Brian's Take
This piece was written some time ago to the Daveworld
mailing list. I asked Brian's permission before reprinting it. He was one of the first to succinctly say something rational and calming, and to say it pretty well.
...and now to add my take to the "much taken" terrorist attacks. the day they
happened, i was definitely rattled. yet i returned to my normal routine
within hours, i do not personally know anyone directly involved, i didn't
watch a whole lot of news... i take it very seriously as an attack on our
country, and sometimes the foolishness of people's reactions bothers me. i
don't feel strongly about exactly what course of retribution we should take
- i sigh deeply at the situation in Afghanistan and the unavoidable fact
that we *must* secure ourselves. but how to do that....? one thing, i think
we need to understand the terrorist's goals. simply calling them evil, and
america good, and saying that evil attacked good - that really bothers me.
this is not about good and evil - this is about desperation and the cycle
of violence, and a twisted, warped individual who is intentionally using
one to drive the other. i don't think that anyone who masterminded this
terrorist attack believed it would permanently cripple the usa, but i think
they wanted to send a message and disrupt our complacency/security. force
us to identify with them in some degree. i think that taking bin laden
prisoner would be an incredibly skillful move, probably impossible, but -
he is an inspiring figurehead to them, and killing him would incite them to
further violence. i think he is a root of violence and he instills
violence in others - we definitely need to keep him from doing that
anymore, and i think that seeing their figurehead helpless in the hands of
the enemy would do more to take the wind out of their sails than cruise
missiles. if we could take a year, carefully garner intelligence and
resources, and end up capturing him alive - i think that would be such a coup.
i think that most people who are feeling insecure need community to regain
security. unity and community are built around a leader, in my experience,
and that must necessarily be the president, in my country. who else? i
think the president realizes that, and is doing his best. i think the level
of the president's approval ratings indicate how deep our instinctive need
for unity and security is at this time. anyone who tries to meddle with
that feeling of unity/security is... not going to be appreciated. no matter
how valid their individual points might be. the more directly threatened
someone felt by the attacks, the deeper they will resent someone
questioning our show of unity, our leader, our government... such criticism
is very much salt in our collective wounds. rub gently, my friends....
one of the best ways to build community is to reach out - to offer
condolence and help. when i saw and heard large groups of people in other
countries singing our national songs and mourning with us - a lump came to
my throat, and i suddenly felt a lot better. don't feel like we want to
"use" your countries as an arm of our war machine. we need help to do this
difficult job right. please give it willingly.
the analogy in my mind is that Afghanistan is like a filthy, crippled,
homeless person who has shot me in the arm with a gun. i must do whatever
it takes to take the gun away before he shoots me again, even while i'm
sorry to be hurting someone who has already been hurt so much. telling me
its my fault he is homeless and i support an economy that helped create the
gun is not helpful at all.
an analogy never proves anything - it only clarifies communication. so
please don't argue with my analogy.
enough melodramatic rambling - i gotta get back to work.
peace lovies,
brian
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