by Bill Thompson
DEARBORN, MI -- Yesterday's horrible events in New York and Washington, DC require all of
us to express collective disbelief at the appalling loss of innocent human
life and to express our heartfelt condolences to the victims, their
families and their friends. Such brutal slaughter must be unconditionally
condemned whenever and wherever it occurs. No cause, no matter how nobly
perceived by its followers, can justify such wanton destruction of innocent
people.
Today, as we inevitably begin the healing process and the search for
answers and solutions, there is much speculation about who the perpetrators
of these acts might be, and what form an appropriate retaliation might
take. This morning's New York Times states that "the best defense against
terrorism is good, timely intelligence", and other media, government and
military officials suggest a wide range of retaliatory options, ranging
from overwhelming military strikes to Draconian suspensions of our most
cherished freedoms and liberties--freedoms and liberties which define the
unique American experience.
In order to understand yesterday's events and to prevent their
reoccurrence, I believe that we need to consider two ideas. First, I think
we must accept the fact that there is not, and can never be, a 100%
foolproof intelligence or military remedy for terrorist acts. I would even
go so far as to say that unless certain basic changes are made in our
political and economic outlook as Americans, such acts will inevitably
reoccur, and they will become increasing deadly. Just as we today look at
the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center as "mild” in comparison to
yesterday's events, I believe that with the increased miniaturization of
nuclear capability and the widespread availability of chemical and
biological toxins, some day we will be faced with events of overwhelmingly
tragic dimensions. Just as there is no way to stop people from committing
murder if they are willing to give up their lives, there can also not be
any way to guarantee our collective safety from individuals or groups who
are willing to sacrifice their lives in a terrorist attack.
The second consideration is ask a question which has been completely absent
in the analysis of yesterday's tragedy--why would a person or group commit
such a heinous act? Why would the United States be chosen, and why would
the particular targets of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon be
picked? Whoever is found to be the perpetrators of yesterday's terrorism,
it is certain that they will be demonized and characterized as somehow
being outside the pale of human understanding. And if we demonize
sufficiently, we might be able to justify our need for revenge, but we will
have missed a crucial opportunity for understanding, and for gaining the
insight and wisdom that are the only tools with which we might avoid future
attacks.
At the risk of sounding like an apologist for a despicable act, I would
like to provide some possibilities for understanding the roots of this tragedy:
1. We Americans, comprising some 4% of the world’s population, consume
approximately 40% of its resources. We appear to assume that the resources
found in other parts of the world are somehow our birthright. Imagine how
this is experienced in third world countries, many of whom have been the
recipient of United States military attacks.
2. We maintain this consumption, in large part, because we have the most
powerful military in the world, and since WW II we have not hesitated to
use it for political and/or economic gain in places like China (1945-46),
Korea (1950-53), China (1950-53), Guatemala (1954), Indonesia (1958), Cuba
(1959-60), Guatemala (1960), Congo (1964), Peru (1965), Laos (1964-73),
Vietnam (1961-73), Cambodia (1969-70), Guatemala (1967-69), Grenada (1983),
Libya (1986), El Salvador (1980s), Nicaragua (1980s), Panama (1989), Iraq
(1991-present), Sudan (1998), Afghanistan (1998) and Yugoslavia (1999). We
have bombed each of these countries in turn, and in NO case did a
democratic government, respectful of human rights, occur as a direct
result. Through our weapons and/or proxies, innocent civilians of
Indonesia, East Timor, Chile, Nicaragua and Palestine have also been
victims of the United States. Is it any wonder that the level of hatred of
the United States is so high? Former President Jimmy Carter stated, "We
have only to go to Lebanon, to Syria, to Jordan, to witness firsthand the
intense hatred among many people for the United States, because we bombed
and shelled and unmercifully killed totally innocent villagers, women and
children and farmers and housewives, in those villages around Beirut...as a
result, we have become a kind of Satan in the minds of those who are deeply
resentful. That is what precipitated the taking of hostages and that is
what has precipitated some terrorist attacks." (New York Times3/26/89)
3. Forty-nine percent of our income tax dollar goes for present and past
military-related activities. On April 16, 1953, former President Dwight
Eisenhower noted that "Every gun that is made, every warship launched,
every rocket fired, signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who
hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed." For the cost
of a Stealth bomber, we could put an additional teacher or social worker in
every middle and high school in the United States. The cost of the
proposed missile defense shield would add several more. Which of these
options would add most to our national security?
In short, I believe that we are paying a terrible price for a very
shortsided and egocentric American political and economic worldview, and
unless we change this worldview, I am concerned that yesterday's tragedy
will be only a down payment on the retribution yet to come.
Copyright © 2001 William J. (Bill) Thomson, Ph.D., -- a clinical psychologist in private practice and a faculty
member at the University of Michigan/Dearborn, where he teaches a course in
Nonviolence and Violence. He returned last week from coordinating an
international team of trauma experts who were teaching modern trauma
prevention and treatment techniques to Palestinian mental health
professionals in Ramallah and Gaza City. He has a son living in New York City.
