Terrorism

IN A recent terror attack in Mumbai, a fellow Singaporean was killed. It was the first casualty of terror Singapore suffered. I have to admit that no sentiments were aroused in me for the past 7 years, since the September 11 incident which was my first awareness of terrorism, for the victims of terrorism. But this time, its different.

It might have been a different case if the Yishun Mrt incident had a different outcome, but luckily it didn't and I was lulled into living my life as I was supposed to live, ignoring that threats are real and they could strike anytime.

The also recent escape of a terrorist, Mas Selamat, created an uproar on this small little island. With such a publicity, grander even than when the PM ran for election, no one in Singapore I'm sure will not know that name. However, that incident did not prompt me to create this post. Perhaps, I didn't have this blog then, but I have to reveal that I didn't give a damn about that incident as much as this Mumbai incident.

Maybe it was the pretty 28 year old lawyer, or maybe it was the thought of what her husband will be going through that made me feel like writing my thoughts down.

With countries around the world settling down and getting ready to embrace peace, there has to be a bunch of self-righteous people trying to save the world by killing more people. I'm sure they have reasons for doing things that they do. Everyone does. It is what compelled us to do anything in the first place. We justify ourselves that what we do is right and we do it knowing the consequences. They must have strongly believed that what they were doing were the absolutely necessary things that needs to be done in order to sleep well and save the world.

We could have gone into the psychology that drive teens into joining gangs to illustrate an example, but you know what I mean. Nobody can go around continuously doing things that the world hated if they do not think that they are absolutely right!

In a war, both sides are justified that they are right. Soldiers on both sides fought for their righteousness in most cases. In extreme cases where the ruler is ruling with an iron fist and whipped the soldiers to fight for him, the outcome is without doubt, the downfall of that tyrant.

To have people going on suicide missions now and then is no mean feat of fear alone. These people must have believed something that has eluded the rest of the world. Nothing could compel anyone to commit those atrocities unless they themselves believed strongly in it.

Let's just assume that killing people, destroying buildings, creating chaos and striking fear is the by-product of the greater good these people believed in. They are doing greatness for the world. The greater good in the name of their god. But the strange truth is, why has that greater good eluded the rest of the world? If they have such strong compilation to commit such atrocities, they must have a good cause and surely, some countries will justify and commit itself to that noble cause.

Maybe there are countries that are doing just that but are putting a false front as enemies of terrorism in fear of being condemned. We do not know and we could not point fingers.

But hey, everybody is entitled to their opinions and the right to believe in what is right.

If we feel that the way of thinking is wrong and harmful, we could take either of the 3 actions: Uproot that thinking(killing all who possess it); Convert the believers(letting them see the ugliness of their faith); Ignore them and hope that they do not implicate you.

Now back to the victims of terrorism. They are dead, so they are no longer concerned with what happens after. Crude, but its the truth. What matters are those that were left behind. They could either actively commit themselves to stamp out those who caused them misery, which could end up making them into terror themselves or they could get themselves killed. Or they could passively hope that someone else will rid the world of those bastards who killed their loved ones and let them savour the taste of revenge.

What would you do if it was your beautiful wife who was killed by men whose reasons you could never grasp? Would you wish that you could suddenly receive super powers so that you could strike hard at those who killed her in order to exact revenge yourself?

I've heard of this statement before, it didn't occur much to me then, but it struck a cord with me today. It was said by a very rich woman. It sounded something like this: "He(Osama) is rich because he wants to do evil; I am rich because I want to stop him."

Those were not the original words but the gist of the statement was what I could remember.

That statement emanated power. The power to choose what you can do. Of course having super powers are much easier, but that notion itself is absurd; you can sit all day long praying for it and it will never come.

The power to influence the world when you have money is immense. For me, I gained another reason to become rich. I do not intend to shape the world. I intend to protect those I want to protect the most. Being vulnerable and at the mercy of others is what I despise and dread the most. I want to be able to make a difference, to actually have the power to offer protection for my love ones.

Fighting terrorism is too great a cause to commit myself into. But protecting people I love from terror is something I bring it unto myself to fulfill. It gives me strength alone to have such empowering thoughts. I will and must become who I want to become in order to live in no regrets.