Robert Moore

7/18/10
Ms. Priester
Persuasive Essay
Final Draft

Terror of the 21st century

Terrorism happens every day in modern life and we are oblivious to it. Day cares have children

bullying others. Beating up families to prove to their rivals they mean business is just one of the

100 plus definitions of terrorism. There are many types of terrorism and each one is different but

one thing is certain, terrorism is a threat to global society. Terror comes from a Latin term,

terrere meaning "to frighten" and this was use was used by the Romans to describe the "terror" of

the barbarian tribes in 105 B.C, from then on people have been using terrorism as a use to gain

their true goals at the expense of the general public or their victims. Terrorism should be

internationally agreed as a crime regardless if it is religious, political, or ethic, regardless of

circumstance and should be jointly punishable as well.

Since 1994, the United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly condemned terrorist acts using

the following political description of terrorism: "Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke

a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political

purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political,

philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to

justify them."One major example of this is the Al-Qaeda; bombing of the world trade center was

a scare tactic to show that they were willing to sacrifice life& limb to achieve their goal to keep

western culture out of holy Islamic land. Because Of their radical thought, Police and
international task squads must deal with a rising threat to civilian and their own health as well.

Although they might have a point in saying that they will not allow their religion to be destroyed

or coerced by the cultural imperialism of other countries and that their lifestyles are being

encroached by these other countries they are only fighting for the protection of their homelands

and their belief. It does not justify the killing, injuring, or maiming of the innocent civilians of

that state or organization. Places like France and Germany who have place laws against burkas

traditionally worn by women according their religious stature (Islam) has brought outrage against

these countries and the Islamic community believes in its right to not be discriminated against

due to the fact of encroachment on their culture. Of this conflict, many terrorist organizations

will continue their fight against the "oppressor" until their rights and voices are heard. Theses

few "incidents" will only fuel the giant furnace terrorism has become. One quote goes as said “I

heard an Israeli speaking on Palestinian human rights issues, an interesting guy, and he said

"There's no military solution to terrorism. If there were, Israel would be the safest place in the

world. But there's no military solution." -Bradley Whitford. Although both sides have an

appropriate argument, it gives neither terrorist the right to assail civilians and counter-terrorist

forces the right to hunt them down because of their ethical background or countries the right to

deny religious rights.

Ethical terrorism is another way for terrorist groups to exercise their effective. They commit

crimes but they however, according to the terrorist, for a just cause and a protection of their

cultural identity. They use the same tactics as political terrorism but for an ethical goal which

would usually be the Autonomy of their people or separation of church and state. The main

groups involved in this cell of terrorism are The Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka and along with the
Former Yugoslavia (Serbs,Croats, and Bosnian)  have all attacked various groups due to the fact

that they were in a state of "ethical cleansing" and they fought to be recognized by their countries

and they took action to stop the rampage. Yugoslav terrorism has to be rejected and condemned,

yes. But it should not be translated defacto into a policy of support for a really increasingly brutal

repression, colonial settlements and a new wall”. Because of their ethical existence being so

small or being a minority group, they can pull a strong argument in their various illegal and fatal

attacks on humanity based on the human psych and that emotional tie to one's cultural lifestyle.

They often gain support from those who otherwise would be wise not to support such causes and

gain a larger support system to carry out their attacks. Many would say that they support the

cause that stands for the people and the ethical viewpoint and that regardless if the loss of life is

created that it is nonetheless, justifiable by the fact of the extermination or discrimination of their

peoples in their homelands. One could say that they are being forced into a new, modern, and

western world, forcing them to choose their ethical cultures or to denounce their ethnicity and

accept the technological advances along with their ability to compete with the global market at

the expense of their identity. Because of these recent choices, the Tamil Tigers turned their

headquarters into a siege castle and withstood attacks for a good measure of time before,

surrendering despite the Denial of their autonomy in Sri Lanka. The non-political terrorist have

both religious and cultural proofs to their cause but it still never justifies the killing of innocent

people and others in a way to frighten them into submission the same way political terrorist have

proven time after time.

Political terrorists usually commit terrorist acts for a political goal usually to benefit their own

cause or political view of things. These groups are usually in countries where imperialism has
taken its toll or third world countries where the "rebel" forces are fighting for a free state or an

equality factor in their native countries. One example of this would be the IRA (Irish Republican

Army) who fights for the reunification of Northern Ireland to create a new unified Ireland. There

are those who support the British rule and those who don't but regardless they are still fighting.

Also another group involved is the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) terrorist guerrillas in Peru

who fight for the rights of their people's status quota. Because of all of the stock market crashes,

global market downfall and the need for economic change in that country, the terrorist groups try

to fix the economic downfall of the country by one of the many possible solutions possible, by

the creation of a new state, only possible by their armed revolution and takeover to change the

tide and bring their country to international scrutiny. However, many speculate that they are right

in doing this so long as innocent people are not harmed in the process but then this makes you

think, who is "innocent". But, who knows who is innocent in the terrorist eyes? Civilians not

interested in the conflict could be who they target, presidents who are trying to make a change

may be a vital target as well and foreign diplomats and visitors may have to suffer by hostage

situations. The main point is simply, a terrorist has felt that he has been wronged , his rights

denied and or his ethnicity and culture as well as his religion has been threatened “When a

person is humiliated, when his rights are being violated, and he does not have the proper

education, naturally he gravitates toward terrorism.”-Shirin Ebadi. He only sees the person who

voted for the "evil government" not the civilian who has children and voted for the rights that

would help his family most. In this case this civilian is wrong in all ways and must be converted,

coerced, or forced or even killed if necessary to make sure it is known that they don't accept that

support. Because of these feelings the terrorist has, he doesn't see innocent civilians he only sees

the "enemy" and will do anything to make sure they "enemy" cries uncle first or admits defeat
and gives them their wants. In all these examples of terrorist acts make the terrorist overall

picture bad despite some strong and just viewpoints.

Terrorism should be internationally agreed as a crime regardless if it is religious, political or

ethic and regardless of circumstance, should be jointly punishable. When this is done the world

will be a much more manageable, safer and brighter world. Overall, Terrorism is wrong because

no religion calls for the death of all people; it is a crime because it threatens peace and stability

of the people and countries involved. Finally, it is not a reason unless vital to that organizations

ethical existence to fight back or threaten human lives and in that case it would not be branded as

terrorism. You should get involved with the U.N peacekeeping forces and learn more on these

situations and get educated for yourself on these global events. Be sure to know what you stand

for and try not to join any organization that calls for internal overthrow and revolutionary war on

your country unless you are sure what they stand for is right and know that it can be considered

illegal and punishable by international laws as a terrorist act. ” Terrorism has once again shown

it is prepared deliberately to stop at nothing in creating human victims. An end must be put to

this. As never before, it is vital to unite forces of the entire world community against terror. “