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I have been called to write my thoughts on this issue as I have been seeing some articles around the internet by some people who have different opinions on the recent incident of the Boston bombing. While some of us feel bad for the horrible act of terrorism in Boston, regardless of what race the victims belong to, some others feel that the world is not considering the death of hundreds of others in other parts of the world as severely as the three victims who died in Boston bombing especially in the Muslim world and this fact has caused an uproar in the society.
Who to blame for? What stand should society take when it comes to terrorism?
While I was organizing my thoughts to write on this entry, I have got a G+ notification from +Shanique Roca in the morning for a post in G+ that closely relates to my discussion that I felt so motivated to write on it.
While I was organizing my thoughts to write on this entry, I have got a G+ notification from +Shanique Roca in the morning for a post in G+ that closely relates to my discussion that I felt so motivated to write on it.
When I browsed through the post, I never felt like reading any comment as I know it has somehow turned into a racial issue and the comments for the thread kept coming for people choose to talk for their own people. Much to my dismay, I feel the community in Google+ has failed to identify the MESSAGE that the picture in the post was trying to convey. I felt the Syrian community while trying to say that they too encounter a similar situation, is also extending their condolences for Boston. I'm still figuring out what went wrong until the post has caused an uproar among the G+ community itself.
1) 3 Vs. 300 or even 3000
It is saddening that terrorism is not getting even media coverage worldwide. The world of media and news are more focused on issues pertaining developed countries like the States and this has caused uneasiness among people from Third World Country on the fact that their voices aren't heard off as much as people in Boston or just anywhere else in the world where news about their country reaches the entire world within a couple of hours. I feel this is the root cause of all ill thoughts bedeviling all societies. I feel the amount of death shouldn't be the sole measure of how worthy life is. People fail to realize that even when Boston gets the attention of media, someone somewhere else in the same country is being discriminated against, is being killed just like the way the Syrians are getting killed and it's NOT in the cover of any newspaper. While some issues come to the limelight, some still remain undiscovered. Syria is one of the examples, but there are so many countries sharing the same fate such as Sri Lanka on the issue of brutal mass murder of Indians in Sri Lanka.
2) Prejudices
It is WRONG to judge every single Muslim you see on the road as a terrorist just because you have heard some of them have taken part in terrorism before. It is also wrong to judge that ALL Americans harbour resentment towards the Muslims and they do bad to the Muslims. I love reading stories from the Middle East and I feel the difficulties living life there and some stories of bold women inspire me a lot. The latest book I read on Middle East is the Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. It is a real-life story portraying an American's effort in building schools for girls in Pakistan in return for the favour the mountain villagers have done for him during his expedition to climb K4. This is an ongoing humanitarian work that received its resources from Americans. Greg was strongly opposed by some fellow countrymen and claimed his work as an act of betrayal to the country when 7/11 incident occurred. While some others applaud his effort and acknowledged the fact that only love can drive hatred away. So while humanitarian works are still being done by part of the Western countries to the ones on the other side of the world, it is not justified to judge a race based on an event alone.
Maybe someday the world would come the realization that harbouring anger and revenge will not provide eternal solutions to terrorism. Boston and Syria, you are in our prayers!
What do you think about this post? I welcome your thoughts and views!
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I understand your point completely. Unfortunately, it is human nature to suffer most what is close to home. I agree there should be more of a world wide empathy movement, because situations like this occur on a daily basis in other countries, and a human life is a human life.
ReplyDeleteVasti Q-Vega,
DeleteThank you very much for dropping by! I want to talk about justice. It doesn't mean that if the media coverage is extremely wide for Boston accident, people should take this opportunity to compare the value of 3 lives vs 300 or even 3000 lives. It is completely wrong to not feel sympathised over what's happening just because we harbour grudge against certain people of the world!
Jasveena, people in America value life everywhere. That's why so often America sends their troops to foreign countries to try and protect the innocent people who live there. But Americans can only do so much and war will always snuff lives unjustly. The sad thing is some people in other countries don't seem to value life as much. If they did, there would not be so much killing in their countries. American will protect their own, pray for their own and speak out against injustices because we value life. We hope that someday the same will be true in other countries.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Dianne for giving your valuable feedback here. I believe people should not look at which race is dying when it comes to war and I wish they look at the fact that American's do help people of other races and I will talk on this soon. Stay tuned
DeleteI'm looking forward to what you have to say. Life is precious. Men, women and children are all precious. Everyone needs to realize that. Perhaps someday they will.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much and I'm working on it now. Will notify you when it's done :)
DeleteAfter I saw the picture I commented on it and immediately I started recieving notifications that others were commenting. From previous comments I realized that everyone had gone beyond the issue itself and were in fact busy attacking each other's religion, race and personal beliefs and I wanted no part of that. Its sad that with greater strides in technology and easier access to others instead of their being a fairer playground for people to come together, there is instead more judgement and hatred. We sit behind the protection of our computer screens and we spread hatred and racisms and all manner of things generally frowned upon, comforting ourselves that we are far removed from it all.
DeleteWe are all aware of the value of a life but it is only when the violence hits close to home that we really become angry. I, for one, am guilty of this. Before I never took any interest in world affairs. Honestly, I still don't kniw what is going on in the Middle East but believe that is going to change.
Americans tend to comfort themselves that they are not the ones killing ppl in Middle East. But the person who knows about it and does nothing is just as guilty as the perpetrator. That makes all of us guilty because we can all do more.
We all need to step out of our comfort zones. Put ourselves in someone else's shoe for a day. We just might realize that the shoe is too tight for that person but they have no choice but to wear it.
Let go of your preconceived notions of people. Get to know a Muslim an American someone from the Middle East and see how similar we all are.
The world has a lot to learn about working together for the greater good and the greatest good is to do the best we can to preserve all life.
Its after 3 and I should be sleeping caz my alarm goes off in an hour and a half. If none of this makes sense blame it on lack of sleep.
Btw wonderful job on tackling issues that everyone shies from. Keep up the good - no GREAT- job!
Shanique, I just love the way you sum it all into beautiful and organised trail of thoughts and hats off on that!!! We are all living in ignorance, that's undeniably true. While we are all busy portraying an image of a saint, preaching on value of lives, we in real life do not do much to help solve the issues, not even a small effort. It happens everywhere and all we know is to take this one step closer to racial discrimination. I applaud your thoughts on this issue and I'm glad I could make some sort of engagement with you, my reader on what I intended to convey and NO, you make perfect sense despite the fact you are sleepy. BEst wishes!
Delete