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We live in a world of curious euphemisms. There are things we want to say at times but cannot. So we say them in different ways.
For instance, whenever we Indians say Pakistan, what we really mean is Muslim. When we say Pakistan is behind something, what we actually mean is: These Muslims are behind it. But since it?s still politically incorrect to blame an entire community, and a minority one at that, we blame it on Pakistan. Pakistan , to the average Indian, incorrectly I dare say, represents all that is wrong with Islam. Every time we blame Pakistan, we are actually blaming Muslims.
For we Indians, or at least a very large section among us, are veering around to the belief that a secular India is not a place for Muslims- for Muslims owe allegiance, FIRST and FOREMOST to ISLAM, not to any NATION. While this may not be entirely true, as I know many Muslims who swear by India and secularism just as I know many Arabs who swear by Palestine, not Islam, the truth is also that, worldwide, Muslims appear to be firming up in their belief that their faith is more important than their nationality. That Allah is more important than India or UK or Saudi Arabia. We read about this daily. We watch it on TV.
What we call terrorism today is actually any bloody and ghastly crime that cannot be explained. A terrorist is a person who kills others, in a flamboyant, random manner, for reasons that cannot be explained away by emotions like greed, lust, anger. The terrorist does not kill to inherit property-he inherits the Kingdom of God.
The terrorist does not kill for love or lust-he loves and fears only God and lusts after the vestal virgins waiting for him in heaven. The terrorist, in fact, does not even kill someone he or she hates-the target is always unknown and innocent people, many of them sharing a common faith with the perpetrators of the crime. So why does a terrorist kill?
No one knows. Often not even the terrorist himself. That is why many terrorists psyche or drug themselves out before committing the crime.
Yes, it?s time for anger. True. That?s what I keep saying . But it?s equally important that we do not allow this anger to blunt our intelligence or cloud our judgment. Neither should we allow politicians to endanger our lives any further by allowing showmanship to replace hard-nosed law enforcement. We need to beat back terrorism, not allow our leaders to use this opportunity to score brownie points off each other . Tilting at windmills wins no wars.
What could win the war for us is a concerted, all out effort to fight terrorism which hurts all of us in the end. Including innocent Muslims who get blown up in bomb blasts, just like anyone else. All, alas, in the name of Allah.
For instance, whenever we Indians say Pakistan, what we really mean is Muslim. When we say Pakistan is behind something, what we actually mean is: These Muslims are behind it. But since it?s still politically incorrect to blame an entire community, and a minority one at that, we blame it on Pakistan. Pakistan , to the average Indian, incorrectly I dare say, represents all that is wrong with Islam. Every time we blame Pakistan, we are actually blaming Muslims.
For we Indians, or at least a very large section among us, are veering around to the belief that a secular India is not a place for Muslims- for Muslims owe allegiance, FIRST and FOREMOST to ISLAM, not to any NATION. While this may not be entirely true, as I know many Muslims who swear by India and secularism just as I know many Arabs who swear by Palestine, not Islam, the truth is also that, worldwide, Muslims appear to be firming up in their belief that their faith is more important than their nationality. That Allah is more important than India or UK or Saudi Arabia. We read about this daily. We watch it on TV.
What we call terrorism today is actually any bloody and ghastly crime that cannot be explained. A terrorist is a person who kills others, in a flamboyant, random manner, for reasons that cannot be explained away by emotions like greed, lust, anger. The terrorist does not kill to inherit property-he inherits the Kingdom of God.
The terrorist does not kill for love or lust-he loves and fears only God and lusts after the vestal virgins waiting for him in heaven. The terrorist, in fact, does not even kill someone he or she hates-the target is always unknown and innocent people, many of them sharing a common faith with the perpetrators of the crime. So why does a terrorist kill?
No one knows. Often not even the terrorist himself. That is why many terrorists psyche or drug themselves out before committing the crime.
Yes, it?s time for anger. True. That?s what I keep saying . But it?s equally important that we do not allow this anger to blunt our intelligence or cloud our judgment. Neither should we allow politicians to endanger our lives any further by allowing showmanship to replace hard-nosed law enforcement. We need to beat back terrorism, not allow our leaders to use this opportunity to score brownie points off each other . Tilting at windmills wins no wars.
What could win the war for us is a concerted, all out effort to fight terrorism which hurts all of us in the end. Including innocent Muslims who get blown up in bomb blasts, just like anyone else. All, alas, in the name of Allah.
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