81. The war on terrorism is fought in the heart

January 31, 2018 Sociocultural Issues, Sticky Thoughts, War and Peace No Comments

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.

◊◊◊

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Headscarf Here, Headscarf There

When I see a girl or woman walking down the street with a headscarf and bent shoulders, a bit sad from afar, I wonder if her troubles come from cultural oppression. I want to ask her but don’t, politely. Some bragging: in 1987, I had an Arab year. After eight months of intensive self-study, in Read the full article…

Radical Deradicalization

A radicalized standpoint generally does not care so much for rationality. In many cases, there is also little Compassion involved. Thus, more Compassion is needed and, from there, also more rationality. Radicalization People get radicalized into mental mono-culture, mainly because there is a lack of attention for other directions. This lack pushes a person searching Read the full article…

How to Handle a Bully

Bullies exist in many forms. They’re not just the loud, aggressive figures in schoolyards or the overbearing bosses in workplaces. They show up in relationships, online spaces, institutions, and even within ourselves. Most advice on handling a bully focuses on stopping them in their tracks. That’s necessary but incomplete. So, this isn’t just about shutting Read the full article…

Translate »