I learned about the suicide terrorism attacks in Paris only Sunday and checked out the facts that were available about the deaths that occurred.
- Over 130 deaths
- A couple hundred injured, many seriously
- 8 terrorists either committed suicide or got killed by police (no survivors)
But long ago I pondered on why these attacks occur and many have thought about this, studied this and asked the right questions to the right people that are or have been part of terrorist organizations.
Some more thoughts in my Youtube post here:
The reason is ultimately the same: Feeling oppressed and desperate, combined with fanatism (be it religious, political or other kinds).
Its a lethal mixture leading men and women to do things they would never ordinarily do: hurt and kill people and themselves.
Now, fanatism is a very personal thing, even though it can be encouraged in some regions depending on your surroundings (friends, country, family, religious group, political group etc...).
But oppression and desperation towards strangers.... that has another source.
The Islamic State said it best while claiming responsibility for the civilian attacks in Paris on Saturday November 14th:
"To teach France, and all nations following its path, that they will remain at the top of Islamic State’s list of targets, and that the smell of death won’t leave their noses as long as they partake in their crusader campaign,"
Instead of raising our fists at the group and asking for blood, let's ask ourselves what caused the attack. The Islamic State wants the "crusader campaign" to stop. Based on other claims from this group and other terrorist groups before them, they are lashing out, in a nutshell, because they feel they need to do something violent, to stop the West from putting their noses in their country's businesses, influencing their politics, trying to influence their religion etc....
Why do terrorists exist? The West is the oppressor and the people of the middle east (and elsewhere), having no recourse of their own to make it all stop, become desperate. This gives the radical fanatics of these populations a reason to lash out.
This is the truth.
ALL violence is terrible and should be condemned, but we won't be free of terror until we stop our politicians and militaries meddling in the affairs of others, causing pain and suffering.
If 132 Parisian deaths affect you today, how do you think the Libyans feel after THOUSANDS of civilians have been killed by drone attacks while NATO was trying to get to Ghadaffi and his supporters?
How do you think the Iraqis population felt when over one hundred thousand Iraqi civilians were killed during the Iraqi war?
They probably mourned their dead and felt helpless and desperate.
We have to stop supporting ANY military action and any violent act of ANY kind around the world, on any side for the terror to go away. People don't kill other people for fun. They do it because they feel they have no other choice.
Let's give them a choice.
Let's all follow Ghandi's example of Social Disobedience. Refuse to support violence, refuse to support any organization and country that is violent, EVEN in self-defence, and soon enough terrorism will go away and we shall have peace.
Russel Brand talks about it with passion here:
Finally, my highest mentor of peace and change in the world, Maitreya Rael gives you the tools, very simply. Join up and let's act together for peace, and influence the planet:
