NCJ Number
57641
Journal
HARPER'S Issue: 253 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1976) Pages: 69-72,74
Date Published
1976
Length
5 pages
Annotation
FALLACIES IN COMMON BELIEFS ABOUT AND RESPONSES TO TERRORISM ARE POINTED OUT IN A DISCUSSION OF THE STATUS AND FUTURE OF THE TERRORISM PROBLEM.
Abstract
FOR YEARS BEHAVIORAL AND POLITICAL SCIENTISTS HAVE SOUGHT A GRAND THEORY TO EXPLAIN TERRORISM. THEIR SEARCH IS ILLUSORY. TERRORISM CAN BE UNDERSTOOD ONLY BY STUDYING HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL EXPERIENCE AND BY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIFICS OF EACH SITUATION. ALTHOUGH A MAGIC FORMULA TO EXPLAIN TERRORISM IS UNNECESSARY, THERE IS A NEED FOR GREATER CLARITY IN COPING WITH CONCRETE SITUATIONS SUCH AS HIJACKING, AND THE TAKING OF HOSTAGES. STANDING IN THE WAY OF THE CLARITY IS THE RELUCTANCE TO RECOGNIZE THAT TERRORISM SUCCEEDS ONLY AGAINST NONTERRORISTS--AGAINST GROUPS OR GOVERNMENTS WHICH REFRAIN FROM RESPONDING TO INDISCRIMINATE MURDER WITH EQUALLY INDISCRIMINATE REPRESSION. THE PROBLEM IS NOT WHETHER TERRORISM CAN BE STAMPED OUT; FIFTH-RATE DICTATORSHIPS HAVE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE THIS. THE PROBLEM IS THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID TO ERADICATE TERRORISM. WHEN THERE IS NO REASON TO ASSUME THAT APPEASEMENT WILL ENCOURAGE FURTHER TERRORIST ACTS, CONCESSIONS TO TERRORISTS MAY BE ADVISABLE. BUT THERE ARE ALSO SITUATIONS IN WHICH A POLICY OF SURRENDER WOULD LEAD TO CONSTANT TYRANNY BY SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE OR, MORE LIKELY, TO ANARCHY AND DESTRUCTION. IT IS PART OF CONVENTIONAL WISDOM THAT TERRORISM IS ONE OF THE CRUCIAL PROBLEMS FACING MANKIND. HOWEVER, VIEWED ON A GLOBAL SCALE, TERRORISM IS QUITE UNMISTAKABLY ON THE DECLINE. THAT THIS FACT HAS NOT REGISTERED IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEDIA TREATMENT OF TERRORIST ACTS AND TO THE CARELESSNESS WITH WHICH ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES ARE REFERRED TO AS TERRORISM. IF THE DAY ARRIVES WHEN TERRORISM BECOMES A TRULY CRITICAL PROBLEM, SOCIETY IS BOUND TO CHOOSE A HARD-LINE POLICY. TERRORISM IS BLACKMAIL, AND BLACKMAIL PRODUCES A SPECIAL SENSE OF OUTRAGE IN PEOPLE BECAUSE IT VIOLATES THEIR BASIC RIGHTS AND DIGNITY. THE FUTURE OF TERRORISM IS UNCERTAIN, BUT IT HOLDS SOME DISQUIETING PROSPECTS. IF THESE PROSPECTS BECOME REALITY, MUDDLED THINKING ON TERRORISM COULD BE A SOURCE OF GREAT DANGER. (LKM)