Terrorism, a word that rightly so strikes fear into the hearts of many. Throughout history in one form or another it has existed. It is not a new form of violence, and it is in our age a largely publicized chain of horrifying events that affects the very least of us. Not a single day passes that any one of us in this world can turn on the news and not hear something related to an act directly tied to this form of war. It goes much deeper than a simple war though. The actions taken are rooted deeply in the hearts of terrorists beliefs. Often it is in the name of a higher power, or a deep seated oppression from which a well of desperation springs and flows freely. Terrorists believe they are right, that even the value of a human life man, woman, and child alike can hold no candle to the issue they are fighting for at hand. When desperation springs in the heart of any man it is indeed difficult to sway or waylay him. He will do what is necessary to right the issue at hand that he believes is wrong. It is desperate violence trying to solve a greater issue, a fruitless form of belief and actions coming together in the form of destruction and chaos.

The Wikipedia dictionary defines the cause of terrorism as follows: " There is demand for terrorists placed by greed or grievances. Supply is driven by relative deprivation resulting in triple deficits - developmental deficit, democratic deficit and dignity deficit. Acts of terrorism take place at the point of intersection between supply and demand. Those placing the demand use religion and other denominators as vehicles to establish links with those on the supply side. This pattern can be observed in all situations ranging from Colombia to Colombo and the Philippines to the Palestine." -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Terrorism#Causes

Though any one of us can point to a cause and deem it the reason for all terrorism, no one truly knows what lies so deep within a human that they would be driven to commit such crimes destroying their own life and the lives of others. There is one know fact though, it is something that raises no feelings of joy in the hearts of us on the opposite end who are not terrorists. Science can try to analyze it, politicians can fight it, though none of us know truly why it exists at all, not you, not I. Often I ponder the reason, and yet can find no answer. Only a myriad of the most unwanted emotions arise and I am left saddened and burdened by the horror of it all. It is one of those things I believe in life that should not be fully known, but instead should be fought by even the simplest among us. Without the effort of all we cannot stand and prevail against terrorism, and so as the adage goes "divided we fall."

Learn more about this author, Rachel Mclaughlin.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Why does terrorism exist??
We want to hear your view. Write now!