Thomas Jefferson, one of our nation's most iconic Founding Fathers, was the first American President to have to lead the military in our nation's first foreign conflict known as the First Barbary War. The Ottoman territories of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers were seizing American merchant ships and enslaving the crew. These states demanded a yearly "tribute" be given to them in exchange for the attacks on American ships and their crew to cease which consisted of one-sixth of the U.S. budget. Previous Presidents had paid this tribute to keep the peace on the waterways, however, in 1801 Jefferson refused to pay the sum of $225,000 to Yusuf Karamanli who then went to declare war on the U.S. Why was it that these Barbary states demanded payment from a newly established America? As the Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdrahaman told Jefferson and John Adams at their meeting in London, there was a belief that all "nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it
was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave." Today this would be called "radical Islam" and these people who breed and foster hate are the ones we are at war with.
The events that unfolded this past week in Paris at the hands of more radical Islamists raises the question of just how much violence is enough that we need to expect and take all in the name of a religion. How much more of these terrorist attacks are we as a nation, and the world over, are we going to except? Egypt's President, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, called on all Muslim clerics to modernize the faith with a religious revolution. His powerful statement to the Muslim clerics stated that interpretations developed over time have made the Muslim world a
"source of worry, danger, killing and destruction in the whole world." How has it taken this long for someone to publicly voice this idea to the clerics? More importantly, we should be asking why do we even need to? Why do we need to call upon people to declare that murder is wrong no matter the circumstance? How is it a difficult concept to instill in human decency that no God would ever demand you to kill?
One also can't help to wonder why the American leaders of today are slow and reluctant to lead in the fight against terrorism and radical Islam? The United States has long been at odds with those who have adopted the radical Islamic ideology and it's time we adopt a page from Jefferson's model of not giving in to terrorism. Never once have I heard any sort of passion being uttered from our own President Obama in regards to stopping these radicals. Never once have I heard Obama passionately declare that human life has a priceless value and that he will go to all lengths to defend the American way of life and its citizens. The only passionate declaration I have heard being muttered from the President's lips is that of a defending rhetoric of the Muslim religion and its followers. Is it because he is frightened like those Presidents before Jefferson? Does he believe that if he cowers and quake in fear of those who follow the radical ideology of the Muslim religion that he is somehow saving American soil from being targeted?
Surely it is a worry for all that one day we could be a target of one of these individuals who are taught this radical view of their religion, but this fear should not deter our way of life nor our way of defending our citizens. The President of Egypt calling on all clerics to help guide their followers from this dangerous road of terror is a glorious change of pace from our own "leaders" and their lack of firm solidarity against those who order and carry out acts of violence. The United States is walking a fine line of being respectful of the Muslim religion and being a coward. It's time to call on our nation's leaders to call a spade a spade when it presents itself. Not to label the Fort Hood killings as work place violence. To glance over the beheadings of journalists. Acts of terror are just that, acts of terror and we need to stop skirting the issue, to be afraid to call these actions exactly what they are.
Saudi journalist Mshari al-Thaydi and Sheikh Ashraf Saad engaged in an open conversation this week. Sheikh Ashraf Saad did condemn extremists, however, he went on to say that "we must also condemn these freedoms that have reached the point of insulting the prophet." To which Mshari al-Thaydi countered with: "the question is, why is it Muslims who get so
angry and kill and blow things up? The French magazine insulted the
pope, the Dalai Lama. ... Why do we express our anger in this way?" That question from Mshari al-Thaydi is so moving, it should be a strong calling to all. Why do some think the only way to get their point across is through violence?
Khalid Samad said, "obviously the act of terrorism is a far greater evil that the question of satirical comments," in response to the terrorist attack in Paris this week. Another wonderful show of support for those lost was the cartoon of the pen standing up to the gun in support of Ahmed Merabet, the Muslim policeman killed by the
attackers. "I am Ahmed the dead cop. Charlie ridiculed my faith and
culture and I died defending his right to do so." Maybe what we all need now is to put our pride aside, come together in a mindset of peaceful understanding. Let's stand together against all who would try to do others harm, whether it be in the name of religion, or something else. Let us come together, Eastern and Western civilizations, and find middle ground in our understanding of religion and human freedom. Let us all stand together in solidarity against terrorism so every human life can realize it's true potential, because that is why we are all on this planet.
We are here to make a change for the betterment of our society, not to cause harm to one another.
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