact from the entire homeschooling community in Sweden...what's left of it
Smearing and slandering innocent people is, in my opinion, a diabolical act. And the way this smear has been worded frankly looks as though it has been written by a politician or a bureaucrat. It is smooth, slick, loaded with political-correctness and false humility, and crafty. It has been designed in such a way to create doubt and leave an ugly taste in the mouth, reminding me of the double-bind question once asked of an innocent man: "So when was the last time you raped someone?" The word 'anti-semitic' is a 'hot' word these days, like the word 'fascist', and if you can make it stick to someone, even though it has no basis in reality, it can cause untold damage to someone's reputation, as Julian Assange must surely know.
I can state quite categorically that this slur is inverting the truth. What was once a happy family is now a devastated one. Domenic Johansson was never unhappy before this incident - the evidence is overwhelming on that score. If the government or one of its agencies is reading this article (which I know it is) then I ask them to now do the honourable thing: admit they were wrong, see justice is done, and earn our respect. If the Conservative British Prime Minister, David Cameron, can admit he's wrong in parliament, and earn admiration (as he has), then the Conservative Swedish Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, can do the same and come out of this with honour. But permitting the smearing someone's name with lies will not, for this is the action of cowards and deserves absolutely no respect whatsoever.
But let's not fool ourselves. At some point there has to be reform in government policy before the whole ugly mess of banning the human right of homeschooling, kidnapping innocent children, demonising innocent families, and spreading lies about them to prop up an already tottering image is spread out on the table of the world for billions of eyes to see. The alternative is a further slide into fascism and oppression. This whole ugly state charade could have, and should have, been ended long ago, and the longer it is protracted, the more people there are who will be hurt and the less forgiving will the world be of this régime. There is no shame in admitting you were wrong and putting something right - it is a wholesome thing to do and people will admire you for it. I certainly will and I know many others too. It will restore our faith in humanity, democracy and the Swedish State.
Postscript
I have received information from a representative of the homeschooling community in Britain that the author of the smear (who shall remain anonymous, as I do not wish to get into a pointless debate with someone whose sole interest is being contentious) is known for this kind of anti-homeschooling activity. She writes:
"...everybody [in the UK] is very aware of [Mr.X] ... when the HE (Home Education) community was under attack from the Labour government, [he] did his utmost to wreck our chances. He has been ejected from many HE lists but still keeps popping up, spreading his very own brand of poison. Along with most home educators, we have decided to ignore him, which must be so painful to a man who craves attention. He is no longer home educating, his daughter is older now and I am very sad to report is as mad as he is. I have Swedish step-family and my youngest sister went to school in Sweden, we have no illusions about that 'paradise' or 'wonderful democracy' called Sweden. My stepfather thinks the English are all anarchists, 'why don't they do as they are told!' Please don't think anybody believes a word [Mr.X] says, in fact people will automatically think the opposite" (13 March 2011).
Sadly, the world is full of disturbed people, even the occasional home schooling renegade. It is, however, important to be aware of them especially when they get publicity. As for his motives, this we (the public) may never know and everyone must draw his own conclusions. He must be made aware, though, that he is just adding pain to an already devastated family as well as wasting the time of serious educators like ourselves.
