Today, the Secret Group of al Qaeda's Jihad in Europe claimed responsibility for a flood of bombings occurring in London’s public transportation systems during rush hour this morning. They claimed responsibility. Or at least they claim to claim responsibility. Because there is a big difference to pointing a finger proudly, proclaiming “I did that” and feeling the consequences of your actions. Do they really feel responsible? Do they really feel the weight of all those lost lives on their shoulders? The lives of the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, torn from this world in an act of bloody rage? I think not. I think they justify it because they are Right and those they killed were Wrong. Nothing is too awful when you have God on your side.
I don’t understand. I don’t understand. If an individual wants to die for their own beliefs, then perhaps that is honorable. Perhaps that individual could evoke sympathy from those around them, and cause people to want to make a change. But no change for the better can be made when other people’s lives are sacrificed; the point is made, but there is no sympathy. How can you decide that your beliefs aren’t just worth dying for, but worth other people dying for? How can one not only push their beliefs onto other people, but ask – no, not ask - people to die for them?
The bombings were clearly meant to send a message to the world. But to communicate in this fashion is no better than to act like a baby. An evil, selfish baby, who is hurt and angry, but cannot (or in this case chooses not) to communicate their misery except by making other people share in their own hurt and anger. Whose tears are bullets and screams fire, whose temper tantrums send innocents to their deaths.
What does this all do? Is the world going to be more receptive to those who can only express their emotions through rage and punishment? Are things going to get better because these lives were sacrificed? How can we respond except by becoming irate infants ourselves? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The viscous downward spiral of hate, distrust, and fear continues. I listen to the radio in the car on the way home and scream inside.
I don’t understand.
3 comments:
I don't understand either. What's more is that I don't understand the responses that have been coming from our "leaders". All they talk about is the "evil" within these people and the "goodness" within us. I don't understand why the leaders of this supposed free world always insist on drawing the lines darker and deeper between Them and Us. And I certainly don't understand how that is going to help. I have no answers. Just so many more questions. Like why we don't care more about all the Iraqi lives lost or the African genocides. I don't understand why we only care when white people are killed ("we" being the country, the media, the world powers, not you). I guess I do understand that one. I just wish I didn't. Anyways, I know this probably didn't help, but I do understand your need to write. And I love you for everything you said. Can't wait to see you on Sunday. Keep writing--a(too)
i agree with all that's been said and second, third, and fourth the feelings of confusion and frustration as to why these terrible atrocities seem acceptable and defendable actions towards getting what they want. it's a logic that is beyond comprehension I suppose. But I really like manderdoodles (just for clarification's sake, cause you're both amanda) comment on the Them/Us line that is continually drawn. I don't understand how good vs evil and light vs dark comparisons get us anywhere closer to "defeating the enemy". They're only fueling the problem. I'm frustrated because acts like 9/11 and the London bombings and every other horrible attack seem to unite people in the beginning but then I get so angry when the resulting response is a "war" on terror or a hunt for the terrorists. Shouldn't the point be to stop the hatred that originally fueled the act? How is a war or a battle an appropriate response to an act of hatred? I don't think I made sense. If I didn't sorry but I needed to write as well. Love to you all! -jehanne
I'm not quite sure how to explain this, but I'm going to try to clarify my thoughts as best I can. It's true. It seems as though things only get national attention (at least in our nation) when they have to do with us. Thousands or millions of people can die in other countries and we sympathize with them and move on, leaving behind the headlines with our coffee spills and bagel crumbs. And it scares me how righteous our President can sound when he speaks, the same righteousness that the very terrorists he speaks of must feel. You are Wrong and we are Right. We are Good and you are Bad. White and Black, and no understanding.
It isn't about us and them. It is about all of us. It is about the world destroying itself through violence, rage and fear instead of working together to find understanding and good will. However, I think that anyone who chooses to take innocent lives to make a point has done something wrong. There is always another way. Always. And the "they" that I speak of are the people who make those terrible decisions. Not the families living in their own fear and misery in other countries. Not those who must deal daily with fire falling from the sky, their homes, their families, their lives fragmented by constant warfare, or hunger, or disease.
My other issue is that I feel deeply about all of this, but that is all. I feel. And then I go about my daily business. I don't know what I can do, but feel I must do something. And yet I must also finish college, and then find a job, and deal with all the petty crap in my own life that seems so insignificant compared to others... but it's me. And I write to let it all out, and maybe I feel better, and then I feel crappy about feeling better because nothing has changed... at all.
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