Amid all the bloodied battered images in the media these past few days, one stands out in my brain and in my heart - that of a scared and exhausted young man turning over a somersault as he fell out of a window, his body a broken burnt bulleted corpse that dropped to a mangled heap outside the Taj, signalling the end of the seige.
Terrorist, terrified. As death stared him full in the face, he reached for his AK 56 in one last desperate act to shoot aimlessly out of that window. A sacrificial pawn in the diabolical plans of mad men who stay safe in their hideouts, even as they train and despatch these men to kill and be killed, talented intelligent brave young men who could have done so much good for humanity instead.
Terrorist, despised. He is a mother's son too. Someday years ago, he must have been like the little Moshe, crying for water and his mama, playing with his nanny. Till the diabolical mad men went in search of him and found him. He is a father's son too. Like the father of Major Unnikrishnan who kicked the CM out of his home. He is a man who will be buried in disgrace in a strange land, while others are given a hero's farewell.
Terrorist, forgiven. If he asked God for forgiveness in his dying moment, there is no doubt that God would have done so. No doubt at all. If he believed he didn't need to, because he was doing God's will anyway, don't question him now. He is dead, let his soul rest in peace. Question the diabolical mad men who are still alive and more dangerous than before, hound them down, flush them out and question them.
Terrorist, avenged. Sadder for humanity than the deaths of the innocent, is the destruction of the souls of the living. Can we even bring ourselves to avenge such evil? Perhaps we can, but not by bashing countries and politicians. The protest marches, candles, white clothes, banners and emails, will all help to release the anger and assuage the grief, catharses all. With no effect whatsoever on the mad men, the root of the problem. Bashing the government is an act of supreme shortsightedness. Now more than ever the people in power need our help. Let's extend it instead.
16 comments:
brilliant and heartfelt!
well said lynn! well said.
Very well articulated Lynn.I subscribe to your thoughts. Lets kill the cause and not the symptoms. Hunt them down, where ever they are and set an example to the world about how to go after terrorist. We, as a peace loving and relient people, should punish only those who mastermind, brainwash people and spread such terrorism and not punish everyone around them.
The wait was worth it lynn..easily the most original thought I've read till now..i echo what u feel
wonder how you guys agree with me! i have got emails after emails saying i am talking rubbish, but this is truly what i feel.
I'm not surprised..I posted something yesterday and there are so many who've read it and cursed me to galore...by the way have linked ur post also...I guess we just believe in the goodness..
We've not met but we probably know each other... that's incidental though.
For long, I watched the gore on a screen and asked "Why is it that those whom the Gods love, die young?"
And I too wanted to write about the commitment of a terrorist who puts our personal-agenda-driven politicians to shame.
Until I looked into the blank eyes of Sabina's children and anguish turned to anger. It will be sometime before India spirals back down to apathy but, before that happens, I want my India back.
You express in beautiful words what many never can, though.
Thank you for the comment on that post which, by the way, was just a link to another blogger... don't think you'd know me actually :-) in another life I was in advertising and our paths almost crossed thanks to a mutual friend... someday again perhaps. Until then, keep smiling.
Hi,
It is ridiculous if people have actually berated you, esp on what we can definitely call a personal forum, meant for the intelligentista. Just goes on to show we are really confused how to handle the attacks.
I have also wondered like you. What can be the incentive for so many souls around the World to be enthralled the ideology of terror? Zaps me...
This is certainly an interesting perspective, which seems to underpin a deeper thought. An angle of sanity amidst all this fury.
After reading your post I am reminded of an article by a Thai monk in TOI after the Delhi blasts. He said that people go out to seek peace with violence in their hearts, whether it be politicians or people from any walk of life. He said that until we find peace inside, how can we find solutions for it? Now I don't hope for Utopia and am reminded of a Hindu myth that vish (poison) comes out before you go seeking amrit (nectar). Just wondering how much bloodshed will our generation/s see before we start thinking of peace ? The thought makes young folks like me shudder in horror but then the light at the end of the tunnel gives hope ! :-)
In retrospect, I also wonder whether the destiny of the individual and the world are mirror images. Both go through immense suffering before they give up their frailties and find peace.
It's an interesting take amongst all this bashing going on.
Do read and comment on my views on the topic at http://24belvedereestate.blogspot.com/2008/12/civil-obedience.html
Barack Obama about the killers of 9/11: "My powers of empathy, my ability to reach into another's heart, cannot penetrate the blank stares of those who would murder innocents with such serene satisfaction."
Brilliant piece Lynn, but for me - am not that magnanimous, nor benevolent to this extent. However, I couldn't have agreed more about hunting down the "mad men"!
take care
Thanks Shas, Vk, CS, Navendu.
Re Mr Obama's comment - I doubt very much he had an opportunity to actually look into the 'blank stares' of the men who flew straight into the twin towers. My money is on their eyes being tightly shut while their hearts cried out to God for forgiveness... I genuinely believe that. the men in the battlefeld really face the fire. It's people like Bush, and the 'mad men' who carve out evil plots that distort people's minds and send them to their grave before their time - and the jury is still out on an Obama. I have more faith in our own so called weak leaders....
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