81. The war on terrorism is fought in the heart
OK folks. Let’s face it. We are, at the dawn of the third millennium, living the Third World War. As in every other World War, there is of course an enemy. Or at least we think so. Do we?
◊◊◊
Yeah! It’s the war against terrorism!
Or is it against terrorists?
Should it not be against the cause of there being terrorists?
Maybe it’s really against the own people?
Hey!
Is there actually an enemy at all?
Or is it just a War?
Should it not be a World Peace against Terrorism?
◊◊◊
Is that not a nice idea? Let’s declare right now the First World Peace against Terrorism! Good! Let’s go for it! We will fight it on the ground. We will fight it at sea. We will fight it in the air. And, above all, we will fight it in the heart. Every heart! We shall not surrender! Dear citizens of all nations, from now on, We Are At Peace!
◊◊◊
A particularly good way to make someone your enemy is of course to call him your enemy.
◊◊◊
Terrorists are not the enemy. They are only the indicator that something else is wrong. Take away the indicator and you are your own worst nightmare. Is that not obvious? Moreover, this indicator has sophisticated means of communication, namely ears and mouths. So if you have anything to say, then go and talk with them. Show your heart. Show what you want and need. Listen to what they want and need. Never ending. Remember the promise and never surrender.
◊◊◊
Naïve?
Not at all.
◊◊◊
It’s naïve to think anything else. The war on terrorism is fought in the heart and nowhere else. The heart of the terrorist as well as your heart. Yes, dear reader, I mean it: your heart. That’s where everything starts. If you don’t start with your own heart, then who will? Do you think the world is waiting for anyone else but you?
◊◊◊
With due respect, that would be naïve.
◊◊◊
So here we are: in this First World Peace against Terrorism, we are all soldiers. Even more: we are all at the front line. As in any other ‘War’, any single soldier may think himself dispensable… but he isn’t. Everyone is very important. No one should desert. On desertion stands the penalty of death. In this case: a living death, a moral death, a death in the heart.
◊◊◊
Related Posts
The Great Clash of Cultures
We’re living through a time of great promise and profound danger. As societies across the world grow closer digitally and economically, longstanding cultural differences are coming into sharper focus. This ‘global village’ has the potential to enrich us all, offering unparalleled mental and cultural nourishment to anyone willing to engage deeply. Yet, these opportunities are Read the full article…
From Identity Politics to Utopia
Identity politics = “based on or catering to the cultural, ethnic, gender, racial, religious, or social interests that characterize a group.” Gay versus straight, black versus white, Palestinians versus Israelis, Catholics versus Protestants, Englishmen versus immigrants (see Brexit)… To many, the own group is ‘the box that I and others think I belong to’. I Read the full article…
Politics of Anxiety
Politics, being ethics at the group level, should not be overshadowed by anxiety. Anxiety Anxiety is an irrational mental state with mostly non-conscious origin. Roughly put, this differentiates it from fear. If not properly managed, anxiety tends to float into depression or aggression. One can see that, ideally, all politics should be exempt from this. Read the full article…