by Olivia Bredbenner

Created on: September 11, 2007   Last Updated: August 15, 2008

If there were a way of stopping terrorism permanently, we would have done it by now. UBL is only a figurehead. Even long after his passing he will be the symbol of the constant threat to us all. With his weak offerings and the failing inspiration to his followers. He will continue to promote self destruction-jihad. This on going behavior can best be described like the course of a malignant disease. Trying to eat away at our way of life.

Like any disease we need to stay on top of it. We need to go forward with our lives, as we battle its ravaging consequences. But, we are never going to give up. And when we pass, we leave to our young a life of an on going struggle to over come the threats of terrorism. And as we struggle to maintain our values, and our way of life.

To live with the reality that there are many that will always be envious of our way of life. It is a burden that will always be ours. In spite of American efforts to help the less fortunate around the world. There are those that wish to destroy the spirit of our America.
Stopping terrorism means that we expect an end. While terrorism exists all over the world. The best we can hope for is to protect our own. With never ending efforts.

To destroy anything we must know what it feeds on and take it away. It would seems that what terrorism feeds on is our ongoing responses to their verbal threats. So we know how to destroy this malignancy. Security professionals are constantly fine tuning their skills, as they destroy the tentacles of its original growth. Perhaps it feeds on our following of their every word. We then view the pictures of the violence over and over again in the media and stand waiting listening to the litany they continue to spew.

If it was possible to cut off their breath, by our media re-designing a new approach. If they were to avoid showing their pictures, if we avoided a description, or vow to never mention the words they so cleverly have woven, to shake the security of all people. Would we then not starve them of our responses and leave them unsatisfied. The silent treatment can be powerful, being ignored is a profound response, to the threats that feed off our fears. Are we not strong enough to play the "bigger head game?"

Terror and terrorism will be with us always. It is known, that they will attempt to destroy what they can not feel or understand. In spite of our differences as Americans. We know the bottom line. Even in our acknowledgment of all our own imperfections, we will survive. We will deny them the ability to take from us what we have fought for and won. Like the diseases we have learned to cure or manage, they will become impotent and only cast a faint shadow on our undeniable spirit as Americans.

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