Number seven.
Since September 11th, I have been attempting to form a reasonable opinion about what has happened and how our country and government have chosen to react to it. I have been trying to do this - with some amount of sense and foresight - for three months.
I can't. I have no definitive, concrete opinion in relation to all of this. Confusion? Yes - and lots of it. But I am admittedly square-down-the-middle about the right and wrong of just how our country is reacting to what is inarguably the most horrifying, disheartening, evil, maniacal and misguided act I have witnessed in my life as a human being upon this earth.
I am a non-violent person. I do not believe that killing human beings is the answer to any occurrence - even if it is a direct reaction to other human beings having already been killed. But, in a case such as this one - what else is there to be done? Is there anything - other than what we are doing - which would alleviate the reoccurrence of such destructive events?
I don't know. I honestly don't. And within that analysis lives and breathes my most pronounced confusion.
Killing - in this one earthling's most humble opinion - is an offense to the power-that-is which created each and every one of us to live upon this earth for as long as that power deems necessary. And to deliberately cut short the life of any human being by the hand of another human being - is like aiming the proverbial three-finger-salute right up at God.
How can any learned human being honestly believe that God would approve of such behavior? Humans lifting hands against humans? Spilling human blood in the name of religious beliefs? In the name of God? The absurdity of such a thing is both deeply disturbing and testament to the severe ignorance and lack of understanding of just why we are all created in the first place.
To love. To learn, live, and understand love. Not hatred, bigotry, jealosy, vengeance or violence. Love. Tolerance, understanding, acceptance, compassion and truth. The truth of all things being created equal. The truth that to continue to live in this world we must learn the meaning and the value of unconditional love.
Murder - in any form, in my humble opinion - be it by one human being to another or one group to another or even war - is an affront to the universal love with which this earth and each one of us were created. And to kill - in the name of the creator - the God of us all - is the most misguided act any human being can carry out while here upon this earth. And that, being the root of the actions committed on September 11th - deserves far more attention than it is being given. Why? Because that misguided belief system is not going to dissolve itself by the killing of one group of people who have been taught such ludicrous diatribe by leaders who have themselves been taught the same misguided and destructive drivel by those who came before them. Hardly. This twisted belief system will continue to extend itself to more impressionable and uneducated human beings until distinctive elements of intelligent psychology and education are put into place.
Much of the damage has been done. But to prevent further destruction it must be undone. The human mind is a fascinating thing. It can be taught to facilitate evil. It can be taught to facilitate good. And it can change. The human soul is a wealth of empty experience waiting to learn - but to grow and survive the soul must learn that life is infinitely more satisfying when its strength and stability are derived from love.
It is obvious that these are deeply religious people whose teachings have been distorted so completely as to have them believe that God will reward them for their actions. But it is misguided humans who have told them this - who have so distorted the teachings of Islam - and it is learned humans who must compassionately and respectfully return the teachings to them in the manner in which they were written.
Are we doing this? No. Shoot first - ask questions later, right?
I am deeply saddened that we have chosen to react to violence with violence - instead of intellectual foresight. In a recent interview, Resident Bush was asked if he wanted Osama Bin Laden dead or alive - to which he replied, "I don't care." This is truly sad. Regardless of how ruthless, confused, maniacal and misguided Osama Bin Laden is - he is still a human being. Human beings are not perfect. Human beings make mistakes. Human beings don't always do the right thing - or even know what the right thing is. So, should we just kill them all? Kill him? Kill every one of his misguided followers that we can find?
I'm sorry. This confuses me.
If it is wrong for Osama Bin Laden and his misled army of kill-in-the-name-of-God followers to kill thousands of people in New York City (and hundreds in Washington D.C.) - isn't it also wrong for us to kill them? Why is it right? What makes it right? Are we God? Do we, as human beings, have the right to determine who lives or dies upon this earth at any moment in our lifetime? We do it all the time - we sentence one human being to death for taking the life of another - but is it right? Why is it right for us - and wrong for them?
I don't know about you, but though I am deeply horrified and saddened by the events of September 11th and the twisted belief system behind it - and though I know something needed to be definitively and immediately done to protect the world from another such occurrence - I cannot, with any sense of reasonable assuredness - answer that question.
And that's all I have to say about that. For now, anyway.
Peace 2 u.
Last Update 12/2001
(c) 2000, 2001 Terry Alice. All Rights Reserved.