Terrorism Is Not Brave
Terrorism is the worst form of cowardice.
I know, these people think they’re brave, martyring themselves for a cause they say they truly believe in. But brave isn’t sucker-punching tens or hundreds or thousands of people, especially people not in power or at fault for your circumstance. Brave isn’t “sacrificing” your life with a suicide belt strapped to your waist.
Brave is sticking around for the fight.
Brave is confronting the very people, government and laws who are responsible for your poverty, detriment or exclusion.
Brave is speaking out and telling your story when people in power want you to stay quiet.
When you attack powerless people, no one will listen to your story anymore because your story then becomes one thing — you are a terrorist. That’s your story. Nothing else.
If we look at history, the brave people are the ones that stand out, the ones we remember. Many of them did sacrifice their lives for their cause. Being willing to sacrifice your life means you’re brave. Wanting to kill yourself so you can kill others is…well, I’m not sure I have an adjective for that, but it’s not brave.
Martin Luther King, Jr., was a black leader in a decidedly white power structure, who may have been one of the bravest men of all. He knew that at some point someone would kill him. He knew that he was putting his family at risk by speaking out and being the leading voice of civil rights. He even risked losing the faith of his followers by sticking to his vow of non-violence despite the violence perpetrated against him and those protesting and fighting with him. He knew one thing terrorists don’t: Violence is easy.
Anyone can pick up a gun and spray a gathering of unarmed people with gunfire. It doesn’t take special skills or much thought. It’s much more difficult to use words and action to change things and make a difference. It’s much more difficult to be persistent no matter the size, power and resistance of your opposition.
Malala Yousafzai may be the most amazing brave person we know because she was just a child when she was threatened and eventually attacked. She spoke out for girls’ education and was shot for it, and yet she continues to speak out today. Those who shot her were not brave. No, they were afraid. They feared losing their own power — the worst kind of terrorist. These men are no better than the powerful governments they hate. But Malala knows one thing terrorists don’t: Hate is easy.
Everyone has emotions. Everyone has the capacity to hate. And admittedly, and all too often, those in power give us good reason to hate. It’s easy to hate and to use that hate to hurt people. It’s much more difficult to love and forgive, and to use that love to get more people on your side and to enact lasting change. Change may take years and you might not be around to see the change happen, but having faith to keep going despite all obstacles and threats is brave.
The second worst form of cowardice is silence.
Silence in the face of true atrocities — committed by terrorists or governments or other groups of people — is the biggest enemy of peace and prosperity.
What has happened in Paris, what is happening in Syria, what is happening in Nigeria and countless countries around the world cannot continue to go on. I urge you to speak, to act in whatever way — large or small — that you can to help enact change.
I urge you to stand up and say “No. Violence is not the way.” We can all stand to be a bit more brave. Imagine if we all spoke up. Imagine all our voices demanding peace and equality. Tell your story. Tell those who advocate violence that there’s another way. Tell those in power to put people first and enact positive change.
Silence and violence are not working.
It’s time to be brave.
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Mon coeur est avec les personnes à Paris. Pour vous, en particulier, je désire la paix.
