A Provocative Defense

Newton's Third Law says to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

This sentiment has echoed throughout time. The Bible, Tanakh and the Koran, among other texts all speak of this. A typical quote:

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:27-31

There are some (but not enough) examples of leaders that have acted this way - Gandhi, King, and Mandela come to mind. All three were visionaries who, against tremendous odds and in the face of violent reaction, chose a path of peace and non-violence. Whether they read this quote or not, their actions reflected the words above.

The results speak for themselves. In each case, their actions precipitated a change from violence to peace, from discord to accord, from misunderstanding to coexistence.

I wrote recently about Suketu Mehta's editorial in the New York Times following the terrorist acts in Mumbai. His words reflect the intentions of Gandhi, King and Mandela.

But I have read many editorials congratulating the Israelis for their recent reaction to Hamas in Gaza. Most say that the only thing "they" understand is violence - you need to "take them all out once and for all."

Einstein's definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.

How many times has Israel reacted to terrorist acts with an equal (but not opposite) reaction? When did it result in peace? Is there any reason to think that this time will be different? Is there anybody out there who believes that rocket attacks will actually beget peace in the Middle East?

Terrorists are criminals. Their cause is not about faith, nor is it just. It is about the most evil kind of ego and power - period.

If you respond to terrorists with violence, they will go to the victims of your violence and recruit more criminals to their cause. Why? Because these prospective recruits had almost nothing to begin with (and hence nothing to lose), and now have even less, because their homes have been bombed and family members maimed. Violent responses only serve to create more terrorists.

If you and your family were bombed (irrespective of the "higher" purpose), how would you feel towards the bombers???

Is it any surprise that when you've had your life bombed out of existence, and having nothing left to live for, the reaction is anger??

We have learned nothing from Ghandi, King and Mandela. They proved that an "opposite reaction" to violence can prevail, and that the resulting change, while slow, is sustainable.

If instead of investing in weaponry to fight terrorism, we invested in giving people something to live for, a roof above their heads, healthcare, education, and the capacity to be economically independent, who among us really believes that they would still have the will to be terrorists?

Imagine what the reaction would have been if rather than beginning their rocket attacks at Christmas, the government of Israel chose to follow the teachings from their own Tanakh:

The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the LORD am your God. Leviticus 19:34

...and came bearing the gifts of shelter, medicine, education and jobs for their brothers and sisters from across the way?

It's time to stop being insane.