stickmaker | What Would Change? (Reply)

Okay. Let's say, a couple of years from now, the Democrats are in control of the Senate, the House and even the Presidency. So they tell the various terrorist organizations "Okay, the Republicans are gone. You can stop, now." And are baffled and outraged when the terrorists ignore them. Because, you see, while both the Republicans and Democrats are quite capable of offending and enraging people both inside the US and out, it's not our politics the terrorists hate. The differences between political camps in the US which seem so distinct and even extreme to our politicians and political supporters aren't important to them.

What they hate is the very existence of a nation founded on principles of freedom and tolerance. Especially one in which people have a prosperity most terrorists can barely imagine. That prosperity in a nation which does not follow their beliefs challenges their inflexible world view. Because their worldview is inflexible, because they haven't learned any method of discourse or or been taught anything but blind faith, the only way they can defend their worldview is with violence.

So let's hope that whoever is running the country, they realize that fighting terrorism isn't about politics. It's about about resisting fanaticism, of whatever stripe.