Rose Marches

In rallies across the country featuring thousands of people carrying roses, and singing a Norwegian World War II anti-Nazi resistance song, "For Youth," Norwegians publicly embrace their democracy and open society in the face of those who want to destroy them.

Seventy six dead in a country of only about 2 million is a catastrophe. and a very shocking one to a largely peaceful country.

I seem to remember that after September 11th, we were told to hide behind plastic covered windows and duct tape. We've been told over the last 10 years not to have courage, but to be afraid, be very afraid.

While Norway embraces anew its democracy after it was attacked, we decided to trash ours. We sold away our national inheritance for a promise of security from profiteering shysters. Now we just bide our time until some future President declares his/her political opponents to be terrorists, and the rule of law and civil society vanish down a hole forever.

I'm feeling very depressed these days about our once great country.