From: Charles L <programdir@radiorawdeen.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 9, 2010 at 5:38 AM
Subject: [bangla-vision] Why I am Not an Anti-Terrorism "First Responder"
To: bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com
Why I am Not an Anti-Terrorism "First Responder"
by Jamaaluddin Al-Haidar
I am becoming more and more sick of these Interfaith types (both Muslim and non-Muslim), the Neo-con fascists on the "right" and the patronizing liberals on the "left", who are demanding that Muslims step up to a microphone and podium as first responders to every act of terror that is reportedly attributed to a person alledging to be a Muslim.
The problem with Interfaith types who call on Muslims to respond to every so-called act of terrorism is that they are either naive or choose to ignore the fact that terrorism doesn't manifest itself in hyperspace. It doesn't just appear without any provocation (justified or unjustified). Merely condemning the act of terror without addressing the conditions of frustration, despair, occupation and socio-political and economic injustice does absolutely nothing to stop terrorism. What it does do is embolden bully nations and legitimizes the demon-ization of otherwise peace-loving people who want the same life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that Americans enjoy but unfortunately have run out of what they consider viable options for obtaining it. 
It reminds me of a story. Two boys were walking along a river bank when they heard what they discovered were babies crying. The babies were floating in the flowing river. One boy eagerly jumped in to save the life of the babies. But as he got several babies safely to shore, more babies appeared in the river...so many that he could not save them all. He yelled out to his friend "please jump in! help me save these babies!" His friend refused. The boy yelled again. "Don't you have a heart? Why won't you jump in and help me save these babies?" His friend finally replied: "I'm going to head upstream and find out who is throwing babies in the river."
If we allow ourselves to become maneuvered and pigeon-holed into the position of first-responders and apologists, the one who is the source of such despair, such frustration.....the purveyor of socio-economic and political injustice that foments the conditions that breed acts of wanton violence or terror will remain hidden and free to continue throwing babies in the river.
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/
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