Let go!!!

An awesome horror enveloped me when I heard and saw on television the horrific slaying and bombing that killed at least 76 people and destroyed considerable property in Norway. What???. Terrorism? Another 9/11?
And then, I heard the announcer say that it was like that Oklahoman tragedy. A single person was responsible for all the blood spilled and lives lost in four hours. That must have been tremendous hate burst to annihilate that many innocent lives and property. Who was this man responsible for this unspeakable misdeed.?
I could not sleep that night. How many people like this man are around us? How could they accumulate so much hate enough to bring about such devastating results to humanity? In the quietude of the night little noises bothered me. Where do people like this man lurk around? How can this happen in a very peaceful place like Norway? Norway! The seat of the Nobel Peace prize!
I was afraid to look at the papers the next morning and yet, I grabbed the roll to know more about what actually happened, hoping against hope that the news the night before was an exaggeration,.
And yet, there it was in big black bold letters: NORWAY HORROR!
The details were there; more frightening and almost unbelievable that a single person could feely run around an island where about 600 young people were camping that weekend. This young men and women had nowhere to hide, the hunter found them in buildings, in the forests, behind rocks and in the water, where some vainly jumped and attempted to swim to the mainland,.
The mass killer surrendered when the police arrived. He had ceased shooting because he had no more ammunition. And yes, he admitted he did the monstrous act but in court, he pleaded not guilty. There was o remorse. He claimed he was defending his country from being overrun and controlled by foreigners. He did not care that he killed his fellow Norwegians and young innocent people who had nothing to do with the ideologies he is fighting for. They were at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The murderous act of this man was the culmination of a nine year long hatred that guided his meticulous planning and carrying out of the beginning to him of a long revolution which he hopes would be carried on for many years to come. The hate is still there and he hopes to recruit followers through a 1500 page manifesto that he released on the Internet. He claims he is not alone in these extreme rightist beliefs.
I believe there are indeed other people, a minority with the same beliefs. This is hatred driven by the fear of being overcome by other beliefs and religions. This is hatred fed by the worry of losing power.
This is the same hatred that many may have in their minds for different reasons – fear of loss of property, jealousy, hurt caused by humiliation, rejection or mere misunderstanding. Any of these kinds of hatred when nurtured for a long time often burst into violence.
We Filipinos have a tendency to nurse grievances for a long time. We call it “nagtatanim ng galit”. Often misunderstandings for petty things like a sarcastic remark or a joke often cause us to feel estranged from members of the family or friends. We stop talking or communicating with the person whom we thought displeased us. It could be caused by an argument that becomes heated because it involved a family tradition or a slight on our “amor propio”. I know of people who have not communicated with their own sons or daughters because they were disobeyed. I know of neighbours who went to court just because of the loud music played by one of them.
Hatred is devastating, it could ruin lives and families. The crimes we read about or hear on television every day are mostly caused by hatred. Hatred is an emotion that clouds our better judgement and causes us to take actions that we often regret afterwards. It is also an emotion that is exacerbated by6 our frustrations and failures. Many parents who brought their children to Canada for a better future had often sacrificed working in jobs below their education and training in the hope that their dreams would be realized through their children. In several cases we had heard about some of the children violated strict cultural values that parents hold sacred.
Frustration, hopelessness and shame turn to hatred. Violence occurs destroying the whole families.
The rise to power of some religious groups caused by accumulated wealth due to some precious commodities they possess that the world demands, has created considerable violence among nations. The belief of being oppressed by more powerful countries has created hatred that resulted in violence. Power against power! Wars against wars! Collapse of world economies. Hatred would lead us to further destructions.
The mass killer in Norway has not let go of his hatred. He is mainly looking for a platform to express it. The government of Norway should be appreciated and congratulated by the world as it is doing now, in response to the tragedy. Let go of the hatred! Unite in pursuing the democratic, tolerant way of life.
Let us let go of our individual hatreds. “Kalimutan na natin ang mga sama ng loob sa isa’t isa. Life is short. Let us not live it languishing in hatred. We can never enjoy life when there is hatred in our hearts.