Layers of pain await this nation. Racism and hatred act as such invitations that many of these families often do not want to receive because of the scars they reopen. The path of least resistance, hate, will act as that scab that cannot heal.
Rather than focusing our attention on revenge and retribution, we must turn the rage inward and ask ourselves why anyone would have done this. Let us clarify: excusing these atrocities is not an option; not one of the innocent civilians who perished in the tragedies deserved what happened to them. These thoughts fail to respect the delicate processes of mourning.
Nevertheless, we have the opportunity to break the cycle of violence that has plagued the world in recent decades of terrorist acts. In this way, by reflecting on our darker history, we have the chance to reach out in new frameworks and end the cycle. Mounted violence simply begets further destruction and plays into their hands. We will be no better than those who would harm us if all we seek is blood. The old adage is horrifically pertinent: an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. This may be the first time in history, given the global scale of perceivable counter action that this may truly come to fruition. Even if a full scale attack seeks and destroys each cell from bin Laden’s terror group, there will always be another terror, there will always be someone who believes in his hate. Yes, we are vulnerable. It is precisely because of this vulnerability that we must set precedent to deter cyclical destruction.
The challenge then is in the solution. Where we find that depends on our willingness to seek true justice of compassion and reconciliation rather than power and vengeance. It is hard to look into Jesus’ eyes right now when He tells us to love our enemies. It takes a great character indeed; one that the United States has on balance earned and can again prove. How momentous is our decision, how grave the power we possess.
We acknowledge the fact that in this world, calculated violence may be a necessary response. The sobering fact of this essay is that there is no solution that deters future terrorism absolutely. But we must at least try to break the cycle. We know the consequences of bombing innocent civilians. The only conclusion is that much reflection lies ahead. Let us hope that thinking is clear; let us find inner strength to minimize the deaths, which are surely to come out of this.
There are questions that no one is asking because it grates against the national conscious. Likewise, this question aggravates the families of murder victims. Do the people who lost their lives want more death to answer their own? Is more death going to be intrinsically good, or is it an instrument to rest our suddenly fragile fabric of American national security? What, then, would they want? Will more death heal our nation?
Matt Crosby, senior, political science and Neela Rajendra, junior, political science