Paper: "On the 'War against Terrorism'"

10/12/01

The leaders of our country have made several remarks, remarks that have marked them as wise beyond their years. This is a new type of war, they said. Ah, I fear that time, that mischievous old patriarch of us all, is about to show just how right they are.

Ah, but you must forgive me. I am but a commonplace citizen come among you, hardly fit to speak to you in these matters. But this is America, the 'land of the free'... and so, by the ancient laws of our land, I am allowed to stand here before you. Though I may never be worthy of such a great honor on your noble behalves, I ask that you would listen to, and heed, my impassioned pleas.

This is a new type of war, one that won't be won in a commonplace way. To some among your noble selves, this line might revive memories of Lewis Caroll's The Hunting of the Snark. And like a Snark, our objective in this war is an elusive thing... and our search for true peace, like a Snark, can destroy us if we are not careful. This, THIS is what I today do speak to you about.

This war, this new kind of war that won't be won in a commonplace way; what is its meaning? To put it another way, why do we fight? This may seem like a foolish and naïve question, one that only the smallest of small children would need to ask. However, HOWEVER, if we do not ask this question, then how can we know why we are fighting? War is a serious, a most dire thing... and it is not a thing to be used lightly. So please, I beg of you, allow me to put forth this question into your numbers.

In a similar way, I desire to put forth my answer to this question. We fight, not to avenge our fallen brothers and sisters in New York... for what good would impotent vengeance do? We could kill, and we could bomb, and we could 'win' this quest of vengeance... but for what good? It would only lead to more bloodshed. No, my friends and neighbors, we do not fight for vengeance. We fight, and pray listen closely, we fight for true peace. TRUE peace... not MAYBE peace, not TEMPORARY peace, not FALSE peace... but true peace. True peace is not a thing found in war... not, as Lewis Caroll might say, 'a thing to be found in a commonplace way'. We fight for true peace... but how is such a thing to be found from war? Ah, bear with me, my friends... for there is method to this madness, if only we are able to find it.

To win true peace through war... is such a thing possible? In fact, O most noble of listeners, I do not think that we can directly answer that question... the question we can ask is, is it the best way? No, I am afraid that it is not. Please hearken as I elaborate upon my claim.

This war we fight, we fight against people far more unfortunate than ourselves... a people whose justified, yes, JUSTIFIED dislike of Americans has been most dreadfully seized upon by a tyrant. Osama bin Laden, whether or not he directly ordered the terrorist attacks, as well as his colleagues, have used third world countries' dislike as a political weapon. The people are told that, because we may sometimes (or, alas, even often) are unjust, we should die. This is politics, pure and simple. And it is incompatible with the idea of a loving God, a fact, no doubt, otherwise generally claimed by BOTH sides. And it is a fact that all of us, ALL of us, must come to realize.

For we Americans are also at the risk of injustice as well. Some among us, even many among us, have perhaps lost our reasoning ability when we think about this tragedy. Emotion has largely taken the reign among the people, and logical thought has given way to base thoughts of revenge... revenge, I might add, that is all too often misdirected.

I say that our thoughts of revenge are all too often misdirected... who do I mean? The Muslim people, the Afghanistanian people, people in third world countries in general, they are not to be blamed. Ah, but there is more to this than that... for perhaps even bin Laden has been used. Let us consider his guilt, in light of reason instead of emotion.

It is extremely difficult to tell if bin Laden was behind all this... however, there is good evidence that he did, even if much of it is circumstantial. He has led previous attacks on the U.S.... and he has all but assumed personal responsibility for the attacks through his impassioned rhetoric. But does he believe that he is doing Allah's will? If he does, it does not make these attacks forgivable and CERTAINLY not forgettable... however, we could at least feel that we are fighting a noble adversary, though he fights on the opposite side. But can we feel such? I doubt it, and here is why.

Many of you have read, or heard second-hand, the words that bin Laden has spoken. He has urged a jihad, or holy war, to be instituted against Americans everywhere. He as urged murder, and death, and suicide bombing attacks against non-Muslims everywhere... perhaps he shows us how the Crusades of old were like to THEIR victims. But there is a fallacy in his arguments... a fallacy, in fact, that I am surprised that so few have thought of. While bin Laden claims a reward in Heaven above for those who serve Allah in this way, it is fascinating to realize that he has never sought this reward himself. How selfless of him to avoid martyrdom, while urging it in his subordinates! No doubt Allah would only be only too happy to reward our dear Osama for his selfless REJECTION of his preaching, his cowardly avoidance of death so that others may die... just as our own God will surely be only too happy to forgive US if we meet their violence with 'justified' violence.

No, if this war is to end well, this war against terrorism everywhere, we must give up our prejudices and hatreds. We must befriend our enemies, and seek out the internal conflicts within all of our arguments. We must prove to everyone that such thought, and such terrorism, is a mode of speech that cannot succeed. When all of us understand this truth, then we shall have seen the last of terrorism.

My noble comrades, the facts are before you. But it remains up to you to make the right decision.