Fearless
Nation
By: Alon Stivi
Most
people are now familiar with overt forms of terrorism
and its repercussions for our day-to-day lives. Kidnapping,
hijacking, homicidal bombing, assassinations and international
monetary crimes are common themes in everyday news.
Yet, not enough of us are aware of the more subtle,
covert and complex aspects of terrorism and its growing
intellectual and economical influence in our lives.
The
terrorists' end-game is to so frighten us that we
not only cower in fear, but are converted –
that is, our fear produces a change in our attitudes
and beliefs regarding the terrorists and their cause.
Terror masterminds know that most people are risk
averse and would choose the path of least resistance
to avoid adversity at any cost, even if that means
appeasing those who engender the risk.
The
process of appeasement, whether overt or secret, occurs
over time and follows a predictable pattern. When
people are so intimidated and so fearful of being
victims, their fear is transformed into an unconsciously
surrender. Their acquiescence is accompanied by attempts
to “understanding” the conflict from the
terrorist point of view. As Westerners, we apply Judeo-Christian
values in our attempt to accommodate the current conflict
into our perception of reality. Accordingly, in order
to feel justified in fighting those who wrong us,
we impose scrutiny on ourselves, such as; “Perhaps
we brought the violence upon ourselves by our past
actions? Don't they have legitimate grievances against
us? Did our leaders mislead us to wage war for selfish
purposes? Maybe it’s our fault? Maybe we're
the real terrorists?" This approach ultimately
fosters sympathy for the terrorists and can evolve
into overt support for their cause (as is already
happening in Europe).
Additionally,
as Americans, we also believe in establishing a “high
moral ground” to “justify” any aggressive
action that we might take. We feel compelled to exhaust
all other options before we resort to the use of force.
Diplomatic negotiation, dialog with terrorist-supporting
nation states has become acceptable options for decreasing
risk of terrorist attacks. As a result, the mantra
of “peace and reconciliation through dialog”
has caught hold on increasing sectors of Western societies.
These
outgrowths of political correctness are being exploited
by the terrorists and their supporters alike. They
know that in order to win they must make us weak from
within. To do so they strive to create doubt and mistrust
among and they manipulated the media for that purpose.
We are made to feel guilty about our choice to fight
and to feel solely responsible for the inevitable
consequences that go with any war. We are accused
of being, evil, imperialistic, racist, unjust and
too aggressive. Their propaganda is intended to persuade
us that we are wrong which in turn makes us second
guess and distrust our political leadership.
Appeasement
always encourages violence. If you cower before a
bully in an attempt to placate him, all you accomplish
is to make him more confident, more demanding, more
contemptuous of you – in other words, your weakness
literally transforms him into an even bigger and more
dangerous bully. Islamic militants regard goodwill
gestures and concessions as nothing more than contemptible
weakness and an irresistible invitation to take advantage.
To
forgive, forget, and accept are noble notions for
citizens of any nation. Yet, tolerance and multiculturalism
should not be confused with the acceptance of radical
ideology and appeasement of uncivilized hate mongers.
We
need to keep in mind that fighting a war against terror
is not a popularity contest. It is a fight for survival.
Global jihad can succeed only if we lose the battle
for our own hearts and minds.
Determining
Our Future – What To Do
This
country was built on actions not words. For a long
time many of us have pondered how we, as individuals
and as a society, could make a difference in this
fight against terror and bring about more peace in
the world. Here are a few recommendations:
