Source: Verdens Gang (VG) (Norway) Contact: http://www.vg.no/ Pubdate: 3 Jul 1998 URL: (article w/picture of T-shirt: http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid3D21167) Author: AsbjF8rn Halvorsen Translator: Hugo v.d. Hoeven POLITICIAN ACCUSED OF COCAINE-ADVERTISING Is Siv Jensen of Fremskrittspartiet [The Progress Party-right wing/liberalist] advertising for cocaine? Yes, says Member of Parliament Anne Helen Rui of Arbeiderpartiet [Labour-centre/left wing]. This is the reason: Before the holidays MP Jensen wore a T-shirt of the popular Japanese bran d "Kookai" in Stortinget [the Norwegian parliament]. The brand name was written across the chest. This was too much for MP Rui - but she managed to control herself. That is until NRKs [Norwegian broadcasting company] journalist phoned Rui this week, to find out how the governments work against drugs was doing - in particular with regards to the new law Rui has proposed that would ban drug symbols on jewelry and clothing. - -I mentioned that I had been strongly provoked by Jensens shirt. There is no doubt that the name of the brand is a reference to cocaine, and that kookai is slang for that drug, says Rui to VG. [transl. note: kookai is n ot Norwegian slang for cocaine, although the Norwegian spelling of cocaine i s "kokain"] That's when the trouble started: - -I can't believe it's possible to make that connection. At first I laughed, but this is actually a strong accusation, bordering on slander, says Jensen. She almost dropped the phone to the floor when NRKs journalist phoned her yesterday and told her about Ruis views. Rui elaborated on her views in NRKs radio program "Here & Now" yesterday. To VG she says: - -I'm used to seeing these clothes on the street, but I had never expected to see them inside Stortinget. She claims to have talked to both police and drug users who react on the brand name. - -Do you really believe that Siv Jensen is advertising for cocaine? - -Hidden drug advertisements is a much too serious problem to be reduced t o an argument between Siv Jensen and myself. I am not trying to scapegoat her, says Rui, and goes on: - -Jensen says she didn't think about drugs at all. All right. But an officially elected parliament representative just can't go around with things like that on her shirt, Rui says. She points out that in spite of her membership in the "Workers sobriety-organisation" she is not a fanatic. She is not calmed by the fact that the Japanese word kookai means somethi ng like "a long travel at sea". - -Not at all. A long travel at sea is definitely something that can be related to intoxication, she says. Jensen, who had borrowed the T-shirt of her younger sister, has the following advice for MP Rui: - -Get out of the closed political circuit and see what the real world look s like, and think about what you're saying before you make such serious accusations the next time. - --- Checked-by: Mike Gogulski