According to OneDayBlogSilence.com:
Silence can say more then a thousand words.
This day shall unite us all about this unbelievable painful & shocking event and show some respect and love to those who lost their loved ones.
On April 30th 2007, the Blogosphere will hold a One-Day Blog Silence in honor towards the victims of Virginia. 33 died at the US college massacre.
The Blogosphere is in deep mourning.
All you have to do is spread the word about it and post the graphic on your blog on 30th April 2007. No words and no comments. Just respect and empathy.
Having lived in the Middle East where people die every day, through the actions of governments, terrorists believing this will change things, and people fed up with living who want to take innocents with them when they go, and watching a world choose violence as a method of communication and interaction, I hope this day of silence will be extended to all those who die needlessly and for the ones who never get such tributes around the world.
Update: Here is my opinion on this event: Silence is a Memoriam, Not a Reason to Stop Blogging.
Lorelle on WordPress 
65 Comments
Where do we get the graphic?
Woops, just saw it. Duh. Thanks for passing along.
If we hold a day’s silence every time there’s another tragedy/atrocity, then we’ll be silent forever. Better, use the space to say “something” – silence is not the answer. Use that time to make commentary – on society, on gun control on politics, whatever; but dont’t stand by in silence…please.
gee
33 died… i agree. huge tragedy. young people…what a waste!
what about 655.000 Iraqis? They don’t pay taxes or..? No blogs there? I understand it hurts, when it close.. but… shuting down the blogosphere? who do you think you are?
hear me, I beg!
Some people are trying to make you believe that we should all observe one day of silence, no blogging and entire day because of what happened in Virginia. Even if the cause seems to sound noble I have to urge the the people of the cyberworld to walk away from this and not let yourselves be deceived by those people.
Silence is already present in our daily life. People don’t talk to each other, we are, most of us afraid of showing our feelings to the world around us. People don’t talk about mental disease, it’s just not something you can talk about neither do people talk about suicide!
I urge you to, not add an other day of silence in your life. Silence is easy, talking is hard. You want to pay your respect to the victims of Virginia? the victims of violence all around the world? I beg you, don’t go running to the easy option, one that will not, in no way at all, make this kind of violence drop.
On April 30th 2007 I beg of you, for once in your life, TALK about it!
… and I hereby rest the case I posted earlier! When will people realise that all human life has value? If the blogosphere is really in mourning over this one event, how much more should it be over the thousands of children who die every single day across the world from easily treated diseases! I’m with you Lorelle for a wider commemoration!
Silence is not the answer.
Silence is what led us down this path.
Not enough people talking.
Not enough people caring for their fellow man.
Not enough people looking for the hurt in others and trying to make it better.
Talk leads to action.
Silence leads to inaction.
Well said!
One of day of silence for the Virginia tragedy is a pretty ridiculous idea. It has no significance and smacks of sentimental opportunism. Rather, we should (as others here have pointed out) TALK about what has happened and pray for healing for those who have been affected. There is a lot of pain and suffering in the world right now, and each individual affected by the pain and suffering is important in one way or another. Being quiet about it all is counterproductive.
I think you should leave space for people who want to talk about it, think about it or write about it. You could have presented your idea that way.
And making these tools (webapps, etc) more honest and humane, is also important. When something like this happens it always show how ‘broke’ we are and how we aren’t even be able to talk about it honestly. (Blogging softwares aren’t even right for this purpose.) We need more gathering, thinking and trying platforms on the network so that people can do something out of what people tend not to let out.
I know so many words and feelings are rather held inside, and not let out about this incident too – also about middle east – among many human beings.
And that requires that we rethink about how we ‘type’ to each other too. Our insides are not that always composed, rather moving and fractured – and so on – and so on.
I won’t believe your ‘inside’ would be able to be real silent for 24 hours, that day.
Then why you shut your mouth up?
And there are many of us like that. And I wonder how we can go – work – from there.
I can only add my voice to those calling for dialogue, not silence, in response to these tragedies. If the blogosphere wants to make April 30th the Talk About Tragedies day, that’d be great; I can imagine a lot of people would get a lot from being somehow given “permission” to speak. But silence is always a repressive force, and a backward step.
[NB: the commentor is a mental health worker who today has had to deal with vulnerable people’s negative reactions to watching the news last night]
It’s interesting that the embedded image also contains a link.
It is a tragedy indeed, but tragedies happen everywhere. I don’t live in USA but in Europe… And don’t tell me that here don’t happen tragedies… or elsewhere in the world. In my country 20 people died today in a bus crash, 5 people were murdered, and if you want to hear about terrorist acts, go in the East. the blogosphere wouldn’t have enough days to mourn each tragedy. But I must say the intention of a one day silence is respectful. I admire everyone who will do this.
Hi Lorelle
I’m shocked:
silence?
Guns for everybody is the credo of your land and you would like to have that we should be *silent* about this?!
10 000 kids every year are killed with guns in USA!
Silence!
You are an authority in this blogosphäre here and you would like to have that we all should lie down!
What do you fear – critic on your land and his politic?
If a country allows guns for everybody the dead of kids are corollary.
I’m mother: I know something about the tears, the silence in the heart if a kid is dead. But never ever I would like to be silent about: allow guns for everybody.
My son must visit USA sometimes. Every hour I fear he died in USA. Because USA is the country which allows guns for everybody and the highest new analphabetical rate in the “first world”.
Many posts ago you have written about the *smoking controls at europe” and that you are happy about that, because now *Europe becomes free of drugs*.
Europe is free of “guns for everybody” and I’m happy about that!
regards
Monika
Hundreds of thousands of people died, actually still being murdered in Iraq. We should take a few silent years for them too, huh? Or does this mourning only cover for the American dead people?
One more thing: 33 people also died in my country, Turkiye, a bus accident. Many of those who died were little children, going to a school trip. Are we going to mourn about them for one more day, or does this mourning only include the murdered people? If your answere is “the murdered people”, I would like to have a look at my previous example, above.
You’re not gonna shut anybody’s mouth (keyboard)… at least any sensitive ones’ mouth.
Sorry, but i wont participate, by all respect for the victims of this new massacre. Everyday(!) thousands of children are dying by famine and illness in so called 3rd-world-countries, countries which are held down in their progress by our industrial nations. where is the mourning for them? one should shoutdown the whole net for them if you want an apropiate mourning for those little victims of our industrial “gunruns” …
Blogs are often the best source of as it happens information when things like this- or the tsunami or Katrina- and, a way to speak up against issues like this.
To go silent is the worst idea I’ve ever heard.
Please- Lorelle- reconsider your position on this- your dashboard position gives you a voice to many-
thanks
Also agreed. It seems like a particularly inept thing to do considering the killer was withdrawn and alienated from society and noted for his silence. Not speaking won’t help anything at all… how about a “reach out and speak to a loner” day instead?
It is horrendous when young people get killed in their schools. Yet, this is not the first time nor will it be the last and it doesn’t change the laws about the possession of weapons either. Young people die all over the world from curable diseases, but who don’t get the help because of a corrupt political and economic world system that doesn’t want to put up the money for innoculation.
We need to have compassion, to extend our hands in help. We need to sympathize and never forget. But I will not remain silent. Silence never solved the root cause of problems. Your call is commendable, but I can not with a good conscience remain silent.
I have posted in support of this
1. It was started by an educator, not a marketer or SEO just after links.
2. Taking a day off blogging, and talking to real people about events like this will do more good than the continued echo chamber of the blogosphere, where quite often differing points of view are not listened to.
Take a day to get in touch will the real world, and leave the keyboard gathering dust
If there’s should be a day of silence it should be all victims of violence. Not just for one, yet terrible, incident in USA.
This kind of thing look to us from other countries like Americans thinks that everything that happens to you is more important than what happens to everyone else. This whole thing might have looked better if the site was saying the American blogoshpere and not the blogoshpere as the entire world of bloggers.
Honor comes in all forms.
This is not a call to “shut up”.
It is a call for memoriam.
Some call it praying.
Some call it remembering.
I think it should be a moment to remember all.
A moment of silence can speak
much more loudly than words
because in that moment,
we all share the same thought.
At the same time.
Powerful moment of energy.
Everyone remember.
Speak out, speak loudly. Use your blog to shout to the world your feelings and thoughts on all of these issues. United, the blogosphere can change the world.
And in a moment of silence, we pause, consider our words, and then speak again. Bloggers, speak to the world, but never, never think that a moment of silence means to stop blogging.
If you think that freedom is pretty neet and think that freedom of speech and that democracy is pretty cool too, then why on earth would you be silent about anything?
Saying nothing is accepting it. You may think that it’s honoring the once who got hurt, but really all you are doing is accepting what has happened, and not trying to change the world so that it won’t happen again.
Talking is one way of affecting the world, but there are loads of other ways of changing it. Helping out in our local community — or someone else’s local community — will affect it too.
What if you are a “Christian Weblog”? we are to stop the proclamation of the “Gospel” for a day? The idea does like others say here… “Appears Noble”, but in essence it is exactly what we should not be doing! There is victory in death! No longer does it hold its sting against us!.
Yes we should mourn, Yes, we should pray for the families that are suffering. But “Silence” is what the enemy would love for us to do!
Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
The day should be one of standing tall against the enemy, and showing him that we will not stand still and remain silent no matter how he tries to break our spirit!
Oh no!
What a stupid idea to have a One-Day-Blog-Silence because of the victims of the Massacre in Blackcity – what about the daily victims in Iraq or Africa, dying of bomb attacks, hunger or AIDS?
What about having a gun control like almost all the other countrys in the world??? Remember the movie Bowling for Columbine, where they displayed the numbers of people killed by guns in countires like Germany, France, Canada or the USA? Remember the part of the movie, where Michael Moore visits some citizens in Canada and asks them, why they don’t have to lock their doors or why they think, why so many people get killed across their border in the USA, while at their side of the border no one was murdered with a gun so long ago they even can’t remember it anymore?
I pray to the lord and Jesus that U.S.Americans will one day understand, finally understand. God bless you and the families of the tragic victims of the recent Massacre in the USA in Virginia.
“when will they ever learn?” (John Lennon)
Silence is part of the problem…
By all reports the individual that perpetrated this horrendous event was very troubled as evidenced by his college writings. Classmates and professors all saw it…
and were SILENT!
The Columbine shootings had a similar pattern of ignoring the obvious signs and people were SILENT.
Early intervention in these very troubled lives may not have stopped events from occurring, but one thing is sure, those that were silent, those that saw the signs have a heavy cross to bare.
NOTE to “Samo,” your “655.000 Iraqis” is unadulterated tripe and ten times the reality. Quit spreading lies perpetrated by some of our “friends” in the EU.
BTW, pitsche…
You need very badly to read this and adjust your attitude accordingly.
Here is an excerpt, read the whole thing
HALF a billion dollars spent buying back hundreds of thousands of guns after the Port Arthur massacre had no effect on the homicide rate, says a study published in an influential British journal.
JJ said, “If we hold a day’s silence every time there’s another tragedy/atrocity, then we’ll be silent forever. Better, use the space to say “something” – silence is not the answer. Use that time to make commentary – on society, on gun control on politics, whatever; but dont’t stand by in silence…please.”
I agree. Silence doesn’t do anything. In fact, silence condones violence. We must speak out against violence, not sit silent.
I appreciate the sentiment – wanting to mourn and give respect, but we should do that through action. We should talk about how to stop violence.
I think it’s the wrong way to approach this. Silence never helps anyone. Speaking up does!
It’s times like this that remind me why I hate terms like blogosphere. Does anyone actually think this is a good idea? If this is how you choose to deal with this event, so be it. But advocating that we should all do it and try to get others to do it?
No thanks.
Hi Lorelle, good thought as always.
This time you get a real discussion, and I get a really warm feeling and hope for humanity, when I read about the need for compassion, the equal values of all human life and the urge to speak out rather than be silent.
Mostly I go with your opposition, because the tragedies are so many in the world. No harm though in “a moment of silence”. Propagating real restrictions on fire arms, would really be honoring the many victims in the USA. At the same time that might be a bit unamerican.
Finally, I feel sad and sorry for the young victims of this shooting and for all their friends and family.
Silence? Absolutely no way! Firstly, exactly what will being silent gain? This isn’t the first shooting, neither will it be the last. Everyone is shocked as well we should be at this terrible thing – until the next time. We know there is going to be a next time. People who can do something about it won’t do it.
There are too many being silent as it is.
In spite of this latest shooting (one reader helpfully posted a roll call on my blog, in a year’s time you can bet this list will be longer), the people and certainly those in government in the US obviously feel that this litanty of children killed in school shootings is a price worth paying for the freedom to carry guns.
Secondly, what about the 1,000’s of children dying in other parts of the world? Hello? Darfur? Sudan? The Middle East? Are you suggesting a day of silence for them too? Aren’t they worthy of honour too?
Bloggers have unique ability – unlike the controlled press and media – we CAN speak out,and we should, whether voicing our shock protesting or just writing about how we feel about this latest sensless shooting.
But the blogsphere be silent for a day?
You’re on your own, sorry.
Mourn for the dead but not in silence.
I agree that we should talk about what happened and pay our respects. We were at the University of Iowa when Gang Liu went on his shooting rampage. . .
Bloggers unite, but in communication instead of silence. How about a blog graphic paying respect instead of telling us to keep quiet? Flowers, perhaps?
Warm Regards,
J
I couldn’t disagree more with this idea. |: We should be talking about this! My thoughts echo the other commenters.
Thank you, Lorelle, for sharing this event!
I’ve added it to my blog and a link to your blog and to onedayblogsilence.
Very much appreciated.
annie
Silence is a great idea for the 30th.
We’re trying to get a “Web Orange And Maroon Effect” going for this Friday 04/20/2007. We’ve challenged all webmasters and bloggers to incorporate VT colors into their site for the day. Learn more and check sites that are participating.
I agree to Carl.
Is it me, or half the people adding comments missing Lorelle’s point? Certainly it seems the trackbacks are!
The point is that holding a day of silence only for the 33 lives lost, including the young man himself who was clearly not well, when there are tens of thousands dying across the world through violence and neglect, is simply ridiculous!
This note that this doesn’t detract from the lives lost in Virginia, every single one of which is a tragedy for family, friends and classmates.
If you must get involved in this day of silence then can I suggest an alternative. If you want to make a stand on this issue then rather than keeping silent maybe all US bloggers (and it needs to be US bloggers as only they can sway the lawmakers of that nation) who feel this way should take time to post a well thought out article against guns!
Hi Lorelle,
I hope I’ll find the right words in english to desribe my meanings.
In all ‘standalone’ english blogs, your feed is in the dashboards.
Since this time, you are not longer only a ‘private’ blogger. -You are not longer an ‘american’ blogger.
Blogs are around the whole wide world, in Swedish, English, Turkish, German languages and so on..
Young people died every day in all countries of our world.
I understand your meanings. But between the lines of your words and while you are not longer a ‘private’ blogger your post tell me:
If american young people have died the whole blogosphere should be silence, if Iran young people died or young people of Austria ……
I understand the shock in your country – but your country is not the blogosphere and not the whole wide world – only one of it.
“The Blogosphere is in deep mourning.”
I’m a member of the blogosphere and I can’t agree with this sentence.
Nobody have the rights to speak for me.
I’m mother and member of the blogosphere and I know what it means to visit children at churchyard but I’m not in deep mourning this days because I can’t be in deep mourning every second of my life – and every second so many young people died in our world.
Hi Graeme,
thanks a lot for your words, I agree with you.
regards
Monika
What an utterly pointless and futile gesture.
I missed the part where this will bring back lives.
I missed the part where this will bring in decent gun control.
Just when bloggers should be focusing on preventing this kind of massacre, the suggestion is to do something stupid like this.
How about this for sentimental syrup:
“Daddy, what did you do when all those kids got shot?”
“I spent a whole day not posting on my blog. That’s right honey, a whole day”
Meanwhile gun freaks are laughing.
Hi Lorelle,
I appreciate your sentiment and as an Israeli I agree with every word.
Thank you for putting into such perfect words the softer side of Israel and Israelis.
Many thanks.
David Singer
Visiting from Elaine’s post on 2KBloggers about the proposed day of silence..
I completely agree that a day such as this would be better spent in a collective stand against violence, anywhere.
I know I’ll blog about this later. Until then, this is what I just added as my comment to Elaine’s blog:
“Thanks for that link, Elaine… I’ll go when finished this comment.
ONE thing that bothered me when I saw that ‘day of silence’ tribute, the sentiment of which I also understand and respect, is whether that same blog or any other for that matter, also held regular ’silence days’ for other such human tragedies.
Was/Is there also ‘days of silence’ for the mutilated, murdered bodies that still show up some/each?? morning in Baghdad or for the daily terror Darfur residents experience.
I also chose to turn off/switch away from the CNN coverage several times for the same reason.
Are we saying that one nation’s tragedy is greater than another’s?
I long for the day when humanity collectively insists on NO violence, anywhere, to anyone. Period. And I understand that this will be a journey, a process…”
Thanks, Lorelle, and all other commentors for speaking out against the madness of even MORE silence!
Transformation of our world is what we’re being called to commit to. It is silence that allows economic, political and other societal systems that do not work for alllll humanity to continue to flourish worldwide.
There’s already been enough silence to last humanity another millenia. Let’s speak out, loudly and in unison, instead.
Hola Lorelle!
Honestamente, mi inglés no es fluído y como la Red es amplia en culturas e idiomas, como española y latina, también te digo que utilices el traductor que viene en tu página.
Siento enormemente, la tragedia de los asesinatos en la Universidad, pero que se puede esperar de un país donde es más fácil tener un arma, que comprar chocolate.
Según tu propuesta que es algo impensable, nos tenemos que callar el qué?, nos callamos las victimas de que magnicidio cometido por tu país? la guerra preventiva de Irak, la de Libano, o la de Guantánamo?, solo son ejemplos, es demasiado larga la lista.
No, lo siento, me parece que cada uno es libre de hacer lo que quiera, yo no tengo que guardar silencio, al contrario, gritaré, un NO A LA VIOLENCIA, NO A LA GUERRA, y CERRAR GUANTÁNAMO, y por favor ya que tenéís mucho dinero, gastároslo en algo más útil, que no en comerciar con armas.
Un saludo, desde España.
P.D. Lo siento por las familias de esos chicos, los que mataron no volverán a la vida, y evidentemente, si no hubiera hasta una Fundación del Rifle, la mitad de los males se os quitaban de golpe. Pensar un poco en la cantidad de mendicidad que hay en EEUU, y dejar las armas, para los museos. Es más cultural.
————————
Hello Lorelle!
Honestly, my English is not fluid and as the Blogosphere is ample in cultures and languages, i’m Spanish and Latin, also I say to you that you use the translator who comes in your page.
I enormously feel, the tragedy of the murders in the University, but that can be hoped of a country where it is easier to have a weapon, that to buy chocolate.
According to your proposal that is something unthinkable, we must ourselves shut up what, we shut up victimas of which magnicidio committed by your country? the preventive war of Iraq, the one of Libano, or the one of Guantánamo, single they are examples, is too long the list.
No, I feel it, seems that each one is free to do what wants, I I do not have to keep silence, on the contrary, I will shout, NOT VIOLENCE, STOP WAR, and TO CLOSE GUANTÁNAMO, and please since there is much money, you to spend in something more useful, than not in dealing with arms.
A greeting, from Spain.
P.D. I feel it by the families of those boys, the ones that killed will not return to the life, and evidently, if it did not have until a Foundation of the Rifle, half of the evils took off to you of blow. To think a little about the amount of emigrants, mendicity (…) that there are in the U.S.A., and to lay down the arms, for the museums. He is more cultural. In a country where the censorship and the capital punishment are the most habitual situation
I have always hated compulsory moments of silence. Somebody decides that the entire heard should keep quiet for an entire minute or so, which is usually the value people seem to put on people’s lives in the physical world. (One day is equally easy in blogastic terms)
And there you stand, muted. Unable to speak so as not to be thought of a monster. Silenced by someone who polices the emotions of others. Someone who is afraid to debate and demand change.
One angry young man with a gun is a symptom of something, not an isolated event which can easily be pushed silently under the political carpet. He wasn’t “one of them”… “a terrorist”. He was one of you. There will be other outbreaks. And others. Maybe facing that isn’t such a bad idea.
As a teenager I wanted to kill everyone in my school as well. This kind of simplified response to a problem was the very reason. Nobody wants to talk about your problems. And nobody will listen. It breeds a sense of desperation and entrappment. It is an unhealthy idea which needs a valve.
i just want to lend my voice to the stand against silence. i’m sure your intentions are good, but to declare a random day of silence ends up coming across not only as sanctimonious, but as offensive to those of us who may have personal reasons to say something on April 30th. for myself, it’s the second anniversary of the death of my firstborn child. and i’ll be blogging about him, no matter what else happens in the world. i’ll be blogging about him with my heart heavy for other parents who’ve lost children this month, be it at VT or in Iraq or Darfur or wherever. but i have no intention of being silent.
200 millions guns and pistols , about 350.000 crimes per year committed with these weapons, causing 11.000 dead persons per year in the US! And you want me to keep quiet?
– Never!
it amazes me how many are ready to pounce on Lorelle in response to her posting thoughts about showing some respect and solidarity through a collective period of silence.
I don’t think her intentions are to use silence as denial or avoidance.
I certainly can understand everyone’s questions about why having a day of blogging silence in response to Monday’s events – when so mamy other horribly crappy things have happened, especially in the Middle East.
Well – true. There is absolute crap happening all around. Crap that needs to be addressed, fixed, prayed about – whatever.
This potential day of silence will not fix anything. But it is still a vehicle for many many people to express (by non expression) some sort of communal feelings of fellowship or comfort.
Perhaps it’s not the best method to do this? Who knows? But the motivation (to me) seems quite sincere as a way to just do something, because many people feel helpless.
Perhaps a day of blogging just about these issues might work better – but still, I commend those behind the ‘day of blogging silence’ at least she/they are trying to show some support.
Oh i must apologize, I assumed incorrectly that Lorelle was behind the ‘silence’thing.
Well, sorry!
Still whomever orginated it, I still appreciate the effort.
I was considering doing this as well – for general respect and the fact that it’s not very far-fetched for me to skip a day of blogging. However, I checked out the site (www.onedayblogsilence.com) and got to wondering what the real intention was here. The logo is so benign and generic; it doesn’t really *say* anything, especially not anything specific to the tragedy at hand. I wrote the operator of the site to get more information of what will be posted at that site on April 30th, but I haven’t heard back yet. If I don’t hear back from them, I will forgo posting the logo with a link to their site.
Anybody else have more information on http://www.onedayblogsilence.com?
There is no ulterior motive to this. It was started by a teacher, Steli Efti, who explains the reasons behind this as just a way to help people cope with their grief. Personally, I would like it to encompass the bigger picture of getting us talking about violence at an internationally level.
I’ve taught sexual assault prevention programs for women for many years. I tell my students that I want everyone talking about rape. If we’re all talking about it, there might not be time to do it. 😉
I think a day of blogging really really loud would be more appropriate.
I was really glad to see that bit about the blogosphere (eccch, I hate that word!) being in “deep mourning” was removed. It really rubbed me the wrong way; the only people with any business claiming that are those who lost friends or loved ones. Shocked, saddened, horrified – yes. In “deep mourning”? A bit too drama-queen, thanks.
awww why does this have to be on my birthday
Excuse me, but when will we have a day, a week, a MONTH of silence for those who are still dying in Iraq beecause of the US?
useless imho, instead of asking for silence, why not do something about the problems the youth have, it’ll do a lot more to stop these kind of things from happening.
Also, do something about people being able to get guns so easily….
would do a LOT more…
Expecting the entire (blogging) world to give a day of silence in honor of this particular tragedy is ridiculously US-centric. Count me out.
I did now ’bout this.
i’ve just prepared a special feature 4 april 30 be cause then will b my birthday 😦
I;ll keep it 4 1-st may then, all right.
Regards!
I will use this day to leave a small paryer and a picture of a local girl lost in this tragic event. I beleive her parents would be more honored by that small gesture than the silence. This will replace my regular blog.
I think a day of silence is a great Idea. No one is saying we shouldn’t talk about what happened. The silent day is only one, you still have plenty of time to discuss everything.
I think the point of a minute or day of silence anywhere is for reflection and respect. Once something like this happens, people talk and discuss and analyze, all in trying to understand what happened and why. But a lot of the time in all of this discussion and analysis, we forget to just feel and reflect, without saying anything.
Sometimes we talk and rationalize because quiet would force us to think and reflect with ourselves, and that can be harder and more painful than any kind of discussion.
Taking the time to feel and think is important for making peace with a situation, and I agree that when many people are all silent together that shows an enormous amount of respect.
Its like saying “I can’t put into words how sorry I am. You probably have no words to describe what you are going through. But I am here with you nonetheless, in silence”
Anyone who feels that this is unfair to the tragedies that may be happening elsewhere, you are more than welcome to organize a moment of silence as well. no one’s stopping you.
A moment of silence is good, a day of silence is good also. But for those of us who have or know a specific person lost in the tragiday it would be a great honor to them to let the world know who they are and make your post about them.
I think some people posting comments against a “day of silence” are not hearing what is being requested, but, rather interpreting what they think is being requested. As I have read all the way through from the original request to the comment above this one, I have come to one conclusion.
Our normal responses to tragedies have done nothing to stop the tragedies from happening, so, perhaps another response might.
Here’s what I mean. In numerous religions, the practice of quiet meditation, of taking time to measure our thoughts, our words and our deeds against the measure of whatever the true measuring stick of our faith might be, is a noble effort and quite productive in that it gives us opportunity to relax, take a deep breath, collect our thoughts and then respond in a more productive, well though out manner to the tragedies and traumas that beset us all from time to time.
Additionally, the discipline of creative solitude is another discipline that could be practiced during this “day of mourning” (and not just for the VT students, but for all who suffer injustice in this world). Take the time to, after having meditated and measured your response, seek for new and creative ways to say the same old things, so that they stir a positive response to the calls for response we surely should make.
The freedom of speech is made so much more valuable when the freedom of silence is also practiced, instead of enforced.
Every year at Christmas, I have my times of silence as I mourn the loss of my husband to the carelessness of a hit and run driver who has never been found. Every year in March, I have my day or more of silence as I mourn the death of my daughter who died due to others actions. In May, my day of silence remembers the friend who was shot dead in an armed robbery in a country where guns are illegal. These are personal days of silence. Every person who has been affected by any tragedy involving the loss of a loved one has their days too.
Should I put my life on hold or change my daily routine just because 33 people died through yet another persons lack of care for human life? I don’t think so. Their families will have more than enough days of silence over the rest of their lives to make up for my lack of involvement in their sorrow.
Far better to mark the tragedies in this world by having a day of making contact. If anyone wants to hold a day in memoriam of my losses, please don’t be silent – take a moment to email, write or call someone you love and just tell them you love them.
One of the most profound moments is (or was ) Remembrance day or Armistice day with two minutes of silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The contemporary context gives it meaning for those who know how to study history (not only WWI but the pandemic of 1918-1919)
Jeffrey Brown of McNeill-Lehrer has some very nice statements of context here “Modernism Exhibit Depicts the Art in Ordinary Objects”
http://tinyurl.com/2cy4vq
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[…] via: Lorelle on WordPress […]
[…] want to acknowledge the post that I just read on Lorelle’s blog regarding a day of silence in the blogosphere on April 30. The day of silence is a way to show […]
[…] so: not a very striking insight, but one that needs airing, because I’ve seen that already someone has put up a site called OneDayBlogSilence – the idea that every blogger keeps […]
[…] I logged in to my WordPress Dashboard today my eyes fell on this news: April 30: A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere. As it turned out a new website has been launched to honor the victims of Virginia Tech: […]
[…] to Lorelle VanFossen for bringing this to my attention. Related […]
Un día de silencio en la blogósfera
Siendo un novato en la blogósfera, me doy cuenta de lo fácil que es para los que están en el medio enterarse de lo que ocurre en ella.
Por ejemplo a solo un dia de la masacres de Virginia, hoy comienza a esparcirse esta iniciativa:
A veces me dá p…
[…] just found out about this, via Lorelle on WordPress. Please go to this site and pick up a graphic to put on your blog on April 30th. Please don’t […]
[…] “day of blog silence” on 30 April 2007. After reading the interesting comment dialog at Lorelle On WordPress (where I first saw the 30 April link), I’m … not sure. Definitely some good thoughts – […]
[…] April 30: A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere According to OneDayBlogSilence.com: Silence can say more then a thousand words. This day shall unite us all about this […] […]
[…] Regarding my public announcement of the One Day of Blog Silence Event, I want to share a personal lesson on the subject of memorial silences. […]
[…] [ lorelle ] [ Get the Graphic […]
[…] go out to Lorelle of WordPress for sharing this upcoming event, an online silent vigil in the form of no blogging on April 30 – to […]
[…] Silence can say more then a thousand words.This day shall unite us all about this unbelievable painful & shocking event and show some respect and love to those who lost their loved ones.On April 30th 2007, the Blogosphere will hold a One-Day Blog Silence in honor towards the victims of Virginia. 33 died at the US college massacre.The Blogosphere is in deep mourning.All you have to do is spread the word about it and post the graphic on your blog on 30th April 2007. No words and no comments. Just respect and empathy. […]
[…] may have heard of A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere”. (I learned about it today from Lorelle. Because of the recent Virginia Tech (college) massacre, bloggers are asked to go silent (not post, […]
[…] blir fundersam ver en sn hr id: April 30: A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere. r det bra att det blir tyst? Vad vinner man p att tystna och inte anvnda den mjlighet man ftt […]
[…] Why has something so simple become so controversial? There was alot of discussion on Lorelle’s blog when she wrote about it and she’s also done a follow up. I read through the comments and it seems to me most of the […]
[…] como o Lorelle (onde eu li a referência), também não concordo com esse tipo de atitude, deixar de fazer algo […]
[…] leyendo, en el estupendo blog de Lorelle on WordPress, acerca de la promoción de “Un día de silencio en la blogósfera”, como […]
[…] in the blogosphere are organizing a day of silence (link via Lorelle on WordPress) on April 30. Their hearts are in the right place, but this is rather misguided. At best, […]
[…] tragiskt med dödskjutningarna i Virignia. Ja jag tycker det. Men att därifrån få det till att bloggosfären sörjer är sjukt hybriskt. Och att försöka få oss bloggare att hålla käften en hel dag är så […]
[…] has written an eloquent reason for silence and the suggestion that we participate together in a memoriam day of silence. I intend to participate with her, and resonate with her sentiments on […]
[…] Блексбърг, Вирджиния, САЩ. Вчера Lorelle VanFossen публикува в блога си предложение на 30 април тази година пишещите в блогове да запазят […]
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More information
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[…] links at the bottom of the admin dashboard. While I was playing around with the settings, I saw a post about holding a day of blog silence for the Virginia shooting victims. I considered simply posting […]
[…] Edit: Looking for something else, I noticed some really great comments regarding this on another site. […]
One Day of Blog Silence – Not for me
OneDayBlogSilence is a site set up by school teacher Steli Efti requesting all bloggers keep silent on April 30th as a memorial to the 33 students killed in the Virginia Tech Massacre on April 16th.
Lorelle is being very vocal in her support of this e…
[…] esse artigo não é sobre o massacre, é sobre o que eu li, primeiro no Lorelle on WordPress e depois a repercussão no Blog da […]
30. April: A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere
In Übereinstimmung mit: OneDayBlogSilence.com
Silence can say more than a thousand words.
This day shall unite us all about this unbelievable painful & shocking event and show some respect and love to those who lost their loved ones.
On Apri…
[…] information on why I’m doing this, read April 30: A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere and especially Silence is a Memoriam, Not a Reason to Stop […]
[…] Honor comes in all forms. This is not a call to “shut up”. It is a call for memoriam. Some call it praying. Some call it remembering. I think it should be a moment to remember all. A moment of silence can speak much more loudly than words because in that moment, we all share the same thought. At the same time. Powerful moment of energy. Everyone remember. –Lorelle VanFossen […]
[…] information on why I’m doing this, read April 30: A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere and especially Silence is a Memoriam, Not a Reason to Stop […]
[…] a lot of questions arise with no answers to come. There are many opinions and emotions expressed on Lorelle’s blog about this event and the day of silence itself. Some say “one day of silence for the Virginia […]
[…] uno de los comentarios del blog donde leí la nota: jj Posted April 17, 2007 at 10:46 […]
[…] April 30: A Day of Silence on the Blogosphere […]