I don’t have much of a post today—the news from Oslo has knocked me for six and it doesn’t seem to matter much right now whether I enjoyed the last Harry Potter movie or not.Tell me something: does terrorism seem like the temper tantrums of lazy, cowardly children to anyone else? Because it is lazy to destroy rather than build, to murder unarmed non-combatants—trapped on an island—because they’re easier targets.
It is cowardly to hide behind explosives and die—or allow one’s followers to die—rather than personally face one’s opponents and argue verbally for change. And it is the temperamental act of a child to point fingers and say, I hit them because they won’t listen and give me my way.
What has terrorism ever accomplished? What has terrorism ever protected? What has terrorism ever changed for the better?Grow up. Work hard. Use your words. And maybe the next time you visit Oslo, it will be to receive a certain prize instead of universal condemnation.
Earful of Cider 
Yes, cowardly is the perfect word. I’ve been thinking so much about childhoods recently. I can’t help but to speculate about theirs. I can’t believe people are born this way. Something had to have gone terribly wrong along the way.
I’m sure something did, although I’m not sure that even horrific traumas produce this kind of wilful, ignorant evil without some kind of inherent weakness.
It’s just so awful and the visual of how that must have gone down from the children’s point of view…I have no words.
Unfortuntely, the shooter does. i think a fitting punishment would be to not listen to a word he says.
Absolutely. I said the very same thing to Jon this morning. What he wants is attention–you’re very right about the childishness–and credit. He wants to boast. So, let’s take all the power out of what he did. What little “skill” you used to accomplish such deeds simply fade away in the face of your total misunderstanding of all things important in life.
Amen.
P.S. I really like how you dealt with this via this post: an excellent way to comment on such sadness. Thank you.
Thank you, Lisa.