June 3rd, 2009
And yet, the "T" word has rarely been associated with this cowardly deed. Why? Probably because the terrorist was an American and probably a professed Christian and because he acted on an ideology shared by many Americans. While a few will utter the obligatory preface that "the ends don't justify the means" and they "don't condone violence," right away, the talk turns to the subject of abortion and the "crimes" this victim committed (even though he wasn't breaking the law).
Isn't that exactly what terrorism is supposed to do? Give a talking platform to those who might not have the nerve to pull the trigger, launch a missile into a residential area, or strap on a bomb vest? The terrorist makes the bang that brings the attention, and then the mouthpieces start spouting their ideology, bashing the victim with a perhaps softer but no less insidious violence.
Where is the reaction we'd see if this was a Muslim extremist foreigner that had committed an identical act (gunning down a man in cold blood in a church)? Where is the call for zero tolerance of terrorism? Where is the call for a routing of any of this man's associates, direct or indirect? How many unarmed women, children, and elderly people would we be able to justify as "collateral damage" in hunting him and his support network down? How many anti-abortion activitists woke up in Gitmo this morning? Are we going to launch a preemptive strike on the Vatican? Call for regime change there? (...and yes, I figure the guy wasn't a Catholic, but the 9/11 terrorists had nothing to do with Iraq and Saddam Hussein either, eh?) Where is a call for all Christian charities and anti-abortion groups to be put under Draconian scrutiny and the assets frozen of any that might have any ties to this man or any like him? Where is there a shaming of anyone who dares to sympathize publicly with the cause behind this act of terror?
No, instead we see everyone pussyfooting around the issue, afraid to offend some consumer. Really, the only people who have the nerve to speak out are those who are delighted to attack the victim. Everyone else is acting like this matter isn't any more notable than a man shooting someone he caught in bed with his wife.
All reasonable people reject terrorism. And torture, for that matter. Reasonable people understand that neither accomplishes anything except to reduce us all to a lower form of creature. Reasonable people never excuse terrorism or torture, not even when it's done to protect themselves or anyone else. Anyone who justifies, even slightly, any terrorism or torture for one cause, cannot condemn others for doing so.
Over the past ten years, we have watched our rights, freedoms and ethics be trampled, all in the name of fighting the War on Terror -- and yet, when it happens among us, we react EXACTLY as we've accused others of doing. We're supposedly in Afghanistan because the Taliban regime allowed al Qaida to train in country. The US-led "coalition of the willing" attacked Iraq because, among other reasons, it was believed that Iraq supported terrorism. We can't stand up to Israel for bombing the shit out of Lebanon or Gaza (even though they're our friends, and friends don't let friends fly off the handle and cut off their noses to spite their face), because Lebanon recognizes Hezbollah and the Palestinians recognize Hamas.
How exactly are we different? Abortion is a controversial issue in the US, and people on both sides of it are eager to sweep an act of terrorism under the carpet rather than risk inflaming tensions. And yet, we expect people in other parts of the world to react stridently to terrorism, regardless of the cause behind it or the sympathies their own people might have with that cause.
I hope the Obama administration comes to its senses and puts a rest to all this hypocrisy. The last administration had the right idea -- reject terrorism -- but took all the wrong approaches. We here in North America, divided on this issue of abortion, have an opportunity to show the rest of the world how to deal with the terrorists among us -- even terrorists who act out on causes some of us strongly embrace. It's been a couple days now, and it's starting to look like we're going to squander this opportunity -- and it IS an opportunity!
Now is the perfect time to demonstrate the way to embrace the cause while rejecting terrorism. Let's not waste another moment! If we don't show the world that the War on Terror begins at home, we can't expect to be taken seriously anywhere else.
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joyfulc1957- Being joyful in Ottawa
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