Mary Ann Ellis
An end for terrorism?
As I sit at my computer tonight, my heart is heavy for the people of Paris, but not just for them. I grieve for all the civilized people of this world. It’s a sad, sad day when a group of friends cannot attend a movie without fearing for their lives, when people cannot let the music of a concert wash away the cares of a work week without a sense of alarm saturating their souls. And how about something so simple as watching a ball game? Must we now fear for our lives at every turn? Are we, the people of the earth, to be terrorized forever and kept away from our chosen activities by a radical and foreign faction that we’ve offended in no way other than by living our lives the way we choose? Is the world as we’ve always known it truly gone?
We’ve seen firsthand that terroristic attacks have not been limited to one country. No one is safe. Terrorists even attack their own countrymen. No one is safe. This problem is one we’ve never had to deal with before; we have no idea how to start. Just this week I spent some hours reading about the horrors of World War II, which was a war like no other mankind has ever seen. It changed the world; more people died, more money was spent, more property was damaged, and more countries were changed permanently. Between September 1939 and September 1945 it is estimated that more than 55 million people perished. Perhaps I’d better change that phrase to no war mankind has ever seen before. Much has changed in the last few days.
I doubt seriously that I’ll be around to see the tallies when the final costs of terroristic attacks are added up. Will it even be finished in my grandchildren’s lifetimes? Probably not, if things continue are they are now. What a world and what a set of problems we’re handing over to the younger generation. Are there people out there smart enough to solve this problem? I have my doubts, but I also have hope. Hope springs eternal, or so I’ve been told.
I was pleased to see that France retaliated almost instantly. They flew 20 airstrikes on Sunday, the 15th of November. We’re hearing news of the airstrikes simultaneously with news of the G20 Summit, where world leaders are pledging to renew their fight against ISIS. And what can we do, the ordinary, everyday citizens of the United States? We really don’t have much power, and it’s hard to fight an enemy as nebulous as ISIS. Terrorists appear in Paris one day, but they’ll be somewhere else tomorrow. Will it be New York? London? Baxley? We’ve no way to forecast their next strike’s location, but we can rest assured that it will come. It’s just a matter of when.
For the complete column pick up your copy of The Baxley News-Banner on newsstands today or CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE.
I doubt seriously that I’ll be around to see the tallies when the final costs of terroristic attacks are added up. Will it even be finished in my grandchildren’s lifetimes? Probably not, if things continue are they are now. What a world and what a set of problems we’re handing over to the younger generation. Are there people out there smart enough to solve this problem? I have my doubts, but I also have hope. Hope springs eternal, or so I’ve been told.
I was pleased to see that France retaliated almost instantly. They flew 20 airstrikes on Sunday, the 15th of November. We’re hearing news of the airstrikes simultaneously with news of the G20 Summit, where world leaders are pledging to renew their fight against ISIS. And what can we do, the ordinary, everyday citizens of the United States? We really don’t have much power, and it’s hard to fight an enemy as nebulous as ISIS. Terrorists appear in Paris one day, but they’ll be somewhere else tomorrow. Will it be New York? London? Baxley? We’ve no way to forecast their next strike’s location, but we can rest assured that it will come. It’s just a matter of when.
For the complete column pick up your copy of The Baxley News-Banner on newsstands today or CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE.
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks