UPDATE: 28.07.2011 00:10 Thank you to all those who have participated! Our message has been received and read by newspapers all over the world. Together we have sent between 30.000 and 350.000 emails. We have asked for more of what the world needs, and less of what it doesn't. We have asked that the calm heartbeats of love be heard above the frantic panting of the media to sell stories, angles and paper.
We have asked them to show compassion for the victims of the massacre at Utøya, their loved ones, those left behind. A different story is starting to emerge, and the killer is increasingly in the background on the front pages.
Now the stories of the survivors and their families are coming forth - and stories of how a nation chose to fight immense hate with love.
We have asked them, but the responsibility lies with each and every one of us.After these events, it was prudent to ask those who portray them to do so responsibly. Now it is up to us to be the change we want to see in the world.
This creates ripples, and it was those ripples I hoped you would help me spread. People all over the world needs to know that there is an alternative, you can make a choice, right now: Love or fear.
What you choose creates tomorrow, now.
We have asked only for a little help in lending an ear to the peace and silence beneath all the madness.
For the support in this, I thank you with all my heart.
I will not continue to update this page, but I will leave it here until tomorrow evening so people can join in until then if they want to.
Sincerely,
Asle
MASSIVE APPEAL TO WORLD MEDIA
The media is instrumental in creating the world we live in - who plays that instrument decides what people hear and see.
Its words and images are the bricks of our perceived reality, and together they create our varying world views.
You can use words, rhetoric and pictures that create love, unity or understanding , or fear, isolation and hatred.
It can either refresh our common mental environment or pollute it.
Our goal is not to silence the media, but to urge for moderation and consideration.
Consider the power of words such as ' If one man can create that much hate, imagine how much love we can create together.' -Survivor of Utøya
This is not just about the events that took place in Oslo, Norway 22.07.11 .
This is about how the people that make a living out of selling news about events to us portray reality. Do they sell us cheap, empty news, recycling emotions of fear and worry, or do they provide substance, and information that strengthen us and call us to act for the better of all?
We are, fortunately and unfortunately, in a unique position to make our voices heard.
Brief history:
22.07.2011 - A bomb goes off in Oslo, laying waste to several government building. An hour later the bomber massacres 70 youth at a gathering at Utøya.
25.07.2011 - Hundreds of thousands take to the streets, armed with roses and love, sadness in their hearts, to honour the dead, and urge the nation and the world to look forward to the better world we all can create.
25.07.2011-26.07.2011 National and international media continue to publish photos of the culprit from Utøya and Oslo, giving very brief exposure to the peace rallies.
27.07.2011 Major newspapers continue to headline stories with bits of information about the gunman, and large photos. Our work isn't done.
This facebook group is created, and hours later, nearly 80.000 emails have been sent out - we will not, cannot be ignored.
Choose what you want to see - hundreds of thousands together, holding hands and lifting roses to the sky - or the face of the killer. You have a voice, you have words - use them. This is your world.
Give a hand in enabling his victims and their families the right to not be bombarded by his deluded statements and sick thoughts in the news, on the internet, and in newspapers.
Fear can never win - it consumes itself. Love expands indefinitely.
This video shows why it's of paramount importance HOW and WHAT the media focuses on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PezlFNTGWv4&feature=youtu.be
Write the newspapers, demand they remove photos of the gunman giving him exposure. Let the world see love, unity and loss - not his face. We can sentence him directly - and hate and fear indirectly into anonymity.
We do not condone censorship - yet we do not accept newspapers making bloodmoney on selling needles fear, shock, and distorting reality.
We simply ask them to take some responsibility in participating in giving the world a bit of what it needs more of, and not more of what it needs less of.
Let us together do what little we can to honour the victims, their families, and remove his photos from as many places as possible. Sentence him to anonymity.
Also, do not read articles or click headlines that are blatantly tabloid or sensationalist. By doing this, you are making a silent statement as well.
To make it easier for you I will suggest a few messages that can be sent - that being said, please take a minute to write one of your own. Your own words have immense power, make them heartfelt and true, and they will be heard better than everyone writing the same.
New Suggested Message:
Dear Sir or Madam
In the wake of the massacre at Utøya and bombing in Oslo, media coverage has been filled with photos of the culprit. By doing this you are not only acting in accordance with his wishes of creating exposure for himself and his ideologies, but you are doing the victims great unnecessary injury.
They should be able to turn on the TV or walk outside without being afraid of seeing the man that massacred their friends again. The hundreds of thousands gathered in the streets of Norway 25.07.2011, armed to their teeth with roses and words of love, unity and peace deserve better than a media peddling in cheap fear and sensationalist headlines.
A big factor in enabling the Norwegian public to act that way was the reluctance of the national media to spread hate and point fingers, and the modesty, humanity and peacefulness of our politicians.
For their sake, and for our common world's sake - give others the opportunity to act in a dignified, peaceful way, informed but not deluded, inspired but not afraid. You have immense power in telling people about what they otherwise wouldn't hear, and showing them what they themselves would never see. In this, you are creating the world through your images and words, a vast responsibility.
I urge you to take this responsibility seriously, in light of recent events and events to come we need brave people, capable of love and peace. There is only one world, and there is only ever one form of suffering - human.
Chose love. We have.
Why revenge isn't the answer, nor an option.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0AhZLWNZok
Sincerely, ME
Old Suggested message:
25.07.2011 several hundred thousand Norwegians gathered in the streets to honour the fallen at Utøya and in Oslo, and create a strong message of love and support. Please aid them in this by writing about it and removing photos of the gunman and bomber from Utøya and Oslo. Please have the decency to spare the victims and their loved ones further pain by seeing his face every day.
It was his wish to get this kind of exposure - do not let his message of hate and fear grow.
Choose love. We have.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0AhZLWNZok
Sincerely,Me
Suggested Norwegian message:
Kjære redaktør
Av hensyn og respekt til ofrene, de pårørende og de hundretusener som møttes over hele landet med roser i hendene - det er nok nå.
De fortjener ikke å se ansiktet til gjerningsmannen blåst opp i TV og aviser hver dag - dekk saken slik dere må, men vær så snill, vis hensyn.Ikke publiser bilder av gjerningsmannen glisende i uniform rett ved siden av bilder av pårørende og offer.
Signalet det sender til andre ekstremister, om at jo værre du skader, jo mer mediadekning får du, er svært uheldig.
http://www.nrk.no/kultur-og-underholdning/1.541552
En samlet nasjon valgte å glemme gjerningsmannen, og se fremover med kjærlighet for hverandre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0AhZLWNZok
Vær så snill, hjelp oss med det.
Velg kjærlighet. Det har vi gjort.
Med vennlig hilsen,
Send to: ( just copy into the address-field of your mail)
Norwegian news:
2200@vg.no,
2211@bt.no,
2400@db.no,
tips@dn.no,
nyheter@nrk.no,
02255@tv2.no,
tvnorge@tvnorge.no,
tips@aftenbladet.no
International and national news:
2200@vg.no,
letters@guardian.co.uk,
news@theherald.co.uk,
tips@expressen.se,
71000@aftonbladet.se,
nyhetstips@dn.se,
tipsa@svd.se,
mirrornews@mirror.co.uk,
news-tips@nytimes.com,
news.desk@express.co.uk,
online@welt.de,
pressemeldinger@vg.no,
2211@bt.no,
2400@db.no,
redaktion@sueddeutsche.de,
yourcomments@foxnews.com,
il.toimitus@iltalehti.fi,
news@dailymail.co.uk,
wsj.ltrs@wsj.com,
nyheter@nrk.no,
02255@tv2.no,
tvnorge@tvnorge.no,
tips@dn.no,
gt@eb.dk,
pbr@bt.dk,
publieksreacties@nos.nl,
letters@herald.ca,
city@thestar.ca,
redaktion@tagesspiegel.de,
press.int@aljazeera.net,
redactie-i@telegraaf.nl,
redactie@nu.nl,
ideer@weekendavisen.dk,
Udland@pol.dk,
torben.moldrup@jp.dk,
liaison@cbc.ca,
tips@aftenbladet.no,
kontakt@zeit.de,
evf@dagbladet.no,
nyheter@aftenbladet.no,
Also, and this is equally important - commend great news stories, stories that made you learn, understand, well written stories where substance took precedence over form and sensationalism. Let them know what we DO want!
The gatherings 25.07.2011:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150737861410054.714593.748960053
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150737893570054.714607.748960053
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150738154575054.714722.748960053
Remember the fallen, remember the tragedy - and let the sadness that penetrated you be filled with love, and a desire for good.
Sincerely, Asle
There are several others, check your local newspapers, and write them!
If you're going to invite all once, make this the time. This is not the group for silent support - make your voice and words heard in creating a better world!
Fear makes nothing grow - demand love.
'Be the change you want to see in the world' -Mahatma Gandhi
'Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, these ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression...'-Robert Kennedy
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