Terrorism in our world?

With recent events occurring in Boston, one has to wonder whether we are seeing a shift in the very nature of our society.  We are shocked to see such things in our neighborhoods, but as we look around us we see that events like the marathon bombing are much more common place in other countries and areas of the world. Even within our own country, there are regions or cities where violence has become a part of daily life.

In 2011 the National Counter terrorism

Center reports that there were over 10,000 terrorist attacks worldwide.  In those attacks 12,500 people died and 45,000 others became victims to varying degrees.  50% of those affected by terrorism were civilians and in 2011 we saw an increase of 40% in the number of attacks occurring in the western hemisphere. 

Though the statistics are telling, they do not reveal the nature of the effects of a terrorist event.  They do not describe the lives changed, the effects on individuals, friends and extended families. These events change lives forever.  Plans made, and futures anticipated are abruptly halted in an instant.  Some become handicapped for the rest of their lives, others become permanent care givers, while still others are faced with burying loved ones and losing the valued association which they anticipated would go on for many years.  What we are shocked by in our country, is an everyday occurrence in other areas of the world. In some countries, citizens live with the sound of explosions, sirens and gunfire every day.  In areas of our own country homicide and violence is a daily way of life,too.

The deadliest and most common tool in the terrorist’s arsenal is the Improvised Explosive Device (IED).  It is generally made of military grade or other explosives and is built to cause the maximum human damage.  As we saw in the Boston attack, IEDs can be made from simple devices found at home and powered by explosives created from common chemicals found in our communities.  Anyone can make one with plans found on the internet, and everyone has access to the necessary supplies.  As the nature of our societal values continue to decline, we can expect to see more events like this in the future. 

As responsible members of our communities we need to be aware that terrorist events will be planned and perpetrated by those who have not learned to value life and who are stupid enough to think that sending a message in this manner will accomplish something worthwhile. Fortunately, we are not totally defenseless against these idiots, but in order for us to make an impact, we must change how we view our surroundings, and we must be prepared to take action. 

Most of us travel through life wearing Pollyanna’s glasses.  Failing to recognize that we live in an increasingly violent world makes us more prone to the violence we would avoid.  So let me suggest the following:

·         Take off the Pollyanna glasses.  Especially if you are visiting a big city or an area seen as a potential terrorist target.  Start looking at your world as potentially violent and be aware of your surroundings.  Evaluate what you see, and use common sense in your evaluations.  It’s not normal for someone to walk into a place, put down a backpack, package or briefcase and then leave.  Packages aren’t usually delivered to a bathroom stall, under a bar stool or in a public area.  It’s not normal for people to be overly nervous in a crowd, especially if they came into the crowd of their own free will.  Winter coats aren’t usually worn in the summer and bulges under someone’s clothing can be seen if you look and some are not the normal consequence of the insanity workout. 

·         Look at people.  Many of us go through life looking down or past people in public places.  Look into their eyes, at their faces, their clothing and evaluate what you see.  Simply looking at a gremlin can make him disappear, or want to.  Knowing he has been seen and that someone paid attention to him may prompt him to delay his planed scheme or maybe even abandon it altogether.

·         Stop being politically correct. If you see something, say something.  We are too, often worried about what others may think if we say something.  We’re afraid of being called a Gladys Kravitz .  Gladys could have been a hero in Boston, if she would have had her nose in the bomber’s business and pointed his actions out to authorities.  Speak up.  Law Enforcement would rather check something out, to find it can be explained away as innocent behavior, than to respond later, after the fact, to an event like a bombing or other terrorist act.  

Life today is not safe.  It will not be safe in the future and if our society continues down its current path it will likely become much more dangerous.  As our societal values diminish and the number of valueless gremlins multiplies, the danger we live in will similarly increase.  We have three choices; adapt and become more aware and more willing to offend someone by reporting their strange behavior, hide and don’t go out in public, or become victims.  Nothing guarantees our safety.  Simple things can definitely give us an edge.