Socio-Political Rants
In Bomb Blasts in Spain, Violence in Haiti (Where I quote Gandhi and King)
Tom Asked.
>But the question arises, how can terrorism ever be eradicated?
I Answer.
Stop oppressing people politically, socially and economically where they feel that they are so unheard, their causes lost within the infrastructure of governments, laws, and international arena they must resort to violence as a means to an end.
It is only a short term band-aid to break down terror networks to prevent the next attack, the next blood letting of innocent people, because even if that one event is prevented the people who willingly resort to those tactics remain. And a new generation of those more angered by what was done to their brothers, sisters and forefathers, will merely be more violent, hateful, and learn the lessons of those before and how it failed and be more cunning in their approach.
Allow people to say their piece and understand no matter how it is antithesis to your own world view they may have valid reasons for their hatred, and address those issues. Violence cannot be condoned, acts of terrorism should not be granted attention but Gandhi said, “Is Oppression Not a Form of Violence in Itself?” I think it is.
We keep smashing the symptoms and not the cause, it’s necessary to prevent further atrocities but unless we deal with the disenfranchising and oppressing methods of our current governments and our economic structures. None will change, some causes cease and new ones born.
Sadly just after I put up this post, came the statement:
“If you don’t stop your injustices, more blood will flow and these attacks are very little compared with what may happen with what you call terrorism,”
From an al Qaeda spokesman who claimed responsibility over the bombing in Spain.
This is how they think. It is why is happens. They too want change but are misguided by their methods.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 
I strongly feel that the bombing of marketplaces, busy trains and buses, flying commuter-laden planes into buildings, etc. should not be viewed as legitimate political speech. Murder and opportunism and fanaticism and insanity maybe, but not political speech.
Do you know what the “voices” of al Qaida are saying? They’re saying that my brother, my sister, mother and father are responsible for their economic, political and social repression. And they’re trying to kill them (as Americans) for it. (Which is ironic, since my family is mostly very politically liberal.) And also, isn’t it true that the broader population is separate from government? Is it true that the average bank teller or full-time mother, or nurse or lawyer are responsible for American foreign policy?
“Stop oppressing people politically, socially and economically where they feel that they are so unheard, their causes lost within the infrastructure of governments, laws, and international arena they must resort to violence as a means to an end.”
I agree with you on many issues, but here I can’t. Perhaps you’re removed from the issue, or unfamiliar with certain aspects.
There is no cause that could justify such murders, by bombings, using planes as missles, etc., of unrelated innocents. You recognize this by calling them misguided. But I also think these pseudo-muslim, homicidal zealots are far beyond misguided – I think they’re bloodthirsty and want revenge. They feel that “America” (as if there is a single face, or body so called) is to blame for their losing (for example) lands in the former Palestine (see Israel), for Israeli belligerancy (see heavy-handed treatment by Israel), for their poverty, for the lack of Arab pride, et al.
And I think that they’re fuelled by Arab propaganda (there’s plenty of it – see http://www.memri.org/video for some examples), by unconscionable distortions of Islamic teaching, and by imaginary religiously-sanctioned bloodfeuds with the US.
It’s not a matter of the US stifling muslim-extremist, Arab nationalists – if they come to the US they are free to speak freely and openly about American mistreatment or defective foreign policy. They could (and do!) speak through the media. The US has always supported free speech. However, there are limits on free speech, such as yelling “Fire!” in a crowded movie theater, or inciting violence, or actually killing hundreds of people aboard planes or trains.
I feel that extremists that commit unspeakable acts against innocent people are criminal, not ‘politically repressed’.
Perhaps some examination of terrorist allegations should be conducted. But the demands or allegations of terrorists will never be taken seriously while they murder, bomb and maim people in untimate acts of spite.
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Err. Tom. I agree with a lot of what you said. Which was what I was saying in the first post. ie. No violence is worthy of attention.
In fact I even wrote that ON this piece. “Violence cannot be condoned, acts of terrorism should not be granted attention.”
However I do believe each person in this world has some form of responsibility to with wider context of the world, as we make up every part of it. Yes. Americans do have a say over American Foreign policy. I think that’s the tenants of democracy. You HAVE A SAY, if they don’t know and do not want to participate, it’s also a SAY in it. You as a lawyer should know that.
No one deserves to die because of governments. Not the Americans and not the innocent people in Iraqi or Afganistan. As usual I disagree of with your knee jerk American patrotism in the fact of “Me” and “Us” rather than a global view. Can you honestly look at the children who died and straved in Iraq due to the embargo because they could not get western medicine, and tell me they deserve to die anymore than those who died in 9/11.
Yan
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The embargos were reprehensible. You’re right; sometimes I strike a view of the world as us against them. It’s like seeing countries a billiard balls striking against one another in international relations. It’s too simplistic – the world is a different place than it was 60 years ago.
I should’ve read more closely. Sumimasen! (Sorry!)
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On the topic. I think the spanish voted for a socialist government and they are planning to pull the troops out of Iraq. So yes, every person does have a say over their foriegn policy, and sadly in this case, violence won some change.
Yan
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The most alarming thing about 3-11 (as the bombings on Spain are being hyperbolically called in Ami press) is the precedent that it has set.
A terrorist group has not only made a resounding statement to the world, but it appears to have influenced the elections of a well-entrenched democracy. The implications are staggering.
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