What is Terrorism?--Kamran

For many of us, the first images that pop up in our minds when the word ‘terrorism’ is mentioned is that of a Muslim Middle eastern man with a beard or Muslim woman covering from head to toe. To makes thing clear, a group like ISIS does not represent Islam or Muslims. And as a Muslim, I will never defend their actions because Islam teaches us to stand up against injustice and oppression. But if we take a critical look at history, ISIS are certainly not the first terrorists to pop up on the world scene. And since we are on the topic of terrorism, lets define what Terrorism is. By definition Terrorism is violence, fear, or intimidation placed upon a group of people or nation in order to achieve a political, religious, or a social goal. Understanding this, let us apply this definition to events in history. Terrorism is the entrance of the ivory skinned men into Africa claiming they were coming to bring God and ‘tame’ the so called ‘savages’ when they actually came with rape, plunder, and with the intentions to take all the resources Africa had. Terrorism is enslaving over 12.5 million Africans, taking them from positions of royalty and power to positions lower than that of the white man’s cattle. Separating families, putting chains on their bodies, and forcing them to enter boats filled with smallpox and starvation. Terrorism is mentally breaking the African slaves, so that they could pick on the white man’s plantation without any protest. Taking away their identities, and giving them the slave master’s white european names, like ‘James’ and ‘Smith’. Terrorism is turning lynching into a national sport, white communities gathering so they can can laugh and feel proud about their actions. Leaving innocent blacks hung up, beaten and charred like a strange dangling fruit. Terrorism is systematically killing black leadership like Fred Hampton and Malcolm X, who were just preaching to their people to have love for themselves. And terrorism is police violence particularly against black communities. Terrorism is the 1948 Palestinian exodus in which over 700,000 were forced from their homes, to make room for ‘settlers’. Forcing thousands of Palestinian to roam in the desert like Pharaoh did to Moses. Terrorism is Israel dropping white phosphorous on the Gaza strip, burning alive men, women, and children. Terrorism is Israel is dropping bombs on schools and hospitals, because they are filled with ‘terrorists’ and they were ‘defending themselves’. Terrorism is western involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, killing thousands of people and taking natural resources in the name of democracy and liberation. Malcolm X once said: “ The media is the most powerful entity on Earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses”. It is important that we as human beings and intellectual individuals do not let our biases decide what is and isn’t terrorism. It is not fair label one group of people as terrorists, but then try to give excuses to try to justify terrorist actions by the so called ‘good guys’. Next time you see an action of violence done, analyze the situation, and judge it with your humanity; not your prejudice. Sources: "Life on Board Slave Ships International Slavery Museum, Liverpool Museums." L ife on Board Slave Ships International Slavery Museum, Liverpool Museums . N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016. Morris, Benny, and Mark Tessler. "The Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe of 1948." Lost Islamic History . N.p., 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2016. "ORB Survey of Iraq War Casulties." W ikipedia . Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.