Tragedies

Norway just passed the one-year anniversary of the greatest tragedy to hit their land since the German occupation during World War II.

Anders Breivik decided he’d had enough of the open arms Norway has extended to the Muslim world, allowing them to come in and forever change Norwegian culture and lifestyle.

Many Norwegians agree, in principle, with the message he was trying to convey, but they sharply disagree with the way he conveyed it - bombing a government building and then shooting the youngest members of the Labor Party that supports such immigration. 

He felt he needed to “cut at the root” of the problem by going after the newest generation that would dare embrace the policies that have eroded Norwegian life as he knew it.  Many of the victims of his vicious attack were children of the political leaders. 

One of the biggest tragedies on July 22, 2011, was how the police handled the whole event.  It’s been a bit of an embarrassment to Norway but it’s also highlighted their previously very peaceful existence.  Guns are strictly regulated and even the police aren’t allowed to carry any, so they don’t go willingly into dangerous situations.

That day however, there were policemen who’d been given permission to have guns, sitting on boats several hundred feet away from the island.  They watched Anders Breivik shoot the children, and did nothing for far too long – fearing for their own lives.  Anders Breivik even called the police to give himself up, saying he’d finished the work he came to do, and they could come get him.  They didn’t, so he continued shooting - for over an hour and a half.  Nearly 80 people died.

That day paralyzed the nation and awakened a simmering discontent many feel with the way the government has been handling foreigners.  Most Norwegian’s were thankful it was a native behind it all, because if it would have been a foreigner, the killing would never stop.  The locals, it’s feared, would have retaliated, and many more innocent people would die.

Not wanting to let Anders Breivik “win,” the government established even more open door policies, so that his actions would backfire.

One thing I find interesting is that Norwegians just don’t want to talk about it. They also don’t want to read about it in the newspaper.  Even on the one-year anniversary, it wasn’t front-page news.  The whole event showcases how Norwegians deal with their own personal tragedies as well – they sweep them under the rug.  Families may be torn apart by unspeakable acts, yet everyone will still gather together and act as if nothing has happened. For being such an “open” country, they themselves, are still fairly closed.