Terrorism

Last night ABC news published a story about Europeans training with al-Qaeda. This raised particular concern because it posed a new kind of terrorist threat: caucasian terrorists. The new concern, of course, is that it will be more difficult to detect terrorists in airports among the throngs of people, as they will no longer be able to "racially profile" who is more likely to be a terrorist. If my understanding of "this new kind of threat" is wrong, please forgive me. My understanding of the nuts and bolts of "this new threat" illustrated several points for me, and raised several serious issues in my mind.

- If racial profiling is wrong, nevertheless this has been one of our tactics all along in attempting to detect airline terrorists. Otherwise white terrorists would pose no new threat. They would just be other violently-intentioned humans whom we cannot easily detect. However, if we have been expecting terrorists to be from the Middle-east, this means we have been prejudiced against persons of this origin.

- Prejudice against persons of Middle-eastern origin has led to a general and national fear of and racism against them. This can be detected in unintelligent conversations where you hear something like, "People from that ancient culture are prone to violence, and they don't understand how to settle a conflict." We label them as barbaric and think we are superior to them, more 'cultured.' This notion is preposterous. What hypocrites we are! Who would label them barbaric when our response to the September 11th tragedy has been just the same if not worse in its reasoning, execution and outcome? What is not terrible about the war in Afghanistan and Iraq? Is our war any better just because we don't call it jihad? Is our war not terrorism because we have called it "shock and awe"? Lord, have mercy on us for our sins! We irresponsibly let September 11th incite us to fear, anger, and then violent retaliation, instead of grief over the violence as well as the deaths, and to prayer. God, Iraq and Afghanistan, please forgive us for the wars we have made.

When I heard about this story, I was grieved that Europeans were joining al-Qaeda. This led me to ask, 'Why am I not grieved by the fact that a few Muslims comprise their ranks? Why does the majority number of al-Qaeda not grieve me just as much as Europeans joining them?' Because I have been racist. I have presumed that 'we can expect extreme behavior from those people.' I beg all people from the Middle-east, and all Muslims to forgive me for such thoughts. +We ought to be grieved when anyone trains for war or violence against their fellow humans.+

Pithy thought by yours truly #3

"When all you see is made by man,
it is hard to believe in God."

Of Worry

"Cease from an inordinate desire of knowing,
for therein is found much distraction and deceit."
-Thomas a Kempis

+++

I have to laugh

at you, worry;--

who are you

but a demon

I have listened to?

Of things unfinished,

undone,

unbegun;

Of incompletes,

thoughts just conceived;

Of inconceivables

and things unseen;

Unknown,

unshown,

unowned;

Not been

nor shall ever

be for me.



I hate you both:

not mine this time, and

no peace in pining.



And so I hope.

+++

"May those who say to me, 'Aha! Aha!'
turn back because of their shame."
-Psalm 70:3