Mohsan Raja downplays his controversial message to journalist Espen Teigen, claiming it was a poorly worded response and not a real threat, despite its violent implications.
In a recent exchange, Mohsan Raja referred to parts of his message sent to Document journalist Espen Teigen as "poorly formulated," yet he has refused to apologize for it. Teigen, however, has chosen not to report Raja for threats stemming from the communication. Raja's message included a chilling comparison, stating, "If the choice is between killing a fly or you, it wouldn’t be a difficult choice," which Raja downplayed as not constituting a threat despite the violent language he employed.
The background to Raja's message stems from previous comments made by Teigen on social media, where he referred to an ongoing debate in the United States in a manner that drew substantial backlash. His remarks were met with criticism, prompting Raja's response, which he rationalizes as a reaction to what he perceives as Teigen's derogatory comparison of Muslims. In context, Raja states, "He tried to compare Muslims to dogs, so I replied with the same coin, although it was a bad comparison."
This incident highlights not only the tension in the discourse surrounding sensitive topics like religion and race but also the complexities of online communication where statements can be misconstrued or escalated. Raja, previously recognized as "Citizen of the Year" in Oslo in 2015, is an example of someone navigating this turbulent social media terrain, where provocative statements can lead to severe public backlash and personal threats.
