Checking the Facts

I quoted Patrick Moynihan: “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not to his own facts.” That made me wonder about the accuracy of my stories about Iceland. .

My opinion is that the people of Iceland are generous and welcoming. That is based on the fact that each person I encountered there was friendly and helpful. When Wally and I went to a cafeteria in Reykjavik, the counterman asked where we were from. We said, “Chicago.” He grinned, said, “I know Chicago,” and heaped half a dozen lamb chops on our plates. But perhaps not ALL Icelanders are so generous.

As for the facts about Iceland, who cares whether Vikings came to the island in 900 or 1100? Icelanders care, but my guess is that you don’t. It is important to me. If I write about something or someone, I want you to trust that I am telling the truth.

Last week I finally checked the facts about Iceland’s history. Here’s what I learned.

My dates were wrong. Traditionally the first settler was Ingofer Arnerson who around 900 A.D. had a farm where the capital, Reykjavik now stands. There were enough settlements by 930 for the tribal leaders to gather for the first “Althing”, which Islanders claim as the oldest parliament in Europe..

Icelanders are proud of the pagan past, as depicted in the sagas. The symbol of Iceland is the Norse god, Thor. On posters and brochures, he looks enormous. While Wally was meeting with the stamp collectors, I went to the National Museum in Reykjavik. In a glass case I saw the original bronze. The great god Thor was all of two inches tall! (That’s another example of the importance of travel: I often found things different from the way I imagined from books and movies.)

In 1000 the Althing adopted Christianity as the “official” religion. Like most Scandinavians, they aren’t ardent church-goers.

On our trip to Iceland I was surprised when our tour guide told us the Icelanders were 80% Nordic and 20% Scots. I wondered, “Why did the Scots go to Iceland?” Now I find out they weren’t really Scots. They came from Nordic settlements in Britain, mostly from Scotland and the Western Isles. Perhaps they had intermarried with local women, as they brought along influences from Celtic culture.

End of today’s history lesson.

My mistakes were minor, and nothing that is important in the history of the World. However, please remember: False information can lead to disaster. George W. Bush’s sincere belief that Saddam Hussain had weapons of mass destruction lead to that disastrous war in Iraq.