NCJ Number
58709
Journal
Humanist Volume: 38 Issue: 6 Dated: (NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 26-29
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON THE ACTIVITIES OF GERMAN TERRORISTS IN THE 1960'S AND 1970'S, THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE IDEOLOGY OF THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST MOVEMENT AS ROOTED IN APOCALYPTIC BELIEFS AND EXPECTATIONS.
Abstract
GERMAN TERRORISTS CAN NEITHER BE DESCRIBED AS 'HITLER'S CHILDREN' (IF ONLY BECAUSE THEY PICTURE THEMSELVES AS ANTAGONISTS OF THEIR PARENTS), NOR CAN THEY BE PICTURED ANARCHISTS BECAUSE THEY LACK THE IDEALISM OF THEIR REBELLIOUS PREDECESSORS. INSTEAD, THE TERRORIST VISION DERIVES FROM THE CONCEPT THAT MODERN SOCIETY IS SO CORRUPT THAT NOTHING BUT ITS TOTAL DESTRUCTION CAN CLEANSE IT AND PERMIT THE FORMATION OF A PURER WORLD. THE ORATORY OF TERRORISM, WITH ITS PSEUDO-MARXIST OR MAOIST FLAVOR, ECHOES THE EVANGELICAL TRADITION THAT CALLS FOR THE END OF THE WORLD AND PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED, FOLLOWED BY THE EMERGENCE OF A 'NEW JERUSALEM'. THE GEOGRAPHIC AND EMOTIONAL ODYSSEY OF ONE YOUNG TERRORIST--A CLERGYMAN'S DAUGHTER--IS PRESENTED, DEPICTING HOW SHE APPEARED TO RECHANNEL HER DEVOUT, IDEALISTIC UPBRINGING AS SUBMISSIVE PARSON'S DAUGHTER INTO ARMED TERRORISM THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF INFANTILE RELIGIOUS-POLITICAL IDEALS. ALTHOUGH PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE ASSOCIATED THE MOTIVES OF MANY TERRORISTS WITH REBELLION AGAINST THE MATERIALISM OF THEIR PARENTS, THE TERRORIST MIND APPEARS ESSENTIALLY IRRATIONAL, WITH A DEGREE OF RUTHLESSNESS AND LACK OF COMPASSION FOR THEIR VICTIMS THAT PARALLELS THE FANATICISM OF MESSIANIC TRUE BELIEVERS. RATHER THAN DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED IDEOLOGY, INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTS REGARD THEMSELVES AS HORSEMEN OF A SECULAR APOCALYPSE, CREATING FEAR, PANIC, FRANTIC SUPPRESSION EFFORTS, AND EVENTUAL PARALYSIS OF ORGANIZED SOCIETY. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (WJR)