I watched this documentary last night about the bombings in London a few months back. Three of the suicide bombers set off their devices while on "the Tube" while the fourth 'lost' bomber set it off on a double-decker bus. When I first heard it on the news, I actually didn't think much of it. I was way too busy with law school then. I realize now that the incident was actually very tragic and has caused much grief and devastation. From the documentary, the witnesses (who were also victims) who narrated their experiences showed a myriad of emotions. Some chose to narrate it in a casual way (as if it was an everyday thing) while others broke down in tears (just by remembering the incident). What I did observe though, was that even if each of them put up a different facade for their stories, they all made a valiant attempt to appear to be brave and "unaffected".
Unfortunately, such incidents are becoming common every day. To the point that some would compare the degree and intensity of the bombings to previous attacks. I got into a debate with my brother and sister a while ago, and it shocked me to know that they can actually justify the terrorist attacks on innocent human beings. Here are their arguments: (1) killing per se is not wrong, it's just a matter of perspective (whether or not you think that what you are doing is right); (2) people are overreacting because the bombings occurred in London; it's a western country; considering that the fatalities weren't that many compared to other terrorist attacks. First, killing per se is not wrong?! Killing of human beings, in whatever form is wrong. No amount of religious fundamentalism can justify that. Isn't that what the terrorists are advocating? That they have launched a jihad against the Western world for the oppression of their people. This concept of a religious war is vague in all aspects. An essential question would be: war on whom? Obviously, the world leaders' making the shots are untouchable, thus terrorists resort to the massacre of millions of innocent people, who doesn't give a shit about what Bush or Blair does. Here, they are living their lives and all of a sudden they're dead, much like as payment for a debt. This Machiavellian means has caused such disorder and chaos. I cannot help but think that somehow the religious leaders of Islam has managed to attach a wrong interpretation to the jihad as espoused by the Qur'an. I don't think that Allah would've actually liked for them to go out and kill their fellow men, whether Muslims or not. Isn't it God's desire for mankind to improve itself?
Second, just because the victims were from a country regarded as one of the Great Powers doesn't mean that their deaths should be regarded as insignificant as compared to those who died from terrorist attacks in a developing country. A death is a death. Regardless of race, country and religion. A human being is dead. That's the end of it. There are no more qualifications that need be attached. Has the value of human life been so depleted that we have to determine first which country he is from? Are people really so cynical about the world that everything has to be given a price? Including a human life?
I am scared to think that right in my own home, this is how my brother and my sister thinks. And they are only 17 and 19 years old.
