Terrorism...
Sarte once said that Terrorism is a terrible weapon, but the oppressed poor have no others, I can not help but look at the world today and lament that these words spoken nearly 4 decades ago still ring true. Our lives, our country, our view of the world so drastically changed on 9/11 as to warrant an unparalleled discourse in humanity. Now, I remember watching those planes on the fateful morning and, eventhough I knew know one there, no one that died, or was injured, I could not help that as the images flashed across the screen a nervousness welled up in my stomach and I was physically and mentally shaken. I though "this is horrific."
Nearly five years have passed and the changes that morning has brought about in the world sadden me. I feel humanity, in this great test of fortitude, has tragically erred. The question immediately following and the one that has pervaded and dominated policy since has not been one of why, but rather of how. The solution to such irrational acts lies not in asking "How do we retaliate?" but rather in asking "Why has this happened?" What is it that drives a man, or group of men, to madness? What situation so encompasses a people that they cheer terrorism and suicide attacks like a hometeam touchdown on Monday night? Surely it is evident that to take ones own life in the name of any agenda is madness. So why does it happen? What atrocities exist in the world that drive men to think they only way to provide a better life for their children is by giving thier own life in the form of a weapon?
Terrorism is a weapon, a truly horrific one, but is the horror of the weapon used demenished at all if it is processed through the all-mighty dollar? Thousands of American based multinational companies dessimate entire regions of the developing world everyday. They do it to ensure low wages, and an obediant workforce ready to supply the western consumption of material goods. Nearly 25,000 people die everyday of hunger, 8x the casualties of 9/11. Why? Why when we can easily provide them with food, food for far less than the hundreds of billions spent on war. Why? The answer is simple and could not be more callous, hungry people work for less. Hungry people do not protest when large companies come to develop thier land, rape their enviornment and lute natural resources. And when the corporations are done, the resources are gone, they leave and the hungry have less now than they had before, in the meantime the pupet regimes set up to approve this "development" are now left unchecked, likely armed, and all to eager to stamp out, by force, any revolt of people that are now literally starving to death.
Nearly five years have passed and the changes that morning has brought about in the world sadden me. I feel humanity, in this great test of fortitude, has tragically erred. The question immediately following and the one that has pervaded and dominated policy since has not been one of why, but rather of how. The solution to such irrational acts lies not in asking "How do we retaliate?" but rather in asking "Why has this happened?" What is it that drives a man, or group of men, to madness? What situation so encompasses a people that they cheer terrorism and suicide attacks like a hometeam touchdown on Monday night? Surely it is evident that to take ones own life in the name of any agenda is madness. So why does it happen? What atrocities exist in the world that drive men to think they only way to provide a better life for their children is by giving thier own life in the form of a weapon?
Terrorism is a weapon, a truly horrific one, but is the horror of the weapon used demenished at all if it is processed through the all-mighty dollar? Thousands of American based multinational companies dessimate entire regions of the developing world everyday. They do it to ensure low wages, and an obediant workforce ready to supply the western consumption of material goods. Nearly 25,000 people die everyday of hunger, 8x the casualties of 9/11. Why? Why when we can easily provide them with food, food for far less than the hundreds of billions spent on war. Why? The answer is simple and could not be more callous, hungry people work for less. Hungry people do not protest when large companies come to develop thier land, rape their enviornment and lute natural resources. And when the corporations are done, the resources are gone, they leave and the hungry have less now than they had before, in the meantime the pupet regimes set up to approve this "development" are now left unchecked, likely armed, and all to eager to stamp out, by force, any revolt of people that are now literally starving to death.