22 July

July 22 2011. With the kids at the public pool. Listening to the unbelievable unfolding in Oslo, then confused messages of shootings at a summer camp outside Oslo. How easily violence explodes security... The central paradox of democracy dismantled, through the killing of future politicians, actors of consolidation rather than change; the security you feel, the safety enjoyed, when being in a position, to take non-violent re/actions for granted. At some point democracy means that you forget that this is not necessarily something you should expect to take for granted—it gets dusty, not valued, no longer perceived as the most central aspect of being able to practice democracy. Only through the momentary and complete loss of security and safety are we reminded of the vulnerability of non-violent democracy. The every-day dustyness of democratic security and safety allows the hubris of extremism, allows distance to grow between people, allows isolation and exclusion to increase. We are all part of the crime, in different ways, unless we actively decide to practice democracy in our everyday encounters with each other—only if we constantly act to increase each others and our own security and safety, through the complete, unreserved and unconditional respect for every one will we be able to defend non-violent democratic values.