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August 15th, 2004
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Self & Society This is a discussion that took place this month at Juryfury.com about terrorism. The first article tries to explain that the root cause of terrorism is a a hunger for power. The second tries to show that the causes are socio-economic and political, and also that there are more forms of terrorism that go undocumented by mass media. The Psychology of Terrorism by Candida B. Eittreim We live in a vastly altered world now. One peopled with shadowy figures, self-styled "freedom fighters" who strike in the dark to impose their worldview on us. Though we know the names and a few of the faces, many of us don't have a clue as to what motivates people to turn away from reasoned discourse into unreasoning fanatics. Oh, I've heard the dialogue, understand the ideology they claim to espouse. Most of us do. But what lies beneath the vitriol and hate? I respectfully submit it is the same motivating force that has driven tyrants and dictators for centuries. Power. The power to grant or take life, the ability to cripple nations and cow people into submission by brute force. What distinguishes true freedom-fighters from the monstrous? Several key factors. First, as in the early days of our republic, our troops fought the British, French and Spanish, on our soil, face-to-face. After a victory, treaties were made through diplomatic means. Second, normally those who seek redress for injustices or flee tyranny, fight on their own soil against those who have victimized them. And under "normal" battle guidelines, these brave souls always strive for a common humanity. The fight is not about power, but about empowerment -- a very different principle. What we see operating here is an age-old grab for world domination by a group of power hungry jackals who employ the same methodologies that Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Saddam Hussein used. They prey on the poor, the hopeless, the disenfranchised of their world. The tools they employ, the tactics of terror and coercion, are exactly the same. Just like US street gangs, once in a cell, you cannot walk away and expect to live. There is no offer of negotiation, save for media exploitation and extortion/compulsion. Like Adolf Hitler, the political-religious rhetoric is a thinly disguised attempt to manipulate certain ethno-religious groups into participating in the exclusivity of the movement. Terror is a tool to exercise total control of a society using informants, money and intimidation to attain their desired goals. Bombing innocent people in God's or anyone’s name is a despicable act of cowardice. It has nothing of honor or courage in it. Only a vainglorious stab at eternity. We can empathize with a fear of Westernisation of ancient cultures. We can understand and respect differences of religion or race. And always, as reasoned beings, we are willing to sit at table and work out differences, no matter how long it might take. When we went into Afghanistan it was with a clear purpose: rid the country of the Talibans harsh regime and wipe out Al Qaeda. This war-torn, ravaged little corner of the world suffered untold horrors under the hand of these very jackals, who endlessly mouth their hypocritical platitudes about love for their brothers. That's right. It was Bin Ladens thugs who watched and encouraged the rape, murder and pillaging of Afghanistan, while the rest of the Middle East turned a blind eye. This isn't myth, but hard cold reality. And these are freedom fighters? The Iraqi peoples suffered untold suffering from another coward, a tin pot, Viagra-taking despot. But he loved his people. If it weren't so horrid I'd laugh at the sheer audacity of it. Many of us objected to our going into Iraq, and lately, are seeking scapegoats for the decision. Initially, I was totally against it for diplomatic reasons. I have since done a lot of reading and research and realize that it was the right decision to make. Remember, WE gave the President the mandate to root out terror wherever it lived. And if what the Iraqis were living under wasn't terror, what was it? It is time to stop honoring base cowardice and to begin the process of eliminating as vigorously as possible, every cell, unit, and foot soldier in this war. Strength requires a firm sense of purpose and a steady hand. It doesn't rely on popular opinion, or media spin. Immediately post-911, we were united in our firm resolve to root out terror at it's source. Will it take another disaster to remind every American why we are fighting and dying daily? We either stand firm and united on this or we fall. I made a vow that September day, watching bodies and torn lives on my screen: never again. Along with countless quiet Americans, I stand ready to do anything required to keep our beloved country safe, even if it means dying for it. We know what the true spirit of Freedom Fighting is. It's inherent in every American who loves this great nation. That spirit transcends race, religions and creeds, it is the love of the gift of freedom that makes us the strongest nation on the planet. A Response to Candida by Sophia Barkat I agree with much of what you said, but I see it differently. To me Bush is a terrorist as much as Sharon or Saddam or Osama. To me, Bush's bombing of Afghanistan and Iraq and killing innocents are no different from that of Osama's on Sept. 11, 2001. Killing is murder from any way we see it. Some explain it away as national security. I don't see a difference. I personally would like to see all terrorism and war come to an end, not just that by Muslims or Arabs. I would like to see all war crimes tried, not just Arab or Muslim. I don't value American life over Iraqi life or Afghani life or Bangladeshi life. To me people are people first. I don't ascribe to nationalism in the sense that creates inequalities. I understand that there are and will always be threats to America. Much of it is due to what American politicians and Government have done to other nations. Serbians hate Americans. Afghans do. In the late 90s over 400,000 Afghanis including children have died from US landmines left from the US-Soviet War in Afghanistan and 17% of all Afghanis are disabled (source Yes!). I can't see why Aghanis should feel that Americans are any better than the Taliban. Also, who gave Saddam weapons of Mass-destruction? And who is occuping the nation now after killing over 15,000 Iraqs? Iraqis most certainly don't have a reason to love Americans. If the American Government goes around bullying nations it will only make more enemies. I think Americans who will be giving the anti-Bush vote this time are scared of this too and want things to be better by throwing him out. It would be great if we could make changes in US foreign policy, defense policy and foreign-aid policies that protect dictators like Saddam Hussein and the Saudi Royal Family and keep nations like Bangladesh and India in the hands of their greedy elites. But I doubt that will happen. Corporate interest in the world's resources -- cheap labor, cheap energy, cheap imports -- these will continue to dictate American foreign policy worldwide, and the elite classes in third world nations will keep selling their nations to Corporate America. It will also dictate labor relations in the US. As long as major American retailers get their goods from outside the US, the US will never invest in a strong labor force. They won't invest in public education. They will not protect the US manufacturing jobs. The capitalist class is not the working-class or the middle-class. It is the top 10% income bracket of the US population who are CEOs and directors of Wal-Mart and GM and GE. The Congress is bought by corporate interests, as I tried to show in my last month's article. Both parties in Congress are equally sold. Senators and Congressmen, in the last decade, have raised $1.5 to 6.0 million to run each campaign. Much has been given by corporate donors. No one is doing their job well. They are raising the cost of MediCare in the US. Federal Education budgets are being cut and allocated to discretionary funds of the Dept. of Education -- which doesn't answer to the Congress on spending – and in turn the DOE is allocating money away to educational institutes run by Republican organizations (Source PBS, NOW with Bill Moyers) There goal is to make America's poor even poorer until they end up in American prisons -- where wages are as low as $0.25 to $1.15/hr -- and where 2 million or more people work below minimum-wage and for the largest American corporations. This is terrorism that goes undocumented and unreported in mass media, which also proliferates the multinational corporation agenda. Instead mass media focuses on crimes that put the poor in jail -- such as marijuana smoking or petty crime. More than 50% of those in jail are in for possession of drugs like marijuana and only 5% or so are in for violent crimes (See Juryfury.com article). Clearly, the cheap labor source must be protected, and hence the media stereotype. It is a fact that the poor in America have very little to look forward to. A living wage is about $18,000, but most Wal-Mart full-times only make minimum-wages of about $9,000 (See Juryfury.com). Most single parents work two jobs just to make ends meet, and often that too is not enough. Putting kids through college is impossible. Hence sending them to the military is a good option, though many come to regret later. The Veterans for Peace organization is one that is trying to educate people about the lies told by the military -- the empty promises of free education and excellent benefits. The draft is likely to come back and any poor soul registered is likely to end up in Iraq or Afghanistan. All so that Halliburton can get millions of dollars and Americans can keep driving their SUVs. Are people so hooked on their cars they must sacrifice poor children? Are America's wealthy so greedy it is okay to sacrifice the poor? In all States, military recruiters find poor boys and girls to ship away to the military promising free education and to be "all that you can be". I don't see it any different than being sadly massacred in West Bank or in the middle of a busy Tel Aviv or Jaffna. Taking away young kids and turning them into killers is terrorism. It's time to challenge the very politicians in Congress and the White House who hoodwink Americans day after day. Time to replace politicians who don't address human suffering. Fact is, the system isn't working. Greed is working. Nothing else. But, how can we do this other than by elections when securing that elections is a whole other issue? I know Bush will play the terrorism card over and over again to get elected. Hence, I beg those who live in fear to wake up and see that the enemy really truly is sitting in the Congress and the White House and that this enemy is more likely to cripple American kids in War than they are likely to die in the hands of Arabs. A Response to Sophia by Candida B. Eittreim I agree with you on almost all you've said here, and I cherish people all over the plane. I never think of myself in terms of being greater than anyone else because I'm American. This is an endlessly complex world, holding very different cultures and attitudes. I pray nightly that we can all learn not to see each other in terms of race, religion or even country, but for the priceless human beings God created. No life is worth less than anyones else. It is that type of thinking that dominates the tyrants of this world, and it frightens me. I feel that in commencing military ops in Iraq, we made a diplomatic blunder of monumental proportions. And it is this aspect that I percieve put us here in real peril, as well as anyone else who participated. If we had waited for a consensus amongst the EU and UN, it would have been a much different proposition, and in my opinion, a much wiser course. My article however, addresses primarily the basic purpose of military mandate, which again we endorsed post 911. To root out terror wherever it lives. Note: I did not single out a particular group, rather the article focuses on the why's of terrorism, the psychological exploitation of those who are desperately seeking redress for injustice. About the Author(s): See under Our Contributors to find out about the Author(s) of this article. |
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