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Op Ed

Margaret I. Carr

Has the balance shifted in the real war? Not the wars with guns and planes and tanks, but the war in which we are all combatants determining the future.

Reading, watching, listening, remembering and thinking about what I've learned I have come to some conclusions about the terrorists' objectives. It seems as though most of them are convinced that they know the 'right way' and that there is only one right way. From that follows quite logically the need to either convert those who believe and live in a different way or, failing conversion, destroy them.

Logic further identifies the United States as a symbol of those who must be destroyed. Slowly over generations, and often painfully, most of the world has become more tolerant of differences. This is most visible in the U.S. because of the size of the country and the way we openly talk about the failures. It isn't the actual failures in tolerance that frighten the haters. It is the fact that we are trying and keep on trying. This is the threat they must deal with. Having fixed in their minds that we are the enemy, they don't consider all the other countries that are also trying.

So some of them acted and killed thousands and injured tens of thousands. By their logic we should have reacted immediately and returned their hate with interest. Had we done so, had we rushed to dispatch the bombers and missiles against the countries we know have been harbouring them, they would have won.

Logic is a useful tool but when the premises you start with are flawed the conclusion will be faulty.

But they don't understand anyone different. We are supposed to understand them. They don't see any value in two-way understanding.

While we were still in shock the world reacted. With tears, flowers and candles people all over the world told us we were not alone. And the balance shifted.

Before anyone stopped to think about how many of the dead and injured were not from the U.S. they reached out to help us without regard to previous or present disagreements.

But the terrorist mindset is not limited to a few areas. We have them here. They are making threats against those they consider different. They have murdered. They could shift the balance back, and then the terrorists would 'win'. They would win because we lost sight of the real enemies: hatred and intolerance.

The decisions about the battles ahead will be made by those we have elected or accepted as our representatives. But the decisions will be affected by the way we as individuals go about fighting the long term war. If most of us are able to act rationally, our 'leaders' will be more likely to follow us.

I think I am hoping most for some sort of international tribunal to examine all the evidence and try those responsible. It won't be easy. First problem is finding the evidence. Then there is the question of who will judge. Someone said that the victims should not be the judges. We cannot, we should not, rule out everyone who has been affected by terrorism, for then we would have nobody left. Probably the best we can do is find those who are not directly affected by this particular incident.

Then comes the part that may well lead to guns. How do you get the accused into court? I very much doubt they will come on their own. A fair and impartial trial would be the last thing a hater would want.

However it works out, we still come back to the long range war that can only be waged by the individuals. We can seek understanding, not in order to justify or excuse, but in order to prevent additional spreading of mindless hatred. We can preserve our differences and accept those others who do not seek to force their way on everyone. Those very differences will make us richer and stronger.

We can. Will we?