IMPRESSIONS
War is necessary for justice
Lucas Blackwood
Pittsburgh Standard
On
September 11, 2001 we were delivered an ultimatum that we cannot ignore. This
nightmare has haunted us, and the world since the era of Reagan. Now it is no
longer just an issue of political theology, it is no longer the conflict of
ideologies and our inability to accept each other’s beliefs. It has come to be a
volatile situation where a group of individuals deliberately struck out in
violence, to strike terror in the hearts of individuals, and kill innocent
people. Innocent blood has been spilt in the name of a cause, much like the
“Holy Crusades.”
I have heard the debates
about going to war with Afghanistan and why we should and why we should not go
to war. Some of arguments have been that we do not know really with whom we are
fighting, two wrongs will not make a right, we will be no better than them, and
we will be killing innocent people.
Reality check here, war is
not pretty and while Afghanistan was not responsible for the acts of terror,
they are harboring those who are responsible and will continue to wage their war
across the world. These terrorists bombed the Twin Towers and the pentagon. They
should be held accountable and be brought to justice.
As
to my position for going to war, we have been dealing with the problem of we
must go to war, but this is not only our war, it is the world’s because
terrorism is the world’s problem. It is not exclusive to one nation or one
people. It is a general vermin that comes to haunt every nation and every
people. We as a people, as a people of world, not just the U.S., but France,
England and every groups of people.
America has played the “World police” long enough. It is time other nations in
solid resolution come together, and exterminate such groups as Osama Bin Ladan,
and his followers. America will be on the forefront of this struggle, but
nations of the world should have zero tolerance for such organizations of
individuals who seek the use of terrorist tactics. But if we, America do not
act, these attacks shall continue, and progress further. In the American
Revolution, we set the model for France, and other nations who longed and fought
for their independence. Here in this hour we have to set the example once more,
but we have encourage our fellow nations not to look to us, rather we must
encourage them to join us.
We must act, because they
have given us no other choice. I am sure that there are always two sides to a
coin, and our government surely is not innocent of violations. I do think we
have brought this on ourselves, because we have allowed ourselves to become the
“World police,” yet until now we have not truly acted or taken a stand on the
issue of terrorism. Still, the attack of September 11th was a deliberate act of war. In politics, foreign affairs and
matters of diplomacy issues can become rather cumbersome and untidy, to say the
least.
However, I must stress the point although I am not
educated in all the dealings that our government has had in the past, I know the
bombing of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon to be an act of an aggressor who
seeks to destroy us, and our way of life. The recent reports of Anthrax being
used as a biological weapon supports our need to act and to act swiftly, for if
we do not act now … then when?
I do not endorse an act of war, out of rage, or hatred
or discrimination, rather it is out of the need to act, to inhibit, to prevent
any other terroristic attacks that may be attempted. My hope is that such
terroristic states, whether they come to abide within the statehood of a country
or nation, or if they would be a collective of individuals and organization that
has no affiliation other than each other, they should be terminated with extreme
prejudice, and by whatever means necessary. The world has had its share of
terrorism, and I think it is time that we purge this disease from our world. Let
everyone in every nation know that we, as a people of this world, will not
tolerate such actions.
I have also heard that we should just make the Middle
East into a parking lot. I do not agree with that consensus either. I have
heard people enraged about the attack and I do not blame them. But, when I hear
people looking for vengeance rather than justice as they look to kill those they
call with the slur towel heads then that is wrong and Un-American.
We as a nation and as a people have been wronged, and
swift justice is called for, however that does not give us the right to hate
people simply because of the belief system that they follow or because of their
race. In World War II, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, we forced Japanese
people into holding facilities that can be equated to concentration camps. We
must learn from out past, and remember not to repeat that history.
In all that is happening, we cannot forget what makes
America America. It is our freedom that we must stand up for; to be who we want
to be, to pursue our lives’ desires, to enjoy our God given right, and according
to the Declaration of Independence, to have “life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.”
Editors note: This article originally appeared in the
November print edition of the Pittsburgh Standard
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