I was appreciative of the question you asked, "Why do we have so called terrorists?". Such an important issue, the terrorizing of other human beings for a person's idea of a just cause, can be based on a multitude of past experiences, an ill advised ideal of 70 or more virgins in the after-life, religious beliefs (and I am talking about ANY religion that entices people to violence toward innocent people). It is like asking, "Why do good and innocent people suffer and die?" or "Why in this day and time are people around the world still starving"?. It is a very complex yet simple reason. Complex in what motivates any human being to terrorize and kill others and to which there may be centuries old causes but yet simple in the fact that this is part of our human nature. It is what we do with that natural instinct to do harm to others that separates most of us from the animals.
If you are told every single day that a certain race, religion, philosophy or culture is evil and your job is to ensure those people are extinguished from the face of this earth, without much outside or world wide intervention and knowledge that enables you to reason for yourself, then you have this mind set engraved in every part of who and what you are. Herein does the problem lie.
This is a very good question concerning the difference between soldiers, heroes and terrorists. Our media and through various group's or countries' propaganda that is spread like wild fire from leaders of terrorist activities, we have become a world confused about who and what is right and wrong. I agree that taking another innocent person's home from them is not acceptable including how Americans forced the Native People (American Indians) of America their right to land, freedom and peace. For the most part, such actions are generally based on fear and misunderstanding who and what others are or what they believe. Native Americans were also guilty of fighting based on fear from this new White Man who came from the sea. That is why the US has come along way in trying to fix the harm that was done to the American Indians, giving them the support and rights that they have always deserved. Israel has done the same.
The difference in soldiers and terrorists is a soldier is there fighting for their country, their rights of freedom and in defense of terrorism or occupation while a terrorist is fighting for power, feels liberated by killing as many people as possible including their own and the obsession with shedding blood from any source. For the most part, with a soldier, once the war is done they set down their arms, even in time embrace the people and peace with those they once fought and is certainly observed for any action to the contrary. Is it a perfect system.... No. But, it is embraced by the majority of those living through the difficulties of war. With terrorists, there is no compassion for human life whether during wartime, in peace time and regardless of whether the person is an innocent human being, woman or child. Many, many victims of terrorism are those the terrorists claim to be fighting for. Why do you think it is that groups such as Hamas, Hezbula, Saddam Hussein, Syrian Militants, the Ingush and Chechen Military (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beslan_school_hostage_crisis) and others hide amongst their own population and in particular, children's schools, hospitals, homes, and religious buildings? It is because they know that the US, Britain, Israel to name a few, will not storm such places or drop bombs on them knowing that innocent people are there as well. THAT is the difference between a soldier and a terrorist, one who regards human life sacred and those whose own lives are all that matters. Defending one's land from occupation does not have to include massacres of innocent people or sending your young son or daughter to heaven via suicide or to throw rocks at any military while these children are too young to really discern for themselves what is right and wrong and then to incorporate in that developing mind that belief that it is a God ordained commandment to execute the bombing and killing of as many regular people as possible.
Iran and North Korea have both made it very clear their intentions for use of nuclear technology, not just for energy, but also as affording them the power to demolish a whole country at will. Iranian leadership has spoken in such venues as the United Nations in NYC declaring death to the US and condemning our US leaders to destruction. This is done with little to no regard for the citizens of Iran and how such statements harms them as a whole. Additionally, it does not reflect the true desires of a majority of citizens there. It is pure, selfish, mindless words to promote and instigate violence against anyone these leaders feel is a threat to their rule. And, sadly, in many cases their ability to promote such violence is done through the preaching's of the religious leaders who are as or even more powerful than the government itself.
The key to using nuclear bombs is in who fires first. There are only two reasons certain countries have not already used this technology on their self-proclaimed enemies; one is that they need to make certain that if they send the first bomb, any allies of their enemy who attacks in retaliation won't be able to destroy them. Also, they want to ensure that the bomb kills only those in their enemy country and not their neighbors.
The horrific judgement that people put onto others, the innocent, is beyond appalling. This includes those who discriminate against and torture people just because of where they were born or what they believe. A tactic that has been used very successfully is in Arab countries where villages often find it difficult with another person from another village to communicate simply because their language is constantly evolving. Due to a lack of modern amenities such as Satellite TV, International Media, Internet use and the fact that those who try to bring in ideas contrary to what their Imams preach are tormented and killed the people in this villages are like a blank slate that allows not only the religious leaders influence on their people but absolutely blur the lines between religion and government. For them, it is all the same, there is no separation between Church and State.
If you research the plight of most Palestinians, you will see that they have been neglected, unwanted, abused, forced into refugee camps, are afforded no citizenship other than that given from Israel and worst of all.... they have been so infiltrated with radical militant terrorists, they are afraid to even voice an opinion or question what they are told.
A perfect example of this is when the Iraqi War started, one of the first things the US did was to shower the villages with flyers that was written in their language and whose purpose it was to get the Truth to the people who otherwise would not have that opportunity for knowledge.
Perhaps the Dalai Lama has the best solution for the natives of Tibet and all the world. To not raise a hand or sword, to endure without implicating others even while tortured, to pray both for their tormentors and the ability to forgive each and every one is an incredible mandate. It is hard for a person the endure such pain and injustice when simply wanting their freedom as we, as humans, have a natural instinct to defend ourselves and our community. Even though it may be a strange comparison, the Dalai Lama's teachings may soothe your experience of being teased and ostracized by co-workers in the past can actually benefit you and others by incorporating the freedom from memories through forgiveness, even when it is not deserved. Please know that each one of those people who treated you badly are certainly suffering themselves in some way or means. To feel compassion and forgiveness for them is a difficult challenge but is an incredible liberation from the scars left behind. I used to tell my employees that if they get an angry person on the other end of a phone call or in a meeting, try to remember that maybe that person just stumped his toe or maybe his wife just left him. There is always a source for such behavior.
Anger, lack of forgiveness, longing for an apology that may or may not come only gives them power to hurt you more. It may never faze these people as to the hurt they have caused. But that is their problem and not yours. Your problem is in overcoming all those painful moments, words and memories by the use of forgives and a realization that they are victims as well in some way, shape or form. Most of them probably don't know or don't care what you feel. Changing someone's ideas of discrimination of any kind (including "nerds", over weight people, the disabled, etc.) will never happen unless that person either experiences it themselves or someone they respect teaches and guides them on how and why to break that behavior. I know it is very difficult, but forgiveness is not for the other person, it is for you.
I so hope that I have helped you in your admirable quest for truth and knowledge. If I can help you in any way, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at debbiekayblack@aol.com.
Good Luck,
Debbie Black
