What is it all for?

            With all these terror attacks this past week, it got me to thinking – what is actually the benefit of such attacks? Who stands to gain? What is the point of it all?

            In terror attacks, almost nothing can be achieved. Are you trying to prove a point? Okay, you got the attention of the world, but you don’t seem to have anything to say. If you did, we’re not exactly receptive after so many people have died. Are you trying to kill people who don’t believe the same as you? Hardly. In a world of billions, won’t make a difference to your war.

            The truth is, there are only two ways to benefit from a terror attack. The first (which is not the case with these attacks) is by being a government – if the people are afraid enough, they will object less to the government taking more power to protect them, or of giving up civil liberties. This is also an extremely stupid thing for a government to do because eventually it will be uncovered.

            The second is a manipulative mind-game with the world. By creating fear of a specific religion or culture, people are convinced to exclude, hate, oppress, and even attack people of that religion or culture. This reason is overlooked by most people because it doesn’t make sense for the attackers to turn people against themselves. Or does it?

            I actually missed seeing it at first – and I was specifically trying to figure out what was gained. Then I read an article that made it seem obvious. By encouraging people to oppress their primary pool for recruitment, the terrorist organisation has a better chance to draw people into their cause. After all, it takes two to fight – if the enemy is accepting your refugees, where will you find more soldiers to fight your war?

            Once we realize that, of course, it becomes simple to fight against. We mourn the tragic loss, but we do not allow ourselves to be filled with fear or hate. We pay attention to the truth that just because someone has something in common with a radical extremist, that doesn’t make them one. We stay open and welcoming to those different than ourselves.

            When we have done all that, terrorism will cease to have an effect. Once that become apparent, the attacks will become less common, then fade away. After all, why throw away soldiers on something that doesn’t work?

            But as long as people react with fear and hate, the terror attacks will continue. Because the true brilliance of this form of warfare is that it turns the victims into tools. Act with hate and you have unwittingly joined the terrorist army.

            All it takes is compassion. Welcome in those that the terrorists want you to drive into their arms. Then, and only then, will they truly be defeated.

Click here to find the charity anthology containing a couple of my short stories.

If there's any subject you'd like to see me ramble on about, feel free to leave a comment asking me to do so.

Is Charlie Freedom?

            I have said many times before that I live under a rock – as such, it takes something really big in the news to find its way to me. Such is the case with the Charlie Hebdo attack this past week.

            For those who haven’t heard of it yet, last Wednesday two gunmen attacked the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo (a weekly satirical newspaper in France), killing twelve people and wounding another eleven. The attack led to a global cry to support free speech.

            On the surface, it is a very simple matter. People were silenced for the ideas they expressed and the world has spoken up saying we’ll stand behind Charlie Hebdo and the right to free speech. I thought it was incredible, at first, until I looked into more facts and the matter became far more complicated.

            As I mentioned earlier, Charlie Hebdo is a satirical paper – more than that, it is a far left-wing one, openly poking fun at all religions and politics, sometimes in very vulgar ways. This particular attack was carried out by a pair of Muslims who saw their Prophet being made fun of in the paper.

            Now, does that justify murder? No, of course not – nothing does. Their religion wasn't the only one being made fun of and none of the others took this sort of drastic action. However, I think that this is a good time to stop and think on what freedom of speech actually means.

            I'veblogged before about freedom and how complicated it actually is, and this situation goes to demonstrate that fact. You see, the freedom to say anything you want doesn't mean you should say it. A big part of freedom is responsibility and the biggest responsibility is respecting other peoples’ freedom. The freedom to think, believe, say and do as they will.

            When you take that freedom of speech and start throwing it in people’s faces, you are expressing your freedom by denying others’ theirs. That is what Charlie Hebdo does, at least as far as I can gather. They make jokes about whatever they can and, when people say they get hurt, they claim “free speech!” This same claim is regularly made all over the internet by people who have hurt others. “I have free speech, so you aren't allowed to get mad at me for what I say, even if I am stomping all over everything you believe.”

            I'm confident that the contents of Charlie Hebdo have never been intended to hurt anyone. Quite the opposite – it’s meant to make people laugh! Words are powerful, though. That’s why people try to ban certain books. We’re taught from childhood that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”. It’s a lie. Words hurt – we just tell ourselves that they don’t to try and make them hurt less.

            Humour is all well and good, but why must it come at the expense of others? It’s important to be able to laugh at yourself, but not everyone has been able to acquire that skill. All some people can see are others laughing at them and what they care about. Of course they’re going to retaliate.

            Following the attack, a huge campaign has started: “Je Suis Charlie”, or “I Am Charlie” - the support of free speech. On one level, I completely support it because freedom is so important. At the same time, I cannot condone the content of Charlie Hebdo which, while intended to be funny, can also be inflammatory and insulting – taking freedom of speech to the extreme that spits in the face of others’ freedom.

            Now, there is a simple solution to this sort of conundrum: simply don’t read things that offend you. Is it Charlie Hebdo’s fault that the attackers read their paper? No. That doesn't stop people though – it seems to be in human nature to poke at wounds; to seek out that which causes us pain. We’re drawn like bugs to lamps, with this dread fascination, toward things we know we should keep away from.

            In the end, it doesn't really matter, though, does it? The cards have been played and there are only two possible outcomes: we raise our voices in support of Charlie Hebdo or we are seen to be bowing to the wishes of the attackers – a success for them that will spread the word worldwide that violence can end free speech and more attacks will quickly follow until everyone is afraid to say anything. It’s ironic, really, that this attack has led to the exact opposite of what the attackers intended – partially because we've been left with no other options. We have to stand behind Charlie, or witness the death of freedom.

            So, I guess I don’t have a choice. I am Charlie. I have to be, or I encourage more tragedies.

            I wish that this situation could have been resolved without anyone being hurt or killed. I wish that Charlie Hebdo hadn't become the face of freedom. I wish there was more humour in the world that didn't rely hurting people.

            I wish I lived in a world where I didn't have to support something I don't believe in to support something I do believe in.

Click here to find the charity anthology containing a couple of my short stories.

If there's any subject you'd like to see me ramble on about, feel free to leave a comment asking me to do so.