Striking at the Root
Originally published on 9/30/2001 as a letter to the editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press
The pacifistic objector who wrote asking if people are willing to die for this cause, stemming from our collective fear and anger misses the core of the issue in the fight against terrorism. People are already dying. Americans have been dying for more than eight years at the hands of Osama bin Laden and his network. Proponents of terror are waging an escalating war. Those who would call for pacifism must ask themselves if they are willing to passively die in the next attack.
Henry David Thoreau wrote, "For every thousand people whacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root." Since the first World Trade Center attack in 1993 we have whacked at the leaves of terror. Terrorists, and the countries that harbor them, threaten the stability of civilization. All we have to do is look to the punitive regimes of Sudan and Afghanistan--countries that have harbored bin Laden--to see what kind of world that terrorists envision. In that world, people who disagree with those in power are imprisoned, tortured, sold into slavery, and killed.
We have a choice to make. We can stand united in courage or divided in fear. We must use every means at our disposal to uproot terrorism at the source.
Chad Gibson
Centerville
The pacifistic objector who wrote asking if people are willing to die for this cause, stemming from our collective fear and anger misses the core of the issue in the fight against terrorism. People are already dying. Americans have been dying for more than eight years at the hands of Osama bin Laden and his network. Proponents of terror are waging an escalating war. Those who would call for pacifism must ask themselves if they are willing to passively die in the next attack.
Henry David Thoreau wrote, "For every thousand people whacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root." Since the first World Trade Center attack in 1993 we have whacked at the leaves of terror. Terrorists, and the countries that harbor them, threaten the stability of civilization. All we have to do is look to the punitive regimes of Sudan and Afghanistan--countries that have harbored bin Laden--to see what kind of world that terrorists envision. In that world, people who disagree with those in power are imprisoned, tortured, sold into slavery, and killed.
We have a choice to make. We can stand united in courage or divided in fear. We must use every means at our disposal to uproot terrorism at the source.
Chad Gibson
Centerville
posted by Chad Gibson | 6:36 AM
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