Reykjavík Grapevine - 26.08.2011, Blaðsíða 38

38
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 13 — 2011
Peace | Love
I don't know much about
Jens Stoltenberg. He is a
Norwegian politician and
I assume he's no better
or worse than his colleagues. But
I would like to elaborate on a few
words delivered by Stoltenberg dur-
ing a memorial service, words which
have circulated the web following the
terrorist attacks on Oslo and Utøya.
The remarks were first made by Helle
Gannestad, a young woman and a mem-
ber of the Norwegian Labour Party, who
followed the events of July 22nd through
the media with horror and posted this
clear-cut message on Twitter:
“If one man can cause so much evil,
imagine how much love we can create
together.”
These are sharp words and impor-
tant. Their importance is doubled by the
way in which they are brought to the
world—uttered by a politician, the elected
leader of millions.
Their importance is redoubled by the
time of their utterance—in the wake of
hateful and ignorant attacks against his
people.
The weight of these words is redou-
bled again by the thought of what Stol-
tenberg might have said instead; which
words many would have expected from a
man of power, native to the antagonistic
political arena.
What is the essence of these words
and others similar, spoken by Stolten-
berg? It is this:
Let’s use love to steer through this vio-
lence. Those who love will always out-
number and outweigh those who hate.

This message conveys a deep human
kindness and it is likely to inspire Norwe-
gians with love and life at a time when
feelings of hate and vengeance could
come naturally.
”We will hunt them down,” said an-
other leader of millions ten years ago.
“And justice will prevail,” he added—right
before he attacked two separate coun-
tries in the name of justice, which has still
not been done, much rather lost.
There is a great and significant differ-
ence between these two national lead-
ers. One is driven by hate and vengeance,
the other acts out of inspiration and love.
JOHN LENNON, MY SON AND YOU
“War is over—if you want it”
These are the words of John Lennon,
another man who understood the power
of love and the simplicity of finding peace.
My eight-year-old son understands this
as well. He understands Lennon's decla-
ration because I have explained it to him
and because every day I do my best to
practice love and peace.
Together, my son and I have watched
the Imagine Peace Tower cast its simple
and direct light of peace from the island
of Viðey, we have discussed the idea be-
hind the tower, discussed John Lennon's
and Yoko Ono's message, discussed giv-
ing peace a chance, that peace is always
within reach if you want to, that peace is
a decision, that violence is never justi-
fied, that loving yourself and others is a
decision—a very simple decision that light
is stronger than darkness.
Why do I bring my son and my parent-
ing into this context? Because I have de-
cided that I need to be pre-emptive and
speak to him of war and peace, of love
and hate.
Because as a parent, that's what I'm
meant to do.
What I must do.
Why? Because the affairs of the world
have already been brought to my son,
without my permission and without his
expressed consent. Here I refer to the di-
alogue of society as a whole—the indirect
message of hate and justified retribution
received by every one of us on a daily ba-
sis.
Children do not have a perfect under-
standing of the world, but their senses
are more highly attuned than those of
us adults. They sense the streams and
currents that surround them, sometimes
through information and sometimes
through emotions and feelings. And from
these currents they draw conclusions
and create their own pretext on which to
ground their lives.
What is the message society gives
to children (and all of us)? A message
of peace? Or a message of justified an-
ger, revenge, conflict, separation, and
violence? Many cartoons, children’s
films and adventures revolve around the
battle of good and evil, as it is central to
human existence—and each individual’s
existence. The children see, hear and feel
each conflict; hear their parents argue,
see drivers extending rude gestures, and
hear football crowds yell hateful words at
the referee or members of the opposing
team.
The news covers conflict and crime.
Political coverage revolves around per-
sonal battles and trench warfare, where
political leaders shoot at each other with
words and phrases as though it were a
part of their job description.
Society's message is this, in short:
Violence is a law of nature.
Violence is very often justifiable.
Violence is justified, for a good cause.
Violence is justified, if your cause is good.
Taking revenge is a natural response to
an attack.
In the media, love is displayed on special
occasions and in times of dire need; we
see love and kindness as the last item
of the news of the hour—a short “human
interest” story on children or animals, a
cute footnote, a minor detail.
I don't want my son to take violence
for granted. I will not stand by and let him
gradually buy into society's message -
that is why I interrupt him pre-emptively
with talk of love and peace. I talk to him
because that is my responsibility.
I want my son to take love for granted;
as a primal force of life and the correct
and healthy take on life.
In the aftermath of shock and catas-
trophe we all understand Helle Gannes-
tad's message, echoed by Stoltenberg:
“If one man can cause so much evil,
imagine how much love we can create
together.”
We understand these words and agree
with them, wholeheartedly—we under-
stand and agree at the moment of dis-
tress when one hateful human being has
carefully planned and financed acts of
murder and injury.
But extreme times of distress are un-
common, fortunately. It is not every day
we are faced with an evil of this magni-
tude. But that is exactly why we forget.
That is why we don't live by this message
of love, day by day.
We forget. We allow ourselves to be
frustrated, angered, upset and revolted
by the smallest things. We get defen-
sive towards our partners and family
members, friends and acquaintances. In
our minds we dissociate ourselves from
"others" and thereby foster division and
separation. To some degree, we all do
this. And we act as though it's OK to react
to the world around us with antipathy, to
take part in conflict. Yet deep inside we
understand that the difference between
everyday antipathy and pathological ha-
tred, as displayed in Norway on July 22,
2011, is only a matter of degree.
The difference is quite large, but it’s
still only a difference in magnitude and
severity, rather than a difference in na-
ture—because all forms of hatred erode
and injure.
At our core we understand that all
you need is love. That the first step to-
wards peace on Earth is personal peace,
a stance driven by love, rather than re-
venge, frustration, anger and separation.
THE OPPORTUNITY: AFTER UTØYA
This is the opportunity. After Utøya. After
any catastrophe:
We always have an opportunity to
react to hatred with love—our own "mun-
dane" and daily hatred, as well as the un-
fathomable hatred which kills and injures
others.
We always have an opportunity to
take a deep breath and understand that
love is the primal force of life; that hatred
is a deception, a distortion of life, that ha-
tred is an unfortunate misunderstanding.
And last but not least: We always
have the opportunity to make the deci-
sion to practice and to talk about love ev-
ery day; to talk about love with ourselves,
with our friends and family and with our
children.
Our role is to meet hateful propa-
ganda with courage and love, whether it
surfaces at a family gathering or in on-
line discussion forums. Our duty is to talk
about love every day because so many
are willing to tell us - through media,
news and our culture of consumption -
that hate is normal and even necessary.
This is the opportunity: The decision
to remember, the decision to be pre-
emptive, for peace. After Utøya. After
everything. Always.
Love and peace.
Not only on special occasions. Not
just in times of distress.
Love and peace. Always.
The Opportunity: After Utøya
This article was translated into English by Björn Unnar Valsson.
Mountaineers of Iceland • Skútuvogur 12E • 104 Reykjavík • Iceland
Telephone: +354 580 9900 Ice@mountaineers.is • www.mountaineers.is • www. activity.is
SUPER JEEP & SNOWMOBILE TOURS
Words
Davíð Stefánsson
Photo
Henrik Nied