Terrorism

I’ve been wanting to write about this for a while but have held off believing I would not bring anything new to the discussion. It feels as though everything that has to be said about it has been said. The reason I’ve decided to finally say something is because I think that I’ve finally accepted that terror is irrelevant. Of course there is loss of life. Of course there is destruction. Of course it creates fear. Or does it?

For the past few decades we have seen hijackings come and go. We have seen planes get blown out of the sky. We’ve seen suicide bombers. We have seen 9/11 and 7/7. More recently we had the Boston Marathon backpackers. And yet, and yet, we prevail. By we I mean all those who have been directly affected, those who were indirectly affected and even those of us thousands of miles away watching on television. We bounce back. We still run marathons, we take planes and we go out to nightclubs despite Bali.

My prediction is that terror is going to be beaten not by war, not by stealthy Seals but by good old irrelevance. Terror is going to ultimately show its face for what it is, inconsequent to greater society.

As I write, I cannot help but wonder what would happen if they up the ante. What would happen if insane insurgents some day plant a nuclear, biological or chemical device in downtown megalopolis? I hate to think this, I really do, but I believe that just as 9/11 did not stop us, neither would this. It would hurt. Thousands, maybe millions would die. This is horrific. It is tragic. But we will not give in. Just as Boston came out Strong, so too will all those of us who believe in a better world; we will overcome.

This said, damn I hope it never happens!