Overcoming Evil With Good

The proper response should be a just response over an unjust response....

Dealing with terrorists is difficult because they think in terms of a just war. Their “holy war” for every reason is a just war. They can justify their beliefs by justifying this war. And how do they justify this war? They place themselves as the victims of vicious acts. It is rationalized and because the norm is to respect the just war doctrine it is difficult to demonize their intentions.

What has to be characterized is how to justly respond to the actions of terrorists. Defensive approaches do not work. When terrorists began to strap bombs on their stomach and run into a crowd it becomes impossible to seek retribution against the person who did this. Yet an essential part of justice is retribution. If a person does something bad they must pay back for what they did. Imagine taking a $1,000 loan and being incapable of paying it back on time. Just retribution would be to charge interest on the loan....

A just response has to be more than law abiding. A just response cannot be about revenge. And at the same time it cannot be about retribution. A just response has to be about serving justice, as in making amends. It has to be about improving the situation. The only just response is peace. When they throw violence in our face the just way too defeat them is to be free and to be peaceful. Although we may feel it necessary to raise our fists in anger, instead it must be lowered to progress.

[via Political Write]