I don't think anyone doubts that we are viewed as self-absorbed and indifferent by many Muslims, even those who were shocked and saddened by the recent attacks.
Within the US, there reside several groups who have suffered defeats and betrayals at the hands of the majority. Indian tribes, and the Civil War Confederates are good examples. Defeat breeds resentment that lingers way longer than one would think.
After all, what Indian is alive who can remember an Indian war? And all Confederates are dead. I grew up in the North and never thought: I am a victorious Unioner. I thought I was simply American.
When I first travelled to the South, I found a profound difference. I saw numerous statues glorifying Confederate heroes. I sensed, from significant numbers of Southerners, resentment, because I came from 'up north'. In conversations, I discovered many still felt theirs was a righteous cause, even though they were actually speaking of several generations prior to themselves. I was amazed.
Years later, I could only conclude that when someone feels defeated, they develop a victim mentality that breeds a resentment so strong that it can be passed down through the generations. Right or wrong, it is there.
However, this poses a dilemma in the current context. Because another aspect of that mindset is that nothing seems to make it go away. Treaties repaired, monetary reparations, apologies given.... the resentment stays.
Not universally. Some stop viewing themselves as victims, free themselves from groupthink, and go out and accomplish things, so they redefine themselves as individuals on their own terms. Those who choose not to venture out, or have too many obstacles to overcome to obtain the opportunity, stay soured.
Thus, I can only conclude that we can try to identify obstacles and remove them. Educational opportunity is often a good part of the solution.
But some of the soured ones view all such offerings suspiciously and reject them. Some look only for vengeance, not justice.
Perhaps the actions of predescessors caused the initial grievance, but now, it is not me, or us continuing the problem. Often, it is the choice of the victimized to wall themselves in and stay victims.
Whether that's a matter of traumatization or not is a matter for health professionals and sociologists, not soldiers and diplomats.
And in any case, the avenues to success for folks in that difficult situation do not mandate violence. For most, there are better paths with higher odds in their favor.
Put another way, one can get gored by a bull simply because they wore red pants, not because they did any harm to the bull. They can choose to decry the injustice, they can try to reason with the bull or they can try to kill the bull. If they simply ignore the bull and put on the red pants again, who is at fault at the next goring? The bull, for behaving as bulls do, or the victim who sees only black and white and refuses to choose some other method?
All the reasoning of learned people, suggesting that men are not bulls and should be capable of more, has proven insufficient to resolve this. I would argue that men, individually, are not bulls. But small groups of men with power are bulls.
It is not as simple as a moral question with black hats and white hats. If we are to move past the dillemma, we must recognize what is effective, not what is right.
To stop being the victim of a bull boils down to what I said: decry the injustice, try to reason with the bull or try to kill the bull. Decrying the injustice is only effective at gaining followers. Killing the bull has the effect of reversing roles; the bull is now the victim and the killer is the bull, and the cycle continues.
Reason, then, is the only effective solution. Right, or wrong, or emotion or resentment are all things that can be recognized or understood. But they are not going to change the unhealthy, unjust, unfair situation.
The capacity of individuals to use reason above all other avenues, setting aside ego, pride, anger, and stubborness to achieve effectiveness, is ultimately the only way.
Bin Laden chooses to kill the bull. Even if he succeeds, the danger continues. Even if he eliminated the US and Israel, new bulls will arise to gore him. Because bulls are not about nationalities or faiths. They exist wherever there is power to be had.
The moment is not now, because the bull has been attacked and is angry. The day is not far off when the approach of reason will work, however.
I hope reasonable folks will be ready to be effective when this fresh opportunity arises. |
