The real targets of terrorism are the rest of us: the billions of us who are not killed but are terrorized because of the killing. The real point of terrorism is not the act itself, but our reaction to the act.
And we're doing exactly what the terrorists want.
And in fact, even though this plot was foiled, they've actually succeeded because 'we' have let them jerk our chains. The public really needs to be educated about this, not pandered to. So I repeat that what should have happened in the passenger 'hijacking' recently is that the complainants should have been told that the complained-abouts had gone through security and that if that wasn't enough, they could leave the aircraft and take a later flight themselves.
The Wired article has some helpful advice to close which I want to underline.
It's time we calm down and fight terror with antiterror. This does not mean that we simply roll over and accept terrorism. ... But our job is to remain steadfast in the face of terror, to refuse to be terrorized. Our job is to not panic every time two Muslims stand together checking their watches. ... Our job is to think critically and rationally, and to ignore the cacophony of other interests trying to use terrorism to advance political careers or increase a television show's viewership. ... Our job is to recognize that terrorism is just one of the risks we face, and not a particularly common one at that. And our job is to fight those politicians who use fear as an excuse to take away our liberties and promote security theater that wastes money and doesn't make us any safer.
God save us from our complicity in terrorism by allowing our dark sides to be hooked by news reporting and mimetic panic. God give us the wisdom and courage to refuse to be terrorised.
Wired News: Refuse to be Terrorized
Filed in: terrorism, aircraft, mob-rule, lynching
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