The World We Live In

Terrorist. 

That’s the buzzword now, though the word’s origin can be traced back much further than our current vernacular. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s French. Because of course it is. The same people who gave us the guillotine also gave us a word for people who would use it in pursuit of democracy.  

Ironic, isn’t it? You don’t share my beliefs, so off with your head! That’ll sway ’em.

But, these days, it seems like I can’t turn on the news anymore without hearing about someone somewhere in terror. Just last night, an Ariana Grande concert was attacked by someone with a bomb. Someone who wanted to inflict terror. A terrorist. 

But, the funny thing is, a terrorist wouldn’t be a terrorist without the people he or she or it is working so tirelessly to terrorize. If there were no people easily terrorized, a terrorist would have no power. His or her or its mission would be moot. They would, quite literally, have nothing left but to preach to the converted. 

But, what are we supposed to do other than be terrorized?

If a bomb goes off in the middle of a crowded concert with parents and children around to hear it, does it make a sound? You bet your ass it does. A loud one. 

When children are involved, the level of terror rises. But, so does the level of anger.

Why is this happening? Who could possibly want to hurt innocent people? What could we have done differently? Who’s to blame?

We ask ourselves these questions whenever tragedy strikes, but which do we give the most attention to? Which clogs up our airwaves? It’s not the one that might give us a fighting chance to end the violence. 

It’s the one that tries to find a person to pin it on — a patsy, if you will. And I’m not talking about terrorist groups that take responsibility for the action. I’m talking about the political nonsense people use to blame the terror on the opposition. Conservatives are quick to blame liberals for being too soft. Liberals are quick to blame conservatives for acting too rashly or not thinking before speaking. But, in this blame game, who actually wins?

I don’t know the answer to that question, but I surely know who loses. We do. The people do. When two sides are blaming each other for a tragedy that may or may not be their fault, we lose time. We lose patience. We lose information. Because while you’re busy trying to figure out where to point the finger, terrorists are busy cutting them off of people you’re supposed to be looking out for. 

It’s heartbreaking to turn on the news and see yet another city struck by terrorism. It sucks to feel powerless to do anything about it.

This is not the world I want to live in. What about you?