Ken and I are Facebook friends. We are both truth seekers.
Here is a speech I made to the Watchmen of Garland County last Monday. I told them Ken’s story. It is written in a speech format and should make easy reading. The speech took 20 minutes.
The Ken Olsen Story
Thank you for the opportunity to speak, Pastor Doug.
My brothers,
Having to be at work by 7:30 A.M. has meant missing The Watchmen of Garland County meetings for the past 2 years. I’ve been blessed to meet the wonderful students of Garland county as a public school substitute. I’ve missed you but I’ve taken the day off today for another reason.
If you have any questions about what I have said here today, please talk to me after the meeting or you may call me anytime.
Pastors are fighting on so many fronts today as you well know. What am I going to do? Educate you on a front which you probably know nothing about.
Before you shut me down at the beginning, who remembers what happened to the Stanley family here in Garland County last year? If you don’t remember or didn’t hear the story, their children were taken. Due process eventually took its course and the family was reunited.
If you don’t know about the case “absolutely no evidence of neglect or abuse had been found when 7 children were removed from their home and separated from their parents by the Garland County Sheriff’s Department. (1)
And speaking of 7…
The Rule of Seven is an old marketing adage that says a message must be heard at least seven times before someone takes action. (2)
I mention this because I will be reading selected portions of 3 short articles written by the same man on the same subject…his life. Maybe you can remember some of this by hearing it 3 times in 3 different ways.
The next time you hear about this subject will be an email alerting you to the next worldwide demonstration against Norway’s Child Protective Services.
(Show demonstration pics)
You probably don’t know that on the same day that “Derby Day,” was wrapping up the horse racing season there was a protest taking place across the world in over 70 cities and in many countries. There were over 60 thousand at Oaklawn that day. There were 50 people at Arlington Lawn in Hot Springs earlier in the day. The worldwide protest eclipsed the numbers at Oaklawn that day.
What were all of those protesters doing? They were trying to alert the world of something going on in Norway.
According to 2008 statistics:
Norway…
Ranked #1 in the world as “most livable”
Ranked #2 in the world in per capita income
Had a 100% literacy rate…only 1 of 7 countries to hold that distinction.
Why would so many people be holding signs protesting something in Norway.
I have recently found out a few other facts about Norway.
The country found vast oil reserves in the 1960’s and the government owns 2/3rds of the largest oil company.
The State Church is funded by the government.
About half of the members of the State Church in Norway say they are not Christians.
Today, I will tell you the story of one person. The truth is, there are thousands like him in the Nordic countries. What is happening there under the title of “child protection” can only be called evil.
This is a picture of my friend Ken Olsen. These are his words:
Ken, Vibeke, and Baby Aria
“This picture was taken in November last year at a visitation with Aria (AR..eea). It was taken by the psychologist since we won’t let Barnevernet workers take pictures of us. It’s wrong of them to break up a family and then offer to take a family picture.”
The first source I quote is an article Published March 18th, 2016 in the ARMONIA MAGAZINE – USA
(I have edited all three articles for easier listening. I have changed no major content. CR)
The title is: “Ken Joar Olsen and his Aria – Norway”
“My story with Barnevernet (that’s the name for Norway’s “Child Protective Services”) starts when I was 8 years old. They started bullying my Mother. I was living alone with her on a small island called Vigra (off of the coast of Norway) After a year of intimidation, my Mother packed some bags and fled to Denmark with me.
Fourteen days later we were staying in a Danish hotel. My Mom was out working when, suddenly, police officers and the Danish Barnevernet come storming in and forcefully removed me. Maybe they thought my Mom was neglecting me. I have never found out the real reason that I was taken.
They placed me in an acute institution. The place was terrible. They beat me for not brushing my teeth well enough. I did not understand what they were saying and I was scared of the dark. They locked me up in a DARK bedroom. I was screaming and crying, so they threatened me. I still remember looking out the key hole all night just to see some light. After a week they moved me to a much bigger institution.
They forced me to start ALONE in a Danish school. It was a BIG school with 500 students. I was still scared and I did not speak or understand the language. I was bullied a lot and started fighting. I got expelled so they moved me to another institution. The place was a real HELL, with a lot of sexual and physical abuse. My mother gave birth to my little sister when I was eleven years old and I told her about some of the abuse during the few visitations we had. I did not mention the sexual abuse, of course, but still SHE CAME to my rescue and got me out of there. It was too late. I felt “ruined” and had become a “problem child.”
My mother could not control me after the abusive institution. I was an angry and damaged 11 year old boy. I really don’t know who’s decision it was when I was moved away from my Mom.
I was relocated to a foster home, which was “ok.” All the while I felt and knew I was only an income for them, me and the three others. This was eventually proven. When the construction of their house was complete and they had a baby of their own, we 3 children under 18 were thrown out. I was moved to a new institution. I lived there until I was 16 years old, then they kicked me out to live in my own apartment.
That ended badly. I wound up in a jail, sentenced to 1 1/2 years. I was then released into a new foster family. This ended quickly when they got divorced. I have been in and out of trouble due to a violent past involving criminal gangs, drugs, more jail time, etc. This type of thing happens to most of us who have grown up under the “Child Protective Services” called Barnevernet.
My dad is a unknown story, and my mother became a heavy drinker when i was taken by the Barnevernet. She fell out a window and died when I was 18.
In 2004, they deported me back to Norway. I STILL had no HELP or anyone to care about my past. I was almost 30 and was being returned to complete a prison sentence.
Fast forward to January of 2015 when we had our princess Aria. She was a beautiful baby so, of course, Barnevernet came to the hospital after 2 days and took her away.
The reason?
My own upbringing under the “care” of Barnevernet. THEY say that children under their care will not have a chance in the future to be able to be caring enough to have a child. This sickens me. THAT’S WHY I have a STRONG HATRED. I KNOW WHAT THEY DO TO OUR CHILDREN. BEEN THERE TRIED THAT.”
Ken now can see his little girl, Aria, six times a year for 2 hours each.
The second source that I’d like to use is one from The Miorita Magazine/A Romanian-American Independent Newspaper. It was Published April 2nd, 2016
Title: Proof of Barnevernet’s criminal activity
“It is stated by the European human rights Court that a placement of a child outside its biological family is an action that can be done only as a temporary measure. And it should be as brief as possible, according to Norwegian courts.
In our case, the Psychologist, a specialist appointed from the court, who spent over 100 hours on the investigation, stated that we should be given a chance as parents. Also our regular doctors for the last 4 years didn’t see any problems with us as caregivers. Moreover, a witness from Nav Lillestrøm didn’t see any problems, and also a woman who “adopted” me and introduced me into her family as her own son didn’t see any problems.
However, Barnevernet agents “saw a problem.” Arnfinn Heimstad, the boss of Barnevernet in Lørenskog refused to talk to us.
Two contracted women from Barnevernet, Lene Jargren & Mette Haugen, did see a problem (They talked with us for 3 hours after Aria was taken). Psychologist Britta Strømme from the municipal saw a problem and made a phone call to us about it. The same Psychologist used by Barnevernet as a special witness for them was behind one of the anxious reports sent to the the office in Lørenskog.
Now, 5 months later, even after the court stated that Barnevernet did this in a wrong way, there have been no further investigations on us as the parents of Baby Aria.
There has been no further interest from Barnevernet’s Leader, Arnfinn Heimstad, in investigating the consultants he hired in my case.
NO FURTHER INTEREST in bringing our princess Aria back to her family.
This is A CLEAR VIOLATION of Aria’s Human Rights and our Human Rights.
Arnfinn Heimstad is personally responsible for the crime he continues to commit against our family without being accountable to anybody.
We will not stop our fight for justice. Someone should be thinking of the severity of the crime he committed. Instead, we are shown an extremely bad attitude by Barnevernet. They don’t care about the opinions of other professionals involved.”
About a month after this publication, Ken and I became facebook friends.
He wrote an article and posted it to Facebook on Sunday, April 24th.
The title: SOME SAY THE CPS DOES SO MUCH GOOD, BUT WE, THE SILENT VICTIMS, RECEIVE A LIFE SENTENCE!!!
“Hello. To any who see this, know that I have never asked for much during my 41 years of life.
But now, I ask you for this one thing only. It will mean an incredible amount to me and many others. Could you please take 3 minutes of your time to read this and afterwards, take some time to think about it. We, as former children under “public care” are condemned for the rest of our lives.
CPS ALWAYS argues that the child was very damaged and neglected in his own biological family during childhood BEFORE they (Barnevernet) came into the picture. I have often said that this is not necessarily correct and I will try to explain to you why I believe this.
I was born in Ålesund on a small Island named vigra, a place where everyone knows everyone. My mom was a single mother and we had a HUGE biological family, which never reacted negatively about the care my mother gave me. They have never made any phone calls to the CPS called Barnevernet.
I was like any other young boy. I went to school and in my free time, I enjoyed fishing, shooting with bow and arrows, playing soccer etc.
I spent time with my male role models, my grandfather and uncles.
I don’t claim that my mom was perfect but I remember her as a good and loving caregiver.
Thus, I was not a neglected child. Fourteen days after mom and I moved to Denmark. I was forcefully abducted by Børnevernet. It is the same as the Norwegian Barnevernet.
I was scared for the next 7 years when I lived under “public care.”
Like many other children under CPS’s watchful eye, I was not attending primary school in a conventional manner with a full curriculum.
I ended up with a prison sentence at the age of 16, with a sentence of 18 months.
This is one of many convictions I have received and served.
I’m not saying that it’s not my own stupid choices and I take responsibility for that, but the anger and “tools” that my CPS upbringing gave me didn’t help.
As CPS so nicely says, one cannot expect to be better than the environment one grew up in.
IF they had a reason to take me, they had seven years to correct my “damage.” I struggled like any other lonely child of a single parent before they took me away.
I was probably a bit spoiled and used to getting things by nagging or giving my mother a “hard time.”
BUT in 7 years, CHILD WELFARE achieved nothing. Instead of a victim as they ALLEGEDLY removed me as, I ended up as a perpetrator (assailant / robber /using illegal substances). Therefore, I have been gagged and condemned, since now I have a criminal record. Now, what I say means nothing.
I am by no means the only one.
Three out of ten inmates in Norwegian prisons were in contact with the Barnevernet before the age of 16. (3)
————————————
Ken is now reading the Bible on Bible Gateway one verse at a time.
He has told me: ” It is important to read about things other than destruction.”
CR
==============================
1) http://www.arkansasherald.com/2015/09/attorney-joe-churchwell-open-letter-to-members-of-the-legislature-and-governor-asa-hutchinson/
3) (Source: source SSB.no Published: 18th February 2004)
Wings of the Wind 
Thank you for beeing you, and beeing my friend. The one thing i have gotten out of this fight with barnevernet, is i have gotten to know the most wonderfull and helpfull good people worldwide…
And you are one of those…
From the first time we “talked” on Facebook, Ken, I felt an honesty in you that was unique. I am honored to have a friend like you, who has endured so much. It is so good to see you smile in the video. I know there are many days when you don’t smile. You have become a hero to me. Now, the least I can do is share my knowledge of the truth as I understand it with you. Unless something happens to me, I will always be here for you.
God’s blessings my friend…
Thank you for the reblog, Valeria. Ken is a bit of a hero of mine.
Thanks for posting this story, Armonia Magazine. It is one of many but it has become personal to me as Ken has become an online friend.
[…] I have given a speech in Ken’s behalf THAT CAN BE FOUND HERE. […]
Ken has a very good article in the newspaper Dagsavisen (“The Daily Paper”) just now. Dagsavisen is a bastion of the Labour Party and has mostly carried pro-Barnevernet articles if they give any attention to the matter at all.
“Hvorfor alt sinne mot barnevernet? De vil jo bare hjelpe!”
http://www.dagsavisen.no/nyemeninger/hvorfor-alt-sinne-mot-barnevernet-de-vil-jo-bare-hjelpe-1.950161
The title means “Why all the anger against Barnevernet? They just want to help, that’s all!”
To me, this title comes across as ironic, especially when you read the article. But it may have a different effect on most people, a very good one: They think they are going to read one of the usual Barnevernet-supporting articles slinging mud and/or contempt against the deprived families and other critics, but I think Ken Joar will come across much more personally and be listened to.
Thank you for sharing this information with me, Marianne.
I will have to contact Ken and congratulate him on this article.
With their past history on this issue, why do you think this media source allowed this article to be published now? I know you would be speculating but your guess would be better than most I think.
I spoke with Ken and he said he will try to make an English translation.
If he has the time that would be great! I would post it here, Marianne.
About why Dagsavisen publishing the article: The mainstream publications are becoming a little better at allowing articles by cps critics and victims to be published. At the same time, though, the establishment has an unending stream of articles from the system’s own people, preaching again about how everything is all right, even wonderful. Mainstream journalists and editors are still not at all capable of handling stories of cps atrocities well in interviews or other of their own articles. Their insight is very limited and superficial, and they still tend to fall down on the “safe side” – i.e on the establishment’s.
Some reasons/guesses why there is more publicity now:
(a) the many demonstrations abroad and also here in Norway over the last two years and the great amount of writing in foreign publications;
(b) the story of the atrocious treatment of “The Glass Girl” in cps institutions;
(c) the 7 or 8 cases against Norway pending at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, expected to be processed very soon now (certainly many, many more cases are being sent to Strasbourg, but they have either been rejected out of hand or they are somewhere in the process, which usually takes many years);
(d) the fact that among the cases going to Strasbourg, there are some of foreign children, cases which have drawn much of negative attention against Norway abroad;
(e) the fact that the idiotic babbling called “replies” (from our authorities both to foreign delegations or questions, and to Norwegians writing critically on our politicians’ websites) have not been accepted by those asking questions but have on the contrary been ridiculed as the nonsense they are, and so our politicians have not quite had their way with the docile Norwegian population this time;
(f) the many many websites and postings especially on social media, some drawing thousands of followers.
All great reasons why some of the media may be more likely to publish an article like Ken’s.
All of these reasons mean that people are becoming more aware of the problem. I am particularly struck by (e) where you note:
“so our politicians have not quite had their way with the docile Norwegian population this time.”
An evil system so ingrained in a society where it has become invisible to the majority deserves as much exposure (light) as it can possibly get. This need not be stated because it is so obvious but I’ll do it anyway; The Norwegian people are the major key to solving this problem. It is time for them to start asking more questions and to stop blindly following the status quo.
I always appreciate your contributions, Marianne.
I was struck by this remark of yours, Chris: “The Norwegian people are the major key to solving this problem”.
That is my own opinion exactly. Let us just bypass the politicians, not flatter them with attention. Attention will only make them feel important and powerful. Still it continues: New cps victims, and new sympathisers of victims, are invariably terribly energetic to get the politicians to listen to them.
It will almost be 20 years since I made up my mind to stop talking to politicians about it. Politicians think that when somebody petitions them, they are knowledgeable primadonnas who can just decide whether to go this way or that, according to what is popular and what their fellow politicians think. On such a vital issue, it shouldn’t be like that. They should long, long ago have said, “WE have to get the system changed radically, we can’t have children and their families destroyed in this way. If the general population does not see that, WE must educate them!”
Strongly put, Marianne. It is very sad that you have no faith whatsoever in your politicians. I am almost to that point with the ones at the highest levels in my country as well. I do know a few outstanding ones that are representing me at the state house. One has recently put forward two different bills to help avoid the awful family situations like those created by the CPS in Norway. One bill passed unanimously but it was a real no brainer. The other failed in committee. The bill that failed was a common sense bill and its failure to get out of committee seems to indicate that we are living in a Nanny state of sorts and the majority of Arkansas politicians don’t seem to mind. Because of this legislator’s interest in the issue, he has received numerous calls from affected families. I have to admit that “our friend” Knut was right about my own backyard. At the same time, with a few exceptions, the stories from your country seem worse. I am still learning and could be wrong.
The answers to answers to comments are becoming long, thin threads, so I am putting this as a separate comment, but it relates to your last posting about Arkansas law, Chris.
First of all: I think it is wonderful that you have taken some action and got a sensible politician to raise the issue! Don’t you ever doubt that it is important. Have I ever quoted a perceptive remark by a Swedish scholar in his foreword to his book about Mohammed? He discussed briefly the trend, popular especially in trendy social science etc, to try to understand history as purely the product of “social forces” applying to myriads of people, and single individuals being unimportant, like mechanical dolls, “reacting” but with no independent thinking. We can recognise this in some left-wing thinking and politics, of course. But this author said: “No understanding is furthered by picturing the stage of history as empty.”
I am convinced that the efforts of single individuals are important. I seem to remember that I have written before, on your blog?, that we should not “underestimate” the most important single individual of all – no need to guess who!
“And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.”
(John Donne)
As regards cps problems in the USA, may I say that you do not need Nygaard to tell you, and I don’t think his idea was that there is too much cps of the same calibre as in Norway; rather, he probably thought you don’t have enough cps action. The international trend was, I think, one of the first things several of us in Scandinavia noticed (and we have in fact written about it): These social work views are all over the Western world and the West is trying to spread them to the rest of the world too. Look at Suranya Aiyar’s work and information about the way it is spread in India. Look at what Václav Klaus Jr said about the Czech Republic (http://www.mhskanland.net/page45/page289/page289.html). I noticed this international character of cps ideas fairly early not because I am any genious, but because I read some text-books, and also for some years around 1996-2000 I took part in several internet debates on American websites, websites run by people who tried to combat the same policies that we see in Norway.
Rather accidentally, it is especially visible in Norway at the moment, even more so than in Sweden, which has all the time I know of, been in the lead of cps atrocities. I do not mind, though, that Norway is being concentrated on and targetted especially. If we could get a real wash-out, dry-clean, re-texture in Norway, that would set a precedent for helping victims in other countries too. While I do not want the current cps system to spread or to destroy more people, the fact that one can also find it in one’s own country does make people more alert. Perhaps we can really contribute to a change of attitude somewhere, and then other countries will take heart. It is so positive that you have found a legislator who is awake, and that families are contacting him. Such personal experience is what is needed.
So glad you started another thread. Another addition would have been difficult to read.
I do remember a comment where you stated that the contributions of single individuals are important. I so agree. Alan Clark, the local representative who is responsible for the two pieces of legislation I’ve mentioned, got no ideas from me. We just happen to be concerned about the very same important issue and I was fortunate to find out about the work he is doing.
The comment by the Swedish scholar whom you have quoted is new to me and I can only agree with him/her from the place of a Christian worldview. I don’t understand how anyone can think that we are simply “mechanical dolls.”
I am reading a book by Francis A. Schaeffer entitled “How Should We Then Live.” “Dr. Schaeffer begins this…analysis with the fall of Rome, tracing man’s progression throughout the ensuing ages. From ancient Roman times to the Middle ages, through the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Enlightenment, up to our present scientific Atomic age, each step of our cultural development is scrutinized.” He states that “modern people are in trouble indeed” for pretty much the same reason the Swedish scholar noted: “understand(ing) history as purely the product of ‘social forces’ applying to myriads of people, and single individuals being unimportant.” There is an “emptiness” in so many of our “modern” philosophies. Because of this “modern” thinking, Dr. Schaeffer believes we are very susceptible to the rule of the elite and the rule of the authoritarian state.
I have discussed Sweden in particular with someone who has lived in Sweden and in another European country not so controlled by the government. She feels that Sweden is almost a totalitarian state already. I think we are seeing and have seen for quite some time what Dr. Schaeffer calls “manipulative authoritarian government(s).” His book covers theology, philosophy, history, sociology and the arts. I will add one more quote:
“With the weakening of certainty about knowing the objective, external world, the ideal of objectivity in science is weakened. This is a parallel to a change among the news makers. As their concept of truth becomes more relative, the ideal of objectivity in the news columns in contrast to the editorial pages is increasingly diminished.”
This is certainly the case in the American media when it comes to many issues and I know it is true of Norway when it comes to the issue of the NCWS.
I doesn’t surprise me at all that you were noticing the same problem in the U.S. over 20 years ago. In my opinion, the U.S. has not been any type of bastion of morality for some time. The country was built on a number of Christian principles that have eroded to the point of nonrecognition. Our constitution describes the importance of the individual. Many of our modern philosophers and sociologists like to skip over that part.
I also think that Norway has the potential to be “precedent setter” for other nations. If things can change in Norway with its entrenched system of destruction, it can change anywhere.
Thank you for your comments and the link, Marianne. My readers are very fortunate to have someone with your knowledge commenting on the Norwegian problem.
It is interesting that yesterday this blog had 3 times more viewers from Norway than from America.
Here are the comments of Václav Klaus Jr. which you have referred to:
“The problem is not only in Norway, even though the situation achieves the most horrific values in Norway … everything is pretty much ready here to start the same system. We already have the very similar “Barnevernet” law, we already have paid foster parents so people don’t take kids for giving them love but to get money. We have those so called non-profit organizations that organize the whole process. Now it is just about waiting when all the current social workers will be replaced by the zealous activists. Then the same inferno starts here as well. … The situation is serious and I really don’t understand (to) those appeals for peacefulness demonstrations because they’re stealing children! What could be wors(t)? They may make new regulations, they may increase taxes. So, ok, we’ll be poorer. But they are stealing children from mothers! Let’s resist, let’s fight back!”