Why Cause Terror When There is Freedom of Speech?

by Labeeb Ahmad 

As we hear of another attack on our soil by someone who seems to be of a foreign background, his motives continue to be speculated by authorities. What pushed Ahmad Khan Rahami – the perpetrator of the Chelsea and Linden bombings this past weekend – to commit this evil act? If it was anger at America, enough anger to blow up one’s fellow country mates, then I must express how sick and tired I am of the sheer hypocrisy of terrorists like Rahami.

When Americans from Muslim descent attempt to harm other Americans because of social or political grievances, or because of a perceived notion that America is the enemy, then I can only wonder whether they have pondered over the atrocious doings of the countries of their own ethnic origin. The religious discrimination, oppression of women, economic imbalances, and social unrest among other injustices present in the countries where many terrorists’ ethnic heritages originate is absolutely deplorable.

Let’s take a look at Afghanistan and Pakistan, which respectively were the national backgrounds of the perpetrators of the Orlando Club shootings and the San Bernadino shootings. In Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index, Afghanistan ranked at 174 and Pakistan ranked at 126 out of 176 countries. These countries, although constantly trying to raise the banner of their version of Islam, suffer from multitudes of social and cultural vices, and it appears as falsehood is one of the greatest ones. They are poster childs for human rights violations, sectarian conflict, and widespread poverty.

I am not saying that their shouldn’t be voices raised against the unjust policies of our country. There absolutely should. However, when this anger originates from some sort of superiority complex, or the sentiment that Muslims are inherently innocent and completely uninvolved in their own sufferings throughout the world, then that is wrong. This, unfortunately, is precisely what is happening. For example, many Muslim terrorists cite western intervention in Middle Eastern countries which has caused an uncountable number of deaths to innocent civilians as the reason for their inhumane behavior. Is it not hypocritical to then inflict pain on other innocent civilians as a means to avenge that wrong? Besides ethics, did not the prophet Muhammad teach 1,400 years ago against the killing of innocent civilians? In their ignorant blindness, they do not understand rationality. Instead, they channel raw emotion into destructive actions, completely forgetting the actual tenets of Islam.

Let’s keep it simple about the harsh reality of our world: there is an absurd level of injustice at all levels. Yet, in America, one key difference which strikes me as a profound differentiator between it and terror-ridden Muslim-majority countries is the presence of freedom of speech. When we live in a system in which you can write an opinion piece, run for an office, or start a political movement, then channeling one’s sentiments in an act of violence is a despicable course of action. Dear Mr. Rahami (and all other lone-wolf American terrorists), you are absolute fools for only creating more disorder and distrust in society, instead of using the elaborate democratic system that you have been gifted with in this country.]