Moment of Silence for Norway Posted by Marcus Cederström on Jul 25, 2011 in Uncategorized
Sometimes world events hit close to home. Just a few months ago, an attempted terrorist attack surprised Stockholm. Just this weekend a terrorist attack shocked Oslo. And the world.
I am not a journalist. I am not going to pretend that this is a news report. As of right now, nearly one hundred people are dead between a bombing in Oslo and a shooting on a nearby island. A man has been arrested and confessed to the killings. It seems the terrorist is a Norwegian man who has rallied against openness and multiculturalism. There is a 1,500 manifesto floating around on the internet purported to be written by the accused. The reasons don’t matter. Not in the end. People have died at the hands of another for the simple reason that he does not agree with them. It is a disgusting display of terrorism.
I’m in Denmark right now, trying to learn Danish, surrounded by people from the world over. Our group has representatives from nearly every continent. It is multicultural to the nth degree. And I love it. There’s nothing better than finding oneself in a group of people from different countries and comparing swear words. I love learning bits and pieces of different languages, especially the useful ones. I love listening to stories of people who grew up during revolutions, who speak several languages, who have different ideas and cultures. That’s one of the reasons this attack is so hard to handle.
Terrorism takes many faces. It takes many forms. It does not discriminate. In the past year, the Nordic countries have found themselves suddenly having to face an emergence of extremism. There have been Islamic militants threatening journalists with death. There have been extreme right-wing organizations placing themselves on the main political stage in countries throughout the Nordic region. And now this. I can only hope that this attack opens the region to a greater dialogue.
At 12:00 today, people, companies, and organizations throughout Scandinavia held a moment of silence to honor the victims. Some people bow their heads to pray to whatever god they believe in. As they should. Some people bow their heads in contemplation. As they should. Some people bow their heads and cry. As they should. However, remember that few things are accomplished with your eyes staring at the ground. So raise your head. In remembrance of those who died, and in defiance of those who have killed.
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About the Author: Marcus Cederström
Marcus Cederström has been writing for the Transparent Swedish Blog since 2009. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Oregon, a Master's Degree in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a PhD in Scandinavian Studies and Folklore from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has taught Swedish for several years and still spells things wrong. So, if you see something, say something.
Comments:
Jerry Nelson:
Det är så sorgligt, så obegripligt. Mina tankar går till offren och deras familjer.
Judy:
So horrible and tragic! My heart breaks for Norway and each family affected by this tragedy!
Randy Johnson:
Let’s find a moment of silence/pause tomorrow at 8:26 central time to touch the suffering of Norway and drop our busy mind. It would be especially wonderful if we could link this pause to the opening bell of Wall Street. I think the bombing coincides with this.
I’ll be in ceremony in honor to each of the victims, sounding the bell/horn on the State Capital grounds of Minnesota.
Here’s what I wrote in my blog:
Moment of Silence
Almost one week ago a human being with a very closed mind, tortured in feelings of isolation from a closed mind, caused tremendous harm to so many. His actions stole the lives of so many and forever changed the lives of us all. And here we are, still yelling at each other, ‘thinking’ our way of seeing the world is the correct way. Well, maybe that’s just the way we’re built, forever struggling with the poisons of greed, fear and our ignorance to our interdependence upon one another. Yet, for me there’s Big Hope that we can touch a higher ground. Shortly after 9/11, an eleven year old boy suffering from a fatal disease, captured that higher ground. Mattie Stepanek wrote the following poem on that day:
For Our World
We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment.
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment.
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment.
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice.
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment.
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.
September 11, 2001
This is a request for you to consider a pause from your busy mind to touch that higher ground, that ground that stands above greed, fear and our ignorance to one another as brother and sister. For a moment let us, stop yelling, fighting, and hurting one another. For a moment, let us open our hearts and minds to one another in the very gift of this next breath. For a moment, let us meet the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Norway, the land of peace and harmony. For a moment, let us just listen deeply to one another.
the link is: http://just-be-it.com/2011/07/
Thanks for your consideration.
Randy Johnson, full blooded Norwegian ancestors