SEVEN7 Part 5: A Youthful Perspective

Today's post ends the series on SEVEN7 in five parts examining the issue of Terrorism in the aftermath of the London bombings on July 7, 2005 which to date has accounted for at least 54 lives. Desiderata has invited a GUEST BLOGGER SABRINA TAN to give her youthful perspective on a issue that is unlikely to go away for a long, long time yet, unless and until the major parties at play come up with some sense, sensibility and ingenuity to overcome what must surely rank as the new millennium's foremost challenge, and perhaps transforming into the life-threatening scourge that may spell the doom of the human race. Sabirna is a final year dentistry student, and informs me she stayed up till the wee hours of the morning in chilling cold, and extreme exhaustion from one busy week with new semester just started, to meet my demanding deadline. (Am I trying to make a journalist our of a dentist here?)

War on terror -- worth it?

by SABRINA TAN


I read with disappointment and sadness when I hear about the London bombings.
First it was 911 and then Spain and now London.

Have we had enough? But to me the key question is, is it worth it?

Are we using ‘an eye for an eye’ to get our messages across?
Is violence the only solution?

What outraged me was that these groups of people acted as if they had the right to be God. I for one do not agree that any form of judgement or punishment should be carried out by humans on such a large and fatal scale. We have no right to take away someone’s life and to determine someone’s fate arbitrarily.

I am not here to preach about religion, but I believe that there is a higher power above and only He will decide what is right and what is wrong. He will decide the appropriate punishment towards the deserving people.

Which leads me to my next set of questions -- Is there a sense of arrogance in the air?

I tend to question the actions of these people ... be it the people who fight against terrorism using war tactics, or the people who execute terrorism using violence as arrogance. Yes, we aim to fight against the evil, but at the expense of the poor and innocent?

Why don’t the leaders themselves fight against them instead of poor lost souls who truly believed in fighting for their country?
What about the family around these lost lives? Can they move on?

This leads me to think that people nowadays are arrogant, which sometimes yours truly here might have a bit of fault at that. We sometimes decide what we think is right for others, yet the decisions that we made for these people aren’t the best according to their needs and circumstances. From the friend, to the family, to the teacher and even to the government... we often think that we are right and we have to do THIS for him/her. If not a disastrous result will occur.

However, the question comes back to, is it truly the best route?
We all vow to fight against terrorism, but do we question why is it that it is more prominent and more threatening at this day and age? Why was it more controllable few decades ago?
Is it really their fault or have we done something to stir up the pot?

I am not trying to take any sides here, but all I know is that sometimes what seems to be wrong might not be wrong and what seems to be right might not be right after all.

Things could and can be dealt differently. It wouldn’t need to have resorted to this mess if we have started off at the right footage.

Where do we go from here?
Are we able to clean up this mess or are we going to expect more damage?

There is no clear light on the horizon.
Yet we must not let that glimmer of light go out of the end of the tunnel.
It's a long, hard and exhasting journey for all the peoles of the world. A lot of thinking, followed by concerted efforts, motivated by higher, not baser, intentions and motivations, would lead us, hopefully, slowly out of the darkness. I don't have the answers to the many questions I raised myself ... I can continue to pray, with hope in my heart.

Desiderata: Thank you for a thought-provoking piece, YoungSab> I have now accumulated half a dozen teh tarik(s)from Haridas' in abeyance to warm up your bloodstream after staying up the better part of early morn. Thanks again, maybe the thought you have rendered a service to humankind with your reflection would add that glow in they hopeful heart, Terima Kasih again!


PS: Speaking about HOPE, just sighted a Glimmer via this report on page 4, The Star 16 July 2005:

ABdullah glad Blair has same opinion on terror

PUTRAJAYA: Understanding the issues that drive terrorism could be the key to ending this scourge plaguing the world.
"If you know and understand it, there is a better chance of stamping out terrorism ... a better chance of addressing it," said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Abdullah was pleased to note that British Prime Minister Tony Blair shared the same opinion when the latter said there was a need to study the root causes of terrorism.
In the aftermath of the bomb attacks in London, Blair said it was important to address the underlying causes, which he identified as deprivation, lack of democracy and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Abdullah said any form of extremism is abhorred in Islam.
"By using the name of Islam, it has caused problems to Muslims,"he told newsmen after opening a mass media confernce organised by the Internal Security Ministry yesterday.