India was again the victim of brutal terrorist attacks on Tuesday, 11th July. I would have, and probably should have, posted about this earlier, but somehow could not bring myself to do it. It really is easier to live in denial of violence rather than to accept the reality of its existence. Let me add my voice to the chorus already commiserating with the victims and their families and condemning the attack.
It is a tribute to the people of Mumbai that the aftermath of the blasts was not marred by communal violence, in a city that has already seen too much of it. The operative word in Islamic terrorist is terrorist. The same goes for any other group promoting violence as a means to their own ends. The communities that these terrorists may claim to be representing are largely peaceful folks just trying to get on with their lives.
Violence begets violence. Acting violently against terrorists or, more importantly, against their perceived consituencies only creates young men and women growing up in fear and anger, ripe for recruitment. Mumbai knows this, and so, her many disparate communities keep the peace amongst themselves that the city might be a safer place to live, that they can represent the plural society that India is. There is much we can learn from their example.
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