Bouncing Back
Running to, not from.Aussies don't scare easy:
JIMBARAN, Indonesia - Bali, the lush Indonesian island famous for its sun-kissed beaches, is drawing tourists in droves, and travel warnings that Islamic militants might strike again has done little to dampen the spirit.This is the winning move.
Almost five years after 202 people were killed in the bombing of a Bali nightclub, tourists are back enjoying the island's nightlife and soaking up the sun on Bali's palm-fringed beaches.
"That was a sad event but Bali is too beautiful to resist. The place is bouncing back," said 23-year-old Australian Josh Donnelly as he walked past the now razed Sari Club, which was blown up in the 2002 bombing.
It's good to blow up Al Qaeda. In fact, it's very, very good to blow up Al Qaeda. But that right there in the block quote up above, is the winning move.
The point of terrorism is to instill such fear that people will force their governments to submit to the terrorist's demands. If we're not afraid, the terrorists lose. If we're not afraid, the tactic of terror fails.
I have no doubt Al Qaeda -- or one of its franchisees -- will nail us again. Maybe something bigger even than 9/11. Never forget that what they need is our fear. Don't give it to them. If you don't pay them the tribute of fear, they got nothin'. Nothin' at all.
This entry was posted by Michael Reynolds, on
Wednesday, July 18, 2007.
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2:01 AM
The reason (and the way) not to be afraid is that what you fear will not happen. Something else will. And then, we'll deal with it. Mark Twain's wonderful statement is on the mark: “I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”
We must certainly try to prevent terrorists from taking away our peace of mind, but in the meantime, why should we give it to them? Perfectly good time squandered in pointless worry and fear is a gift to them and a robbery of ourselves.