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You CAN do something to stop terrorism!
You, acting as an individual, can be more effective in stopping terrorism than the American government can be. I believe this is so because the actions of an individual more than the actions of a government produce terrorism in the first place. So if you change your actions you can produce a force that reduces terrorism. If other Americans change their actions they can add to the force stopping terrorism.
Al Qaeda terrorists are not motivated to kill us because they abhor our ideas about freedom; why should they care about what Americans think as long as we do not hurt them?. They want to kill us because they are filled with resentment against us, a resentment that is caused by the insolent actions of Americans.
U.S., as a nation, is not perfect. But generally our government has presented a kind, generous and tolerant face to the world. Not so individual Americans. Americans are competitive and eager to win at all costs. As super-competitors they exploit situations and people to the fullest. And when they win - as they usually do - they behave in grossly arrogant ways.
In the business sphere, Americans glorify outfits like Wal-Mart, and if you own a small business, perhaps you are trying to emulate Wal-Mart. Actually, Wal-Mart's approach is simple: Get the cheapest price for all the products you buy and sell for less. To get the cheapest price, pit a poor producer in China against a poor producer in Bangladesh so that each is forced to accept the lowest possible price.
How do you suppose foreign producers feel about this? As losers in this unequal competition they are filled with resentment.
The same excessive competitiveness fills the religious sphere. Members of different religions are constantly proclaiming that their religion is true and other religions are false. How people feel about their religion does not produce conflict with members of other religions. But conflicts do occur when a man like General Boykin, a Christian who works for the Defense Department, denigrates Muslims by saying: "I knew that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol."
How do you suppose Muslims feel when they hear this? When Christian missionaries are dispatched to Iraq to convert the "heathen," how do you suppose the Muslims in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East feel? You can be sure they are filled with resentment.
Muslim resentment has become so great that it fuels terrorism.
If excessive competition leads to terrorism, the cure for terrorism is cooperation. You, as an individual, by being more cooperative in your daily activities can change the image of Americans, convert resentment to goodwill, and stop terrorism.
If you are in business, don't follow super-competitive Wal-Mart. Instead model yourself after Hewlett-Packard. It runs the World e-Inclusion program that uses information technology to boost the economy of poor countries while at the same time making money for HP. HP believes in "doing well by doing good." It has the cooperative spirit.
If you are a person of faith, don't follow the intolerant approaches of Gen. Boykin. Instead, why not join an interfaith group? We have a society for Christians and Jews. Why not a society for Christians, Jews and Muslims? Why not a society that includes all faiths? Why not follow the advice of the great Buddhist of our day, the Dalai Lama, who says: "The key to the creation of a better and more peaceful world is the development of love and compassion for others."?
You, as an individual, have the power to make changes that may affect the world. This is true not only in business and religion, but in everything you do. When you travel abroad, don't act like a selfish, insolent all-important snob - like, well, an American. Instead, consider things from the viewpoint of the people you come across. Try to have a cooperative spirit.
Don't depend on government alone to get rid of terrorism. Our government does its part through wars and diplomacy. But no government is capable of compassion. Only you can provide that in your daily activities with those you meet both here and abroad.
You can stop terrorism by being more cooperative. If you want your children to grow up in a non-terror-filled world, teach them cooperation. The only way to do this is by providing them a cooperative example to follow.
