The Terrorist Threat

I find it hard to say anything really constructive on this subject, but it's something that makes an impact on me and my family. It makes an impact on all of us, whether we realise it or not. It's just such a difficult thing to write about. I am going to try though, because there are things that need to be said and opinions I need to express.

I suppose the real issue is trying to understand the people who commit and intend to commit terrorist acts. I'm a peace-loving man who respects all forms of life, so the idea of purposefully destroying it is abhorrent to me. I can't imagine a cause being so important that innocent lives are expendable in the pursuit of it.

I was shocked by an article on the BBC News web site that I read today. The part that shocked me most was the attitude of the defendants in the case. It seems these men discussed killing and maiming innocent shoppers in the same way one might discuss computer game strategies, and felt completely justified in planning to kill people in a nightclub simply for "dancing around".

What is wrong with these people? They don't go into the nightclub, they don't mix with the people who visit the nightclub, yet they want to kill as many of them as possible. Why? Just for dancing? I'm sorry, but in this country we can do pretty much anything we want, as long as nobody gets hurt. This is what we call freedom. Other countries and/or religions may feel differently, but they have absolutely no right to dictate to us what we do here.

Besides, these men live in the UK. From what I can tell they are British Citizens. They have prospered from being part of our society. They have been accepted and supported by our government, yet they want to destroy it. It's something I cannot begin to understand. Is there no sense of gratitude for the benefits they have received? If they hate our country so much, why are they still here?

I'm sure there are many peaceful, civil Muslims in Britain, but the news reports appear almost daily of Muslims who basically want to kill anyone who doesn't follow Islam. It seems they are a pretty big group, even if they are a minority. It's hard to stop yourself from branding all Muslims as terrorists when that's all you see.