Terrorism

Perhaps if the United States was engaged in humanitarian efforts (desperately needed) instead of having the largest defense budget on the planet (unnecessary), the global acts of random murder by extremists would come to an end.

Empires are vulnerable to attack.  The United States should be less concerned with defending itself, and more engaged in becoming a model global citizen.  Until we get that, and do that, not much will change.

What happened in Paris is the work of fundamentally unbalanced people, promoting their agenda of hatred for Western civilizations.  But what about the domestic terrorists we breed right here in the good old United States of Amerika?  The movie theatre assassins.  The Ku Klux Klan.  The Unibomber.  The Manson Family.  The Tylenol poisoners.  The campus killers.  The Branch Davidians. The Jonestown Kool-Aid drinkers.  The people who put needles in Halloween candy.  The Wall Street thieves.  The NRA. 

My point is merely this; violence creates more violence.  In an ever-escalating landscape of mayhem and aggressive, murderous acts, I dread politicians like Donald Trump, who will no doubt promote a "bomb the hell out of them" solution, which is not a solution as much as it is a reaction.  Frankly, our country's constant involvement in global conflicts does not produce any measurable end to the nightmarish existence we all find ourselves living.  Fighting terrorism with more terrorism is not only a bad idea, but an unreasonable and not very well thought out approach.  It's been proven time after time that it will not change anything.

Imagine a world where the United States enters a hotbed of extremist violence, not with fighter jets and boots on the ground, but with medicine, food, safety and shelter for the unfortunate populations who are caught up in the mental illness of the terrorist group du jour. 

Or is it too late?  Are we all just SO crazy that we can't stop the wrong thinking that has brought us to the miserable, unhealthy state we're all living in. 

If our children learn by example......is it possible for us?  For the rest of the world?  Dismantle the military-industrial complex and fund the organizations that promote peace, health, nutrition, clean water, safety, love, respect and the freedom of their own choices.  I realize it is difficult to have respect for groups of people whose fundamental beliefs are so far removed from what we consider "normal", we can't imagine anyone wanting to belong to one.  But if they do so willingly, then that is their choice.  If they belong unwillingly, then we should provide shelter for those wishing to escape.

In short, all of us deserve to live a life of peace, dignity and well-being.  Those groups that would deny us that are the enemy, no matter what flag they're flying.