The Causes of Terror
There are (at least) three kinds of causes of radical Islamic terrorism:
i. Worldview: The Religious Rationale
ii. Social and Political Conditions: Cultures of Despair
iii. Means: The Enabling Conditions
The Bush administration has discussed only the third: The means that enable attacks to be carried out. These include: leadership (e.g., bin Laden), host countries, training facilities and bases, financial backing, cell organization, information networks, and so on. These do not include the first and second on the list.
i. Worldview: Religious Rationale
The question that keeps being asked in the media is, "Why do they hate us so much?" It is important at the outset to separate out moderate to liberal Islam from radical Islamic fundamentalists, who do not represent most Muslims.
Radical Islamic fundamentalists hate our culture. They have a worldview that is incompatible with the way that Americans-and other westerners-live their lives. One part of this world view concerns women, who are to hide their bodies, have no right to property, and so on. Western sexuality, mores, music, and women's equality all violate their values, and the worldwide ubiquity of American cultural products, like movies and music, offends them. A second part concerns theocracy: they believe that governments should be run according to strict Islamic law by clerics. A third concerns holy sites, like those in Jerusalem, which they believe should be under Islamic political and military control. A fourth concerns the commercial and military incursions by Westerners on Islamic soil, which they liken to the invasion of the hated crusaders. The way they see it, our culture spits in the face of theirs. A fifth concerns jihad-a holy war to protect and defend the faith. A sixth is the idea of a martyr, a man willing to sacrifice himself for the cause. His reward is eternal glory-an eternity in heaven surrounded by willing young virgins. In some cases, there is a promise that his family will be taken care of by the community.
ii. Social and Political Conditions: Cultures of Despair
Most Islamic would-be martyrs not only share these beliefs but have also grown up in a culture of despair: they have nothing to lose. Eliminate such poverty and you eliminate the breeding ground for terrorists. When the Bush administration speaks of eliminating terror, it does not appear to be talking about eliminating cultures of despair and the social conditions that lead one to want to give up one's life to martyrdom.
September 11, 2001 is known as the worst terrorist attack in United States history. On a clear Tuesday morning, there were four planes that were hijacked and flown into multiple buildings by a terrorist group named al Qaeda. This group, led by Osama bin Laden, killed nearly 3,000 people. Out of those 3,000 people more than 400 police and 343 firefighters were killed along with 10,000 people who were treated for severe injuries. Many lives were taken, and to this day, people still suffer from the attack. September 11th is the most influential event of the early twenty-first century because it made an increase in patriotism, it caused a rise in security throughout the nation, and it had a tremendous effect of thousands of lives.
In today’s society the word “terrorism” has gone global. We see this term on television, in magazines and even from other people speaking of it. In their essay “Controlling Irrational Fears After 9/11”, published in 2002, Clark R. Chapman and Alan W. Harris argue that the reaction of the American officials, people and the media after the attacks of 9/11 was completely irrational due to the simple fact of fear. Chapman and Harris jump right into dismembering the irrational argument, often experienced with relationships and our personal analysis. They express how this argument came about from the terrorist being able to succeed in “achieving one major goal, which was spreading fear” among the American people (Chapman & Harris, para.1). The supporters of the irrational reaction argument state that because “Americans unwittingly cooperated with the terrorist in achieving the major goal”, the result was a widespread of disrupted lives of the Americans and if this reaction had been more rational then there would have been “less disruption in the lives of our citizens” (Chapman & Harris, para. 1).
Islam is portrayed and is commonly accepted as the most violent and largest direct threat to the West. This is a generalization made by most of the West, but it is not particularly the West or the Islamic people’s fault. There is constant turmoil in Islamic countries in the Middle East and these conflicts are what make the news in the West. The only representation in the media that the Islamic nation gets is that of war. Though most Islamic people are not violent, the select few that do participate in terrorist groups give the rest of the Islam nation a bad image.
Islam in America has historically been misunderstood, and this is due to the misconception of culture and religion as well as lack of education and incorrect portrayal in the media, which gives a skewed idea of Islam. Especially in the United States, Islam has been seen as the “terrorist religion” or a religion for the extremists and a religion in which freedom is not an option. Among the countless misconceptions, the basis of stereotypes by Americans is due to the mix up between religion and culture. Furthermore, the media only fuels fire to these misunderstandings and lack of factual information about Islam causing Americans to lash out on American Muslims without reason.
Our society is advancing through the internet, not digressing from it. We are learning to be more understanding and stand up for each other because of it, as it creates links around the globe. We are able to remain in contact with old friends, keeping relationships going, and making contact with people we would never meet in our lives away from the computer screen. It exposes us to so much, and opens are minds to the world, providing an opportunity for expression, and a chance to have an impact on the world and each other. To censor the internet would not only be a great injustice to all the advancements we have made through this immense mass of networks, but a crime against humanity and its freedoms themselves.
Michael’s memorial service was held on July 7th, 2009 (Collins 26). “An estimated one billion people around the world watched his televised memorial service” (Collins 29). Michael’s childhood home was transformed into a shrine in his honor (Collins 29). Michael lives on today through his family, his fans, and most importantly his music. He was a true inspiration to many. Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.
First taking to the stage at the age of just 11 as part of his family's gig The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson grew quickly into the superstardom, which would both reward and plague his life. An apparently unstoppable creative and financial force through the highs of his career, 'The King of Pop' struggled with a confused and turbulent private life that was often made appalling public. In the wake of his shock death though, it is for his artistry - and not his controversies - that he will be remembered and sadly missed.
My concerns about Internet censorship prompted me to write "Internet Censorship is Absurd and Unconstitutional." In the essay, I outline why I believe that the Internet should not be censored in any way for two reasons. First, any law advocating censorship of the Internet is too broad and unenforceable on this global information medium. Second, Internet censorship is a breach of First Amendment rights for those users residing in the United States. The essay will provide insight into why self regulation is the only viable solution to the problems that have and will be presented to the Internet.
Whitman got his influence from the extensive cadences and rhetorical approaches of Biblical poetry. After publishing Leaves of Grass, Whitman lost his job. He was working with the Department of the Interior. In spite of his mixed critical welcome in the US, he received a warm welcome in England, with Algernon Cha...
I always combine different elements of design and combine it to make a new game environment. Game design needs illustration, story boarding, environment design, character design, color and knowledge of composition because when all of these elements combine “boom” a piece of art is born. These things inspire me all the time and make me feel that I still have many things to learn before I label myself as game designer. Computer is the main medium by which I deliver and show my work, without computer it is almost impossible to make games. For example I always like post-apocalyptic games and when I was applying in Academy of Art University I made a game environment for my demo reel and that environment was inspired form game Fallout so, when there was no source from which I can make, this game just popped in my mind and helped me in making my environment and computer technology helped me in shaping it. I feel like video games at this point are intrinsically linked into our culture in a way that’s irrevocable, I think form here on video games root deeper and deeper into everything we are doing, until they are just part of our lives and source of inspiration for some of us that many of us don’t even notice. They affect my work a lot because they are my book they are my bible. I learn from in game mistake and fix them in my design in a way my influence is helping me in developing my work
Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay, entitled " The Poet", takes the reader into a new awareness concerning an artistic writer. This essay created new insight about a writer's handicraft. Emerson shows us how a poet uses his gift to connect a non-artist of words to feelings that he is unable to express. A poet uses his God-given ingredient, the soul, to describe the things that engulf our lives. We, that do not have this talent, are given this connection by the writings in "The Poet".
He had this idea for this computer, and he had no idea the impact it would have. Steve Wozniak was a prankster and a 70's computer geek. He has greatly influenced the progression of personal computing.
After 9/11 has induced negative attitudes towards Muslim peoples who tend to be strongly associated with any act of terrorism. The media has played a colossal role in developing such negative association wherein it constantly portrays Muslim people in combination with violent terrorist acts. It does so in a way that they both go hand-and-hand. In other words, it has made it as though the Islamic religion is synonymous with terrorism. The media has perpetuated Muslim stereotypes over the years that followed the 9/11 incident. Because of this, society has developed, and still has developed, this prejudiced mindset about the Islamic religion and the Muslim communities around the world. People immediately assume that any violent act being depicted through the media is the direct result of Muslims. They automatically generate this idea that the act was performed by a Muslim terrorist even when they were not involved whatsoever. Regardless of whether it was true or not, Islamic religion and its Muslim adherents are at the top of societies’ agenda just waiting for the evidence to be generated so that they can then safely blame them for such world affairs. Again, this has led to the attack on the Islamic religion itself wherein people have come to postulate Islam as an act of oppression, violence and hatred towards non-Muslims. Anti-Muslim sentiments and campaigns have resulted from such misinformation the media has been generating and feeding its viewers.
The Internet as we know it is based upon the principles of being “free and open”. No single government, company, person, or entity known to man has complete and absolute control over the web (Google - Take Action). However, as with any medium of knowledge, there will always be those who wish to censor it, for better or worse. Censorship can be defined in many ways. In the context of the Internet, censorship may be defined as the act of suppressing or controlling the access and flow of information to achieve a means. This is a deeply ethical issue because the unrestricted flow of information can be a dangerous thing. However, it is also a philosophical issue pertaining to the concept of free speech.
sense of closeness to the topic of his poem. In the very beginning of the poem we