Terrorists: extreme examples of bullies.

So I was reading the article on CNN.com about the terrorists killing a South Korean in Iraq. As I read further, my anger grew and I thought, "Now that it has happened to non-Americans, maybe citizens in other countries understand why the fight against terrorism and Iraqi insurgents is vitally important."

I was wrong.

Turns out, instead of a demonstration asking for the terrorists to spare the Korean captive's life, what I saw was South Koreans demonstrating to keep the government from sending more troops to Iraq. This is exactly what the terrorists want. These cowardly, pathetic excuses for human beings love that kind of stuff. Kill somebody to get what we want. Does that seem fair or even morally correct to anyone?

Instead of reviling that type of behavior, these protesters condone it.

Instead of decrying that type of cowardice, these protesters reward it.

Which brings me to elementary school social dynamics, the ultimate microchasm of societal imbalance. If I recall, bullies did the same thing. "Give me your lunch money, or I'll beat the shit out of you kid!" Most of the time, it worked. Wierd thing was, as a youngin', I nearly got beat up over my pencils (yes, sometimes the battle between good versus evil revolves around writing utensils) because I refused to give them up, and in the process, made a huge stink about it. Before I was about to take on 2 thugs by myself, the Principal came to the rescue. So what did some of my classmates say to me?

Some said this:
"Good job! Thanks for standing up to them."
"Really glad they got in trouble for it finally."
"Thanks for letting them now its not okay."

What perturbed me most was this response:
"That was dumb. You could have gotten hurt. Just give in to them, its easier that way."

I had no respect for those people.

Similarly, I have no respect for those protesters in South Korea. Don't pussy out. Don't make it seem like its okay to get away with ridiculousness like al Quaeda does.

Don't be pretentious about being a chicken by protesting for a surrender to terrorists.

It reminds me of Andy from the movie "The Shawshank Redemption." The sisters persist in trying to rape Andy while he is in prison. Somedays they succeed, somedays they don't. But he fights them everytime, refusing to give in to their demands, on principle alone - despite the physical and emotional wounds it brings him.

Fighting terrorists seems a similar Sisyphian task, but it must be done on principle alone - to discourage the notion that violence and intimidation will ultimately succeed.

I leave this blog with this final thought. In the confines of the school, the regulation of bullies was left to the hands of teachers. Who regulates the extreme bullies we call terrorists today?