Every average-joe detests terrorism... For it (symbolically) threatens his existense...
But he is scared of taking the tough road... leaving the task of protecting his @$$ to the security forces...
But it is impossible to have soldiers spying on every person in a country (I'm sure even China doesn't have such a thing where it is mandatory for able-bodied people to join security forces). Now most civilians aren't smart enough to figure who's lurking out there next door disguised as a software engineer or apprehend their fate that destiny has in store for them at the next intersection, bus-stop....
So how can a common man help..???
Well!! I liked this post by this person Khurshed Batliwala about the solutions he proposes...
http://bawandinesh.name/?p=293
I feel there is no other way but this to ensure sustainable peace... We can stop a terrorist dead in his tracks with a bullet through his heart but that does not change his heart... He still remains a TERRORIST... Amongst his mates he would be proudly referred to as a martyr... for having killed/maimed Kaafirs or non-believers.... He not only remains a terrorist at soul but also becomes an icon, a role-model, inspiring many others to follow... For amongst the followers of some ideologies in certain communities, torturing and killing people following other belief systems is the shortest-cut to God....
"A fire cannot stop a fire.. Violence cannot end violence... Violence Ends When Love Begins...."
Killing a terrorist hardens the resolve of a thousand others who see a commonality between themselves and the slain terrorist...
IFF there is a way to severe the thousand heads of the man-eating monster called Terrorism, it is through Love and Peace...
The way is to STOP THE TERRORIST SUPPLY.... Some would say, "Destroy the breeding-grounds and safe-havens.." while others would say, "Choke their financial pipelines.."
I would rather choose to follow Mr. Batliwala's way of "Killing the terrorist inside the man..."
When the people are educated, sane, rational and (truly) spiritual, no amount of hateful religious rhetoric would be able to make the youth turn to inhumanity....
And I nearly fell off my chair laughing after reading this one... :-)
http://bawandinesh.name/?p=309
Really! Kashmir was a predominantly Hindu region before the muslims came to India.. Even at the time of Indian/Pakistani Independence, Kashmir had a Hindu king Hari Singh... The Pakistani army had invaded Kashmir disguised as tribals and Hari Singh had opted to be with India if India helped Kashmir throw out the invaders... India did so and Kashmir became a part of India... And thus started a series of wars between India and Pakistan (I have seen one in my lifetime, don't know how many more are there to come..)
I can't see what rights does Pakistan have to claim Kashmir... The fact that Kashmir has been so grossly neglected by the previous governments in India is a completely different thing... More about that some other day when I get the urge to say something....
"My" Mumbai..
