Reflections on Global Terrorism | Causes, Not Just Cases®
Pope Francis perhaps put it best: “This is not human.”
Whenever ruthless acts of terrorism occur like those that rocked the world last week in Paris and Beirut, as civilized persons, we mourn for those injured and murdered and for all those who lost loved ones. The downing of the Russian Metrojet Flight A321 in Egypt on October 31, 2015, now also confirmed to be an act of international terrorism, harkens us back to the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Anyone who has ever experienced a terrorist attack, upon hearing of new attacks, is shaken to the core. For our clients, these attacks bring back tremendous pain and memories of living through or have a loved one murdered on September 11, 2001, or in suicide bombings, like those carried out by HAMAS and Hezbollah in Israel, by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka or the IRA using Libyan Semtex in the U.K. The list of victims of international terrorism is sadly too long to include here. Whether the attack was a day ago or decades ago, unfortunately, we’ve learned that for many people the haunting memories, smells, feelings, sights, are indelibly edged, forever painful and life altering.
We pray for their healing, for justice for what they have endured, and for a day where the world can live in peace. Courage, love and unity are stronger than hate, and we must not lose sight of the fact that justice and truth will ultimately prevail in the face of evil. We must stand up against hatred and violence, and call upon the rule of law, now more than ever.
It is time to put aside political differences (and political correctness), and to stand in unity against this threat. Islamofascism is just fascism dressed up as religion. It is an illegitimate perversion of faith.
The rule of law is a tangible reminder to civilized nations everywhere of what it means to be civilized. Freedom from terrorism, torture and tyranny are basic human rights, and the rule of law needs to be valued, strengthened, and utilized as the important tool it can be, in combating global acts of terrorism.