Nowadays when writing and speaking about terrorists and terrorism, where
does one even begin? These two emotionally charged and political
terms-which means someone who uses violence to achieve political goals,
or the threat and act of intimidating and causing intense fear in others
to accomplish political purposes-are far to easily misconstrued and
projected onto others. For instance, on Sept. 11, 2001, were the attacks
against the Pentagon and World Trade Centers acts of terrorism, or was
it retaliation for years of U.S. imperialism and failed military
policies in the Middle East? Or were Israeli forces acting as
terrorists, when they beat and killed innocent participants on the
Freedom Flotilla bound for Gaza? Still, can pre-emptive wars, like Iraq
and Afghanistan, that have caused tens of thousands of deaths and
millions of refugees, be considered state-sponsored acts of terrorism?
Perhaps one starting point in understanding terrorists and terrorism can
be found in the words of Mother Teresa and the writings of Wilhelm
Reich. Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic nun who founded a religious
order called Missionaries of Charity. She embraced the poor and
suffering as a primary means of salvation. While she is widely known for
her work with providing shelter for the homeless, caring for the sick
and dying, education for disadvantaged children, and comfort fo… >>>
