I write this blog to bring attention to issues of gender violence and gender justice. And it would seem that the recent horror in Norway would be an interesting issue to address using a gendered analysis.
But I am not going to do that.
When I first began writing this blog I naively failed to anticipate that there would occur acts of male violence that were so horrific that the only appropriate response would be one of respectful silence.
Last week’s tragic events in Norway are one such case.
As someone who lost a friend in Tower Two of the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, I remember how painful it was to watch all of the armchair pundits and all of the talking heads rush in prematurely to dissect, to analyze, to assign blame – before quickly rushing on to examine the next big thing that would happen.
The lives that were lost that day all too soon became just material for other people’s political agendas.
There will be a time for analysis, for opinion-making, and for mindless media chatter about this soon enough.
But that time is not now.
Now is the time to pause and to reflect.
And to grieve.
My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Norway.
Mitt hjerte er trist.
Gud velsigne dere alle.