Reykjavík Grapevine - jul. 2022, Side 2

First 07: Bónus Flag vs Alþingi
11: Punx Not Dead
12: Wild Wild East
18: Sounds Of Anything
22: Finding Family
23: Island Beer
June has not been a good month for human rights in the
world. Finland and Sweden have decided to give a discount
on their own human rights policies while negotiating with
the autocracy of Turkey, and promise to extradite persecuted
Kurds—who have been killed en masse in Turkey for decades.
The same people who fought the fascist monsters in ISIS when
few others dared to do so.
Finland and Sweden see this as an acceptable price for join-
ing NATO. Sending people to their open death, to a country
where the national leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stole power
in broad daylight, on live TV, just a few years ago.
Don’t get us wrong, we want Finland and Sweden to join
NATO to strengthen the alliance even further against the
frantic political madness that is happening in the Kremlin.
But befriending one deranged dictator to fight another one
feels like an unworthy move for the values we are trying to
defend in the western world.
In late June, two people were shot to death in a well-known
gay bar in Oslo, Norway. More were wounded in the attack
which has been dubbed in the media as some kind of hybrid of
Islamist fascist attack on western values—and mental issues.
Just to clear it up, mental health has little to do with it. Most
people in the world actually handle their mental issues pretty
well, unlike unoriginal screenwriters in Hollywood would
have you believe. Not that it matters, for this attack was just a
straight-up terrorist attack against the LGBTQ+ community.
It was not the first one, and will not be the last attack either.
The courageous people in Oslo took it to the streets the
day after, disregarding the police's advice to the community
not to hold their heads high on the scheduled Gay Pride. It
was the right choice for those who didn’t listen and the only
acceptable move against hate. We at the Reykjavík Grapevine
bow our heads in respect for you all.
And finally, the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn
Roe vs Wade 50 years later is no simple thing. First of all, it’s
outright laughable that the court didn’t find the right to an
abortion constitutional, because there is no mention of the
word abortion in the Constitution. Bear in mind that the
Constitution was written at the same time as slavery was legal
and women were property of their fathers and husbands. The
US court system has a serious problem on its hands if they
want to join the rest of the world in the 21st century if they try
to define their whole legal system and human rights based on
wording from a time when human rights didn’t even exist.
It’s only a matter of time before there will be an increase in
news about ten-year-old victims pregnant with their father's
child being denied an abortion.
The saddest thing here is that the politicians could easily
correct this if they wanted, but the Democratic leadership has
inexplicably shown no willingness to use the tools at their
disposal to defend body autonomy. And Republican leaders
are already using the Roe decision to justify denying critical
healthcare to trans people. They rely their entire political
careers on being dictated to by the Christan fanatics or the
gun nuts. Usually one the same person. And by the way, do you
know what word is not to be found in the Bible? You guessed
it; abortion!
Even God doesn’t give a shit if you’re wondering. It's just
straight-up barbaric to refuse people the power over their
own bodies.
Valur Grettisson
Editor-in-chief
28: Slippurinn
30: Laugarvatn Delights
31: The Chef Islander
EDITORIAL
Monstrous
Month For
Human Rights
Joana Fontinha is an
Aries baby express-
ing her soul through
photography. She’s
been obsessed with
icelandic culture
since her teens, so
much that at 20 she
threw herself head-
first on a plane to
her long-time dream
country, Iceland.
Driven, energetic and
unable to be still, she
clumsily moves like
a flash and suffers
from a serious fast-
talking condition.
Alice Poggio, quarter-
life crisis is all too
real, but Alice is
making the most of
it. Chasing down her
numerous interests,
which have shaped
her into the poster
child for the some-
times painful phrase:
‘Master of none’. UAL
graduate, volunteer,
sculptor, freelance
artist, wannabe Mac-
Gyver, is now eager to
play her part within
the landscape of
Icelandic media.
Emma Ledbetter was
once the only person
on a group tour
of Iceland's south
coast, which made
her fall in love—a
little bit with the
guide and a lot with
Iceland. She has a
microbiology degree,
so she is legally
obligated to say "Go
Cougs" to anyone
wearing crimson and
gray, and morally
obligated to tell you
she loves bacteria.
Josie Anne Gaitens
is an arts worker,
musician and writer
from the Scottish
Highlands. She was
once erroneously
referred to as the
Queen of Scotland
by a Malaysian
newspaper and has
been falsely using
that title ever since.
In addition to her
Grapevine duties, she
is currently on a mis-
sion to have a pint in
every bar in 101.
Iryna Zubenko is a
Ukrainian who has
been working on
the cross-section of
media and technol-
ogy for the past
five years. While she
is still figuring out
what to do in life,
this time her love for
travelling, unspoiled
nature and Scandi
design has brought
Iryna to Reykjavík.
One day she’ll write a
non-fiction book.
Catharine Fulton is a
writer who has been
involved with the
Grapevine for many
years—possibly too
many—serving as
journalist, food edi-
tor and news editor
before settling on
copy editor. When not
wielding her red pen
she's often found
opining on Canadian
politics (profession-
ally), and bitching
about Icelandic
politics (for fun).
Asha Edmondson
studies and takes on
just about everything
back home in the
States. From commu-
nications to dance to
psychology to sailing,
there is almost noth-
ing she hasn’t tried.
An intrusive thought
of “What if I spent my
summer in Iceland?”
turned into reality,
bringing her to the
Grapevine.
Andie Sophia
Fontaine has lived in
Iceland since 1999
and has been report-
ing since 2003. She
was the first foreign-
born member of the
Icelandic Parliament,
an experience she
recommends for
anyone who wants
to enjoy a workplace
where colleagues
work tirelessly to
undermine each
other.
Valur Grettisson is
an award-winning
journalist, author
and playwright. He
has been writing
for Icelandic media
since 2005. He was
also a theatre critic
and one of the hosts
of the cultural
program, 'Djöflaeyjan'
on RÚV. Valur is not
to be confused with
the dreadful football
club that bears the
same name.
COVER PHOTO:
Photo: Joana Fontinha
As our cover story is about the influence
of, well, influencers on tourism in Iceland,
here Joana has taken a person capturing
photos of Iceland, and made them the
subject of another photo themselves. In
so doing, she is turning the lens back on
the lens that captures, and sells, the image
of Iceland.
Late night
dining
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until 23:00 on weekdays
and 24:00 on weekends
A local favourite for over 20 years
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