Think Twice

Sunday afternoon, my family and I were walking to a restaurant in downtown Toronto,when a man on the street shouted out at us that "Maybe my people should also become terrorists like your people". My husband and 9 and 11 year-old kids, did not hear it but I was stunned by the absurdity of the comment and started laughing. My husband immediately wanted to know what I was laughing about.

Monday evening, I heard what happened at the Boston Marathon, I felt for the lives lost especially the 8-year-old child and for those who suffered terrible injuries. Runners who might have lost limbs. Men and women who worked to build their strength who will have to re-learn how to live.

I thought about other children around the world who lose their lives everyday either because of terrorism or as part of the " collateral damage" caused by  anti-terrorism. It doesn't matter where it happens whether it is Boston or Karachi or Baghdad; human life is precious irrespective of colour or religion. It is the innocent who suffer everywhere -the little kids, the bystanders trying to live their lives - the ones who are not out on a moral crusade trying to prove a point or right wrongs by blowing other people up.

I have always been naive. I have always had a hard time trying to understand human cruelty but I feel that most of this terrorism is a result of people on a campaign to do what they perceive to be the right thing whether it be Bush showing Saddam by bombing Iraqis to the dark ages or Osama Bin Ladin showing America by orchestrating the Twin Towers collapse.

Whatever the colour of your passport, whatever the colour of your skin, whatever your religion - think twice before trying to teach anyone else a lesson. Perhaps that moment when you are most convinced of your righteousness is the moment when you should be most fearful of doing the wrong thing. Wasn't it Mark Twain who remarked,"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." It is a simple idea after all, to try your best not to hurt anyone.