"Today's taboos are no longer death or sexuality.
The strongest taboo today is against having clear ideas of right
and wrong. Or even worse, against saying clearly to other people
what is right and wrong, and stopping those who cross the line.
The fear of being moralistic has become a fear of morals themselves,
and as a result many people in our country feel that they have
lost their way. The way forward will be difficult to find unless
we can agree on basic values and where to set limits."
Prime Minister Kjell
Magne Bondevik of Norway
headed the international conference, "Fighting Terrorism
for Humanity," in New York City on September 22, 2003, the
day prior to the opening of the UN General Assembly. The quote
above was from his speech at the Conference against Bullying
in Norway on September 23, 2002. The Prime Minister is making
plans to visit Azerbaijan in early Spring 2004.
"Today's taboos are no longer death or sexuality.
The strongest taboo today is against having clear ideas of right
and wrong. Or even worse, against saying clearly to other people
what is right and wrong, and stopping those who cross the line.
The fear of being moralistic has become a fear of morals themselves,
and as a result many people in our country feel that they have
lost their way. The way forward will be difficult to find unless
we can agree on basic values and where to set limits."