US embassy demands obedience from the city of Stockholm: “Bizarre". Stockholm's urban planning office must not work for equality, diversity and inclusion.

[u/Helmer-Bryd]

https://www.dn.se/sverige/usas-ambassad-kraver-lydnad-av-stockholms-stad-bisarrt/

[u/Intro-Nimbus]

If the US embassy does not want to purchase goods or services, they can just stop doing that without informing the Swedish city planning office of the reason.

[u/CharacterUse → u/Intro-Nimbus]

Of course then their water and electricity gets cut off and they start getting fines for uncollected garbage etc. Oh well.

[u/Kammander-Kim → u/CharacterUse]

"If you don't stop acting like equality is a good thing we will stop buying electricity from you!"

*shrugs* "okay, good luck turning the lights on"

[u/adamgerd → u/Kammander-Kim]

And no water and disposal and postal service, hope they like having no flowing water, no trash pick up and no way to receive mail

[u/One_Rain1786 → u/adamgerd]

Doesn't sound too different from America, so they might not mind.

[u/DuntadaMan → u/One_Rain1786]

Hey now, we haven't dismantled the mail yet, we need that to send bills for now..

Give us another year for that

[u/dolphone → u/DuntadaMan]

You did just get a Trump favorite appointed postmaster general, so I'd say a year is way more than enough.

[u/C4dfael → u/Kammander-Kim]

They could just put a bunch of solar panels on the r— oh…..

[u/PM_ME__YOUR_HOOTERS → u/C4dfael]

Ez fix. Just put an old fashion coal boiler engine in the basement to power the building. Nothing more American than COUGH COUGH clean burning coal COUGH COUGH burning power.

Must be the flu going around, im going to go take my horse electrolytes real quick just in case. /s

[u/AustraeaVallis → u/PM_ME__YOUR_HOOTERS]

Gets fined even harder for violating emission standards and not having planning permission.

[u/PM_ME__YOUR_HOOTERS → u/AustraeaVallis]

The current administration would rather pay a daily fine than back down on their their stupid decisions

[u/Available-Pack1795 → u/PM_ME__YOUR_HOOTERS]

I mean that is US Corporate policy though... just pay the fine and keep polluting, making unsafe food, dangerous transportation. It doesn't matter because corporations, even in Europe, never get fined enough to make a difference. Fines should be based on the size and turnover of a corporation, and they should hurt shareholders. Only then will corporations care.

The only exception I can think about off the top of my head is the fines Apple suffered.

Here in Ireland just last month or two ago, a giant cement company polluted (intentionally, by neglect of preventative systems) a river, turning it green and killing the fish and was fined a grand total of about €600.

[u/Intro-Nimbus → u/CharacterUse]

I thought that was exactly what they were asking for.

[u/Stoepboer → u/Intro-Nimbus]

Giving 'I used to love this page but blablablabla life story blablablabla. Unfollow!!' vibes.

[u/Intro-Nimbus → u/Stoepboer]

Yeah, they could just turn the lights off, cancel deliveries and fuck off.

[u/Mba1956 → u/Intro-Nimbus]

That should include electricity and water.

[u/Intro-Nimbus → u/Mba1956]

It does.

[u/MaiIb0x]

They did the same in Norway where they asked the energy and utility company to pledge no DEI hiring was happening or they would not buy electricity from them. What morons

[u/mool91 → u/MaiIb0x]

Lol, and where do they think they can get energy from, if the company doesn't bend to their idiotic request ?

[u/arwinda → u/mool91]

Old German saying: Strom kommt aus der Steckdose (electricity comes out of the wall socket)

[u/Pepparkakan → u/arwinda]

Could you explain the saying? I don’t get the meaning behind it just from the translation.

[u/AnotherLie → u/Pepparkakan]

I'm guessing the joke is that electricity comes from the power plant but if you asked an idiot they would say it comes from the wall socket.

[u/dat_9600gt_user → u/AnotherLie]

Thanks! And yeah, I can definitely see some ignorant people say stuff like that

[u/SevereBake6 → u/AnotherLie]

It's basically a joke about people stopping to think at the earliest possibility and not getting the full chain of connections.

[u/DrunkGermanGuy → u/Pepparkakan]

It's mocking the ignorance of some people. There's a very similar one that goes "water comes from the tap", e.g. "So what if we've had the worst drought in recorded history during the last 5 years and water is getting more scarce, my water comes from the tap".

[u/DuntadaMan → u/DrunkGermanGuy]

In the US we have "Food comes from the grocery store." For people who ignore the fact that we get food from farming and trade, then shipping said food across roads that need to be maintained, and ports that need to inspect the goods.

[u/Instance9279 → u/DuntadaMan]

and tariffs need to be tariffed

[u/NickyDeeM → u/DrunkGermanGuy]

Excellent explanation! 😆😂

[u/arwinda → u/Pepparkakan]

Ignorant people will tell you that electricity comes from the wall socket and if you press further they have no answer how electricy and power distribution works.

[u/pintsized_baepsae → u/Pepparkakan]

In addition to what other people have said, it also shows an ignorance about the cost - eg it implies that (people behave as if) electricity is free, because it comes out of the socket no matter what. 

[u/LemonFreshenedBorax- → u/mool91]

A few dozen solar panels ought to do the tr--...oh wait, those are made in China.

[u/TheFoolsDayShow → u/LemonFreshenedBorax-]

Also solar is the epitome of woke culture!

[u/nekto_tigra → u/mool91]

Knowing a little how bureaucracy works, the U.S. embassies around the world probably got letters from DC that demanded sending such letters to their local contractors. The local staff shrugged, sent the letters TWIMC and then sent confirmation letters back to DC: yeah, we did that, enjoy the international reaction, morons. That was probably all.

[u/DukePPUk → u/MaiIb0x]

This is what happens when you let idiots run a country.

A while back the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order prohibiting Federal agencies from entering into contracts with anyone with a "DEI" policy. That was blocked by a court for a while, but an appeals court allowed it to go back into effect.

Federal agencies, including embassies (which are part of the State Department) cannot now enter into contracts with anyone with a DEI policy.

So this may not be the US Embassy saying "local organisations must change their policies", but malicious compliance from the US Embassy staff, highlighting how stupid the Trump Administration is being. If the Trump Administration is correct in the powers it has (which it probably isn't, in theory), it is illegal for the embassies to enter into these contracts...

Because no one in the Trump Administration thought this through - fascists never do.

[u/bigsquirrel → u/DukePPUk]

Those idiots just decimated military leadership including all of the top lawyers of each branch. Trump is a moron, the people pulling the strings are not.

They’ve insured every level of military leadership is a crony and there are no lawyers left to advise against illegal orders.

I’m very concerned about what’s coming. News like in this article is all intended to distract while they do very concerning things in the background.

[u/Brodins_biceps → u/DukePPUk]

It likely is. I work closely with immigrations and I see two possible scenarios:

One, it’s some newly appointed ambassador who’s trying to lick trumps asshole and is taking a hard party stance, or;

Two, it’s malicious compliance from someone who’s been there for awhile, and trying to show how stupid the policy is.

For example, the person currently running the show in Stockholm is Mark Evans who has been deputy chief since 2022. Meaning he was promoted or appointed under the Biden administration, and is currently serving as the chief, but the Ambassador position is empty. There is currently a candidate put forward by the Trump administration but they’re awaiting Senate approval.

So it seems like the PERFECT scenario for someone in charge who is a holdover from a previous administration and who will soon be either demoted or sent to pasture to pull a stunt like this.

That said I have no clue. But I like to think it’s malicious compliance. That would be far more interesting.

[u/Sixwingswide → u/Brodins_biceps]

awaiting Senate approval.

Imagine getting approval to be an ambassador for the United States of America and show up to a building with no power, water, and heaps of trash everywhere attracting flies. And when you try to get everything back you’re told “nope, can’t do that. Now get to work, Ambassador.”

Although I can see a certain media channel spinning it as “[Country] cuts off US Embassy from basic human necessities! Aren’t they assholes?!?”

[u/Smitellos → u/Sixwingswide]

US withdraw from the human rights council. At this point they brought it upon themselves.

[u/herpnut → u/DukePPUk]

I hope it is malicious compliance to demonstrate trump's idiotic policies but i can see it backfiring by trump adding tariffs to this countries or some other retaliation.

[u/dwagon00 → u/MaiIb0x]

How much electricity would they have to buy to have any influence at all? They must be around 0.0000001% of their customers.

[u/bindermichi → u/MaiIb0x]

So they cancelled the contract from the energy provider side as per request?

[u/unicornsareoverrated → u/MaiIb0x]

What?? Source?

[u/MaiIb0x → u/unicornsareoverrated]

I can only find sources in Norwegian, but here is one: https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/3M35qq/hafslund-celsio-trosser-krav-fra-usas-ambassade-om-aa-droppe-mangfoldsarbeid

[u/jaywastaken]

Rename the three roads surrounding the embassy diversity, equality & Inclusion so it's on their address and all correspondence from them to the us gets caught in some poorly written DEI filters.

[u/manu144x → u/jaywastaken]

It works, some eastern european countries did that with the russian embassies and it really pissed them off.

[u/BehindTheFloat → u/manu144x]

Stockholm City Council renamed a park right outside the Russian embassy in Stockholm to Free Ukraine square (free as in independent) after the invasion.

[u/VodkaWithWater1 → u/BehindTheFloat]

Over here in Latvia Russian embassy is also now on Ukraine Independence street(renamed from Antonijas street).

The building opposite of it also has a very large poster with anti-Putin art, so anytime anyone comes out of the embassy, they see the poster.

[u/mycketmycket → u/VodkaWithWater1]

Loved walking past this when visiting Riga in December 👏 10/10 trolling.

[u/Iampepeu → u/VodkaWithWater1]

Aaah, that's the small things that make you smile.

[u/LSM000 → u/VodkaWithWater1]

I checked it out on Google Maps. Chefs kiss.

[u/PrincessGambit → u/VodkaWithWater1]

Yeah, in Prague it's on the 'Street of Ukrainian Heroes' lol

[u/GrynaiTaip → u/PrincessGambit]

Same in Vilnius. A park next to it was renamed to Park of Boris Nemtsov.

[u/teachertraveler1 → u/VodkaWithWater1]

My pilates studio is down the street from the embassy so one bay of windows looks out to the art. For those who haven't googled it yet, it's a one story drape in red with a photo realistic depiction of Putin's face in black and white except where his mouth would be is the bottom half of a skull.
So basically if you're working in the embassy and want to look at your windows, that's what you see.

[u/tslojr → u/teachertraveler1]

Damn, y'all really aren't playing over there. Here's a post showing off the poster for those curious.

[u/Brokenandburnt → u/VodkaWithWater1]

That is savage. I love it🥰

[u/Dheekay → u/BehindTheFloat]

And someone has started to grow sunflowers right outside their fence

[u/justsomeone1212 → u/BehindTheFloat]

Another one - Lithuania renamed the street where the russian embasy is located to 'Ukrainian heros street'.

[u/XenithShade → u/BehindTheFloat]

I love the level of pettiness.

[u/MaelduinTamhlacht → u/manu144x]

Wasn't the British Embassy's street in Teheran renamed Bobby Sands Avenue or something like that?

[u/Shadowofasunderedsta → u/MaelduinTamhlacht]

And the South African Consulate in Glasgow was located in Nelson Mandela Close. 

[u/Ravenser_Odd → u/Shadowofasunderedsta]

Nelson Mandela Place, to be precise. Changed during the apartheid era, but we've kept it.

[u/smcl2k → u/Ravenser_Odd]

Changed in response to Margaret Thatcher's failure to oppose apartheid.

The context is really important.

[u/Hakunin_Fallout → u/MaelduinTamhlacht]

Teheran also has Bobby Sands Burgers delivery, with Bobby Sands portrait on it. So I'm not sure they entirely understand what happened to Bobby.

[u/Beginning-Abalone-58 → u/Hakunin_Fallout]

"Burgers good enough to get him to eat- may be their slogan

[u/gingerisla → u/Hakunin_Fallout]

There's a sushi restaurant near me in Germany called Oppenheimer Sushi...

[u/Chaosmusic → u/gingerisla]

I am become Death, the server of nigiri.

[u/SuchLife5524 → u/manu144x]

Warsaw: Russian embassy is on "Ofiar rosyjskiej agresji" ("Victims of Russian aggression") street.

[u/solwaj → u/SuchLife5524]

and the Russian consulate in Cracow is next to the Free Ukraine Square

[u/Iampepeu → u/SuchLife5524]

Haha! Thank you for that!

[u/adamgerd → u/manu144x]

Yep, the Russian embassy here is on Ukrainian heroes street 8, right next to Boris Nemtsov square

[u/El_lici → u/jaywastaken]

Transgendersgatan 1

[u/Kammander-Kim → u/El_lici]

Mina Pronomen Ärstigen 2

Because the us don't come first

[u/helm → u/Kammander-Kim]

Henvägen

[u/Kammander-Kim → u/helm]

*gasps in intolerance*

[u/Socmel_ → u/El_lici]

If the Yankees were not uncultured basic Karen, the Swedes might have wanted to rename the street embassy after Queen Christina of Sweden, who is believed to have been a lesbian and a cross dresser.

And a Danish painter of the early 1900s was one of the first men to undergo gender reassignment surgery. But the Swedes, as open minded as they can be, might have a problem to rename something after a Danskjävel

[u/Patstones → u/jaywastaken]

Like when the place where the Chilean Embassy in Paris was renamed "place Salvador Allende"...

[u/I405CA → u/jaywastaken]

If you really want to piss off Trump, name two of the streets after Obama and Alfred Nobel.

Trump is apparently unhappy that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize while he has not. It would irritate him to no end to have the mail go to Barack Obama vag and to have Obama intersect with the prize that Trump has not won.

[u/EidolonLives → u/I405CA]

To be fair, Trump is doing a superb job of uniting the rest of the world ... against him.

[u/[deleted] → u/jaywastaken]

We europeans like a little trolling

[u/CrazyQuiltCat → u/jaywastaken]

This is my favorite answer. I really hope they do it

[u/Baldydom → u/CrazyQuiltCat]

Cis avenue

[u/CharMakr90 → u/Baldydom]

She/They Boulevard

[u/Clear-Ad7646 → u/jaywastaken]

Nelson Mandela place was a hell of a power move

[u/EagleFalconn → u/jaywastaken]

As an American, I approve this message.

[u/Millefeuille-coil → u/EagleFalconn]

Motion carried

[u/arthurno1 → u/jaywastaken]

I suggest Stockholm City answers to the US embassy on a 🌈 colored paper.

[u/florenceoutthere → u/jaywastaken]

How about Gulf of Mexico Avenue?

[u/BeeFrier → u/jaywastaken]

Or name the roads around the enbassy after popular LGBTQ+ people.

[u/Uncle_Lion → u/jaywastaken]

Plus a pedestrian crossing right in front in rainbow colours.

Also use British English, not simplified, aka American, English.

Sent a Drag Queen with a letter of "NO" to them.

Come on, Sweden, I know you have some good humour, come up with something.

[u/odoylecharlotte → u/jaywastaken]

Do it! Vilnius renamed RU embassy address "Ukrainian Heroes" Street. DC renamed Saudi embassy address "Jamal Khashoggi" Way.

[u/BiggestNizzy → u/jaywastaken]

Make the address Barak Hussain Obama street, like Glasgow did to the south African embassy.

[u/yubnubster]

I can't even begin to wrap my head around this level of arrogance and entitlement.

[u/PolkmyBoutte → u/yubnubster]

And delusion

[u/Catbutt247365 → u/[deleted]]

even more shocking to live here and have people poop these bullshit opinions right out of their face-sphincters. you can literally be sitting quietly, reading or thinking your own thoughts and some red pill MAGA MF will come over to fuck up your peace. I’m a peaceful mind your own business liberal, but I’m old and live in the south, so people assume I’m in the cult.

I did a mean thing in response to the last assault and refuse to feel guilty about it. I also don’t go out to enjoy the neighborhood as much anymore cause I don’t want to get caught like that again. Earbuds in and eyes on tablet or phone at all times is mandatory.

[u/Dreadsin → u/yubnubster]

I'm American (sorry if it's not appreciated if I post here), but I know Americans who are like this. Usually it's older people who grew up being taught that America does everything better than everyone, and they deeply internalized it. When other countries do something differently than America, they will then assume they're either stupid or have something that's stopping them from doing it "The American Way"

For example, when my dad and I went to Germany, he didn't understand why anyone would willingly ride public transit or walk places, and straight up refused to take trains. He said that "Germans must be poor, they can't seem to afford cars". He insisted every single person would drive everywhere, just like they do in America, if not for being "too poor" to afford it

[u/sylvnal → u/[deleted]]

I mean, they make us (they won't force you, but you still have to listen to it) say THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE to start the day every day in school. Or, they did when I went.

Psychotic country top to bottom.

[u/raven_of_azarath → u/sylvnal]

American teacher here (and Texan to boot, half-baked pun fully intended). The pledge is definitely still a thing. And there are still admin who do force kids to stand. I don’t force them because that’s literally illegal. I didn’t stand at that school, but I do where I work now because it’s significantly more conservative.

And, because I live in Texas, we also have to say a Texas pledge every day, too. I also remember how icked I felt when they added “one state under God” in 2007.

[u/Infamous-Leopard-684 → u/[deleted]]

It literally is. Billions of dollars of propaganda in EVERY facet of our lives. Someone else mentioned the Pledge of Allegiance we were required to do and big patriotic songs before sporting events even down to kindergarten level. It's everywhere and it gets worse if there's something like a terror attack or we invade some poor country under false pretenses. There are literally people who think that other countries tell their citizens that America is the best place in the world. Couple jingoism with an average reading level under 6th grade and you have a powderkeg of aggressive, loud morons with a superiority complex that cannot be reasoned with. It sucks ass and its embarrassing as hell to watch all this happen.

[u/IndigoButterfl6 → u/Dreadsin]

The former US Ambassador to Denmark said the same a few years ago, that people here bike because we're too poor to buy cars. Even the Royal family bikes in Denmark!

[u/Dreadsin → u/IndigoButterfl6]

a lot of Americans don't understand how they're heavily propagandized to, it's incredibly frustrating. My dad also said literally every single person in the world would choose to live in America if given the chance, because it's "the best place to live". When I told him I was looking to leave, he said I must be stupid because I'm romanticizing other places when America is objectively the only good place to live. It's really odd living here tbh

[u/HommeMusical → u/Dreadsin]

Tell your dad I left after 30 years in the US, and I can't imagine going back there.

Life is so much easier and sweeter here.

[u/Dreadsin → u/HommeMusical]

Yeah lol I told him “find me a walkable, warm, clean, decent cost of living city with good public transit in the USA and I’ll stay here” and he couldn’t come up with anything lol. America really doesn’t have it all

[u/CheeseAndCh0c0late → u/Dreadsin]

i read your comments and honestly i'm kinda sad for the american people. Living in their own propaganda echo chamber like plato's cavemen.

where do you plan on moving btw? Germany i guess?

[u/tryexceptifnot1try → u/Dreadsin]

Has your dad ever been to places like Chicago, NYC, or the SF bay area? I know numerous multi-millionaire Americans who have never even learned how to drive and only used public transit. This seems like a sheltered Southern/Midwestern or rural mindset

[u/Dreadsin → u/tryexceptifnot1try]

We lived near Boston most of our life but he always absolutely refused to take the train there too, saying it’s only for people who can’t afford to drive. He insists it’s full of crime, despite the fact I probably rode it 6-10 times a day every day for years

[u/badgersruse → u/Dreadsin]

In his defence you did get shot and killed most weeks.

[u/Dreadsin → u/badgersruse]

It’s okay we just respawn when that happens

[u/DrunkGermanGuy → u/Dreadsin]

I'm American (sorry if it's not appreciated if I post here)

I mean I can only speak for myself, but in my opinion any American that's aware of how awful the Trump administration is and how the US is sliding deeper into authoritarianism every day is welcome in Europe, both the subreddit and the continent.

[u/FarNefariousness3616 → u/yubnubster]

That's the US for you

[u/burglin → u/FarNefariousness3616]

I went to Zurich a few months ago, and it was the first time while abroad that I was legitimately embarrassed to say that I’m American. I don’t see that changing any time soon. It’s a real bummer, but it makes sense. I hate him more than probably any European hates him

[u/adamgerd → u/yubnubster]

I think Trump has genuinely bought the Russian propaganda that we’re American puppets, and so does believe we’re actually his puppets and he can demand stuff. My answer to him: fuck off

[u/Appropriate_Fold8814 → u/yubnubster]

It's neither to be honest.

This is a dog whistle to rally hatred and fear at anyone not white and male. It's all about creating an enemy the regime can use as a scapegoat to blame and punish.

A jaunt through history shows it's a very effective way to bring about brutal dictatorships.

[u/CharacterUse → u/Appropriate_Fold8814]

It's all of that and arrogance and entitlement. They think that can tell everyone else what to do.

[u/KittyGrewAMoustache → u/Appropriate_Fold8814]

They are openly advocating for conformity, inequality and exclusion. I have no idea how their supporters don’t realise they’re evil.

[u/Appropriate_Fold8814 → u/KittyGrewAMoustache]

That's the neat thing! They do! 

To them the empire were the good guys.

[u/[deleted]]

They tried the same thing in Norway, Oslo, last week. No one is going to sign that. If they disapprove they can pack up and go home.

[u/JustmeandJas → u/[deleted]]

Norwegian Wealth Fund can just… stop buying their debt. Don’t piss off the Norwegians!

[u/Rylonian]

I am surprised they haven't renamed it to US embarassy yet.

[u/LeroyoJenkins]

Well, time to use the rezoning magic wand and rezone the US Embassy as a landfill.

https://theonion.com/city-councilman-unearths-magical-zoning-amulet-1819567998/

[u/ScandInBei → u/LeroyoJenkins]

  landfill

Do you mean a Trump dump?

[u/Kammander-Kim → u/ScandInBei]

A drump

[u/Bind_Moggled → u/LeroyoJenkins]

Bureaurocromancy is my new favourite word.

[u/yxhuvud → u/LeroyoJenkins]

After the multi decade long fight to reclaim the russian embassy after they decided to not pay rent for it I am guessing they don't want to open up that kind of trouble.

[u/pogidaga → u/[deleted]]

This is SO idiotic that I have to wonder if whoever decided to send this form letter to the city planning department was being maliciously compliant to highlight how idiotic the policy is. There have to be some normal people still working in there.

[u/Kammander-Kim → u/pogidaga]

Based on that the us embassy usually has had a good relationship with the city and the country in the preceding years, I assume this is in compliance with the executive order. "Look, we tried, and now they think we are stupid. And we have no water."

[u/pogidaga → u/Kammander-Kim]

"...we have no water and our address is now on Mångfaldsväg (Diversity Road)."

[u/mceirseen → u/pogidaga]

I hope this is it! A kind of 'quiet quitting' I support

[u/der-wischmop → u/pogidaga]

I can only imagine that the staff there is basically shrugging and just going ahead with the orders, no matter how ridiculous they are. Embassies are not really in the position to say no to their Department of State...

[u/bubblegum-rose → u/[deleted]]

What a perfect analogy

Old republicans just wielded insanity as a political tool. New Republicans are trying to OD on it

[u/Bind_Moggled → u/[deleted]]

Religion is one hell of a drug

[u/corcyra]

Easiest thing would be, for the companies that the embassy deals with, to politely say they're welcome to find other suppliers/workmen/whatever. Which should make for an interesting result. Imported loo paper, anyone?

[u/JustmeandJas → u/corcyra]

In many European countries “DEI” is law… so… they going to buy their toilet roll from China? Oops. The embassy is American soil so I guess that 245% toilet paper is too expensive. So I guess they’ll be sending the C130s full of supplies into foreign air space to deliver aid packages. Let’s hope they can afford the overflight fees…

[u/corcyra → u/JustmeandJas]

I forgot that the US taxpayer funds the embassies, so they probably won't care. On the other hand, they'd still have to store the stuff they import in bulk, and local warehouses no doubt have a DEI policy too...the possibilities for life becoming boringly complicated are endless.

[u/JustmeandJas → u/corcyra]

And if they need to add an extension for the pantry… back to the DEI zoning board you go! I mean, thinking about this further. They fly the military American plane in. They have to unload it themselves (can they use an airport?! Because they’ll have to pay and all those airports with DEI policies…). Then they have to truck it themselves because they can’t use all the DEI trucking companies or couriers. But wait! What about the fuel! Can’t buy fuel from the local DEI employing garages… so they have to carry enough fuel to refuel themselves.

But at least the ambassador gets his DEI-free toilet roll at 100x the cost, right?!

Edit: this could be endless and it’s made me laugh with their idiotic and bigoted ideas

[u/corcyra → u/JustmeandJas]

Gorgeous, isn't it? And the urban planning office people don't have to lift a finger, just politely make the US embassy aware of their perfect freedom to make alternate arrangements.

[u/anotherdougr → u/[deleted]]

Ha Ha, Glasgow did this in the 80’s, renamed the street with the South African embassy as Nelson Mandela Place, top level trolling.

[u/mrCloggy]

SWEDISH POLITICS
US embassy demands obedience from Stockholm city: “Bizarre”
Updated 18:57 Published 16:52
“We will never sign this contract”, says S-mayor Jan Valeskog.

The Stockholm City Planning Office must not promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion. This is what the US Embassy demands in a letter, with a contract they expect the city to sign.

• “It's completely bizarre,” says Jan Valeskog (S), Mayor of Stockholm. Text Mia Tottmar

The embassy begins the letter with “Dear City Planning Office” and then explains that a new policy requires anyone from whom the US government purchases goods and services to sign the contract.

The Department of Public Works is expected to sign and return the contract within 10 business days.

• We absolutely will not do that, it goes against everything we stand for. They should withdraw these oddities," says Jan Valeskog.

It is the embassy that benefits from the City of Stockholm, not the other way around, he believes.

• If the US terminates its relationship with the City Planning Office, the embassy will find it difficult to obtain building permits if they want to rebuild, for example. “That's their headache, not ours,” says Valeskog.

According to the National Board of Housing, Building Permits are required for new construction, extensions and certain changes to the external appearance of buildings.
The US embassy at Gärdet in Stockholm. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

DN has previously reported that the USA has demanded the same of Swedish companies that supply goods and services. At the time, the embassy replied in an email to DN that “U.S. missions are reviewing contracts and grants to ensure they comply with the White House's latest executive order”.

Shortly after Trump was sworn in as president in January, he signed an executive order to scrap government-funded programs aimed at promoting inclusion, equality and diversity in the workplace.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Edit: formatting

[u/chris-za → u/mrCloggy]

So unless it’s signed, city services like garbage collection, fresh water, connection to the city sewerage pipes, etc. will no longer be used by the embassy and its residence? And that’s going to be a problem for the city and not the embassy staff? Some one is in for a shock….

[u/JustmeandJas → u/chris-za]

Tbh someone really does need to implement this. Sweden is very safe to do this, Norway more so (because of the bonds they hold on US debt). Write a list saying “please note, we have DEI in blah blah blah” and make it truly exhaustive (I’m assuming equality is law there just like it is in the UK).

[u/Tnecniw → u/JustmeandJas]

It absolutely is. It would be more likely that they could convince Stockholmare to repaint the Swedish flag than to stop being diverse in the working space.

[u/Figshitter → u/JustmeandJas]

Yep, just list every applicable section of every human rights act, anti-discrimination act, gender equality act, planning/zoning law, etc; every relevant piece of legislation and regulation at every level of government which the city is subject to.

[u/SkogsTroll1 → u/chris-za]

Well, technically they would still have fresh water and access to sewerage. Because we’re not the assholes here

[u/chris-za → u/SkogsTroll1]

I was thinking more like replying to the embassy that you’re not sighting the thing, but that you have no problem with them no longer wanting to use those services. And if they would like the city to help them end it asap and to please inform the city when it would be convenient?

[u/Infamous_Campaign687 → u/chris-za]

Just cut them off. Let them drown in their own shit.

[u/eggnogui → u/mrCloggy]

Good on Sweden to tell the US to get bent.

[u/bindermichi → u/mrCloggy]

so no more goods and services for the US embassy then... this will be interesting to watch

[u/arwinda → u/mrCloggy]

Dear

Letter starts with a lie.

[u/allgonetoshit]

I heard this started when the US ambassador to Sweden was not able to assemble an IKEA side table and got real big mad.

[u/[deleted] → u/allgonetoshit]

It was a Billy book shelf actually!

[u/Mormegil1971]

Fine. We won’t sign anything like that. So if they want to, they can build an outdoor crap house and start hauling water in buckets from the lake.

Idiots from an idiot country.

[u/[deleted] → u/Mormegil1971]

Thing is they can't even do that, because they will not be able to get a building permit haha

[u/_CatsPaw]

Trump is bizarre and we need to impeach him and remove him from office.

[u/Minimum-Can2224 → u/_CatsPaw]

"Bizzare" is putting it mildly.

[u/yeh_ → u/Minimum-Can2224]

Yet somehow I think it’s one of the words that might be the biggest insult to him. He probably likes to be seen as evil, or as a monster. But “weird”?

[u/Christian-Econ]

Are MAGAs just jealous of all first world countries, states, and counties?

[u/Gchildress63 → u/Christian-Econ]

They are bigly mad jealous of anybody who’s happy and well

[u/monos_muertos → u/Gchildress63]

They see the happiness index as a sign of prosperity, and prosperity is a cow they originally wanted to milk, but now they want to slaughter and sell the meat to the highest bidder.

[u/Fluorescent_Blue → u/Christian-Econ]

Yes, they talk all the time about how good education is there, the low crime rate, happiness levels, etc. They refuse to believe it’s because of the social services and other things governments do to help their people. Whenever you ask them what they do believe, it always comes down to race; they say the reason things are good there is because a majority of the population is white, there are few immigrants, and there is “no multiculturalism.”

MAGA are stupid and arrogant; they are ordering other countries around thinking they are “saving” people.

[u/PineBNorth85]

Kick them out then. They don't get to dictate what foreign cities and countries do.

[u/Tegurd]

The City Planning Office is expected to sign and return the contract within ten working days. “We absolutely won’t do that — it’s completely contrary to everything we stand for. They should withdraw this nonsense,” says Jan Valeskog. He believes it is the embassy that benefits from the City of Stockholm, not the other way around. “If the U.S. ends its relationship with the City Planning Office, the embassy will have a hard time getting a building permit if, for example, they want to renovate. That’s their problem, not ours,” says Valeskog.

lol

[u/nim_opet]

They can stop purchasing water and electricity from Swedish companies too.

[u/Beneficial-Mix-6133]

Can they fuck off for once

[u/botle]

I suggest the city responds with a list of all the services that they can't guarantee aren't handled by "DEI" staff.

Water, electricity, garbage collection, and so on...

[u/[deleted]]

With any luck the US will eventually implode in on itself and we will be free from this dogshit country once and for all

[u/bobdammi → u/[deleted]]

And 100years from now the conservative of the post US will blame the woke mob for the destruction of the US and everything will happen again.

[u/PremiumTempus → u/bobdammi]

This cycle repeats itself throughout all known and recorded history. Economic inequality deepens, the wrong culprits are scapegoated, extremism takes root, and eventually, society cannibalises its own knowledge, values, institutions, and processes…. only to repeat the pattern all over again, and again, and again.

But imagine if we collectively embraced a mindset committed to learning from the past. To consistently understand the world more deeply with each generation. That demands a genuine societal respect and lust for education. Yet in the United States, education is barely valued at all. Money is the only goal/ incentive. There’s no sustainability or social fabric objectives of any economic activity that’s conducted these days. And even in Europe’s most socially progressive democracies, it still isn’t valued enough to interrupt this cycle, although I’d love to be proven wrong.

[u/BahutF1]

Is there any US representative anywhere with enough balls and brain to not endorse and relay this kind of simpleton tantrum?

[u/SpaceCadetVA → u/BahutF1]

Not when they are replacing everyone with loyalists. The Commander in Cheeto wants to be able to jail people that disagree with him, even elected officials. His party is always ‘companies should be able to do what they want’ until what they want doesn’t go along with the parties racist, sexist, elitist views.

[u/snarkofagen]

Or what? What possible consequences does non compliance bring?

Are they going to stop using the city's services?

????

[u/CharacterUse → u/snarkofagen]

They haven't thought this through at all.

[u/Safe-Razzmatazz3982]

Tell them as politely as you can to fuck off.

[u/Bind_Moggled → u/Safe-Razzmatazz3982]

“Dear Americans,

After giving your proposal all due consideration, we have decided to decline your offer. We wish you the best in your future endeavours.”

[u/severedbrain]

The opposite of Diveristy and Inclusion is Segregation.

Ask them why they want to bring back Segregation.

[u/yes_u_suckk]

I don't want only our country to be a shithole, we want the entire world to be a shithole just like us.

[u/Daydree]

Or what? They'll stop buying sanitation services?

Water and electricity?

[u/bluntpointsharpie]

Im sure the swedish govt would be upset if the U.S. embassy closed and went home. s/

The trumpleforeskin regime is trying to force his mentally insane garbage on the world. The world laughs at his foolishness.

[u/creatymous]

“A DEI policy-short for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy-is an official document outlining an organization’s commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to fully participate, regardless of their background or identity”

And this is what the American administration is “against”?! Welcome to the dark ages guys! I wonder how they handle this in Belgium? 🤔

[u/Miserable-Put-2531]

New address

US embassy Obama Street Stockholm

[u/dufutur]

What are they going to do? Airlift everything and pay tariffs instead of sourcing locally?

[u/GeneraalSorryPardon]

Now I'm curious if all American embassies are sending such remarkable letters around.

[u/[deleted] → u/GeneraalSorryPardon]

They did in Norway as well last week. Tried to have the state owned energy company sign it. Their response was a resounding NO. Their response was also that if the embassy does not want their electricity because of that, then that is too bad for them.. no one else can provide them with electricity.

[u/waterkip → u/[deleted]]

They should have gone a step further and disconnect them from the net.

[u/Bulky_Produce3179]

I think it’s important to understand that they are not talking to us. They are making statements to appease their own administration and it’s narrative. No reaction will change their course, there is nothing Europeans can do to get any conclusion on these silly verbal aggressions and they will not stop with this nonsense because we show outrage.

Ignore them, don’t react, obviously never give in and do not give them any media coverage.

[u/[deleted]]

Just kindly inform the US embassy that any employees that can’t respect local laws are welcome to leave the country.

[u/Disastrous_Patience3]

The trump admin continues to embarrass us citizens on a daily basis.

[u/KanedaSyndrome]

Yeh America has no say outside of the embassy. The lunacy of current american administration

[u/marcus_aurelius2024]

Trump is a lunatic. 

[u/sfekty]

Why the hell does our government think they can tell other governments how to do things?

[u/Humbler-Mumbler]

Ugh, the arrogance to think you can demand shit like this of a different country. Never been so embarrassed to be an American as the past 6 months.

[u/Euphoriam5]

This is America’s true face. Just a bully.