Don’t let terrorists dictate the agenda

Bombs don’t only blow up buses or trains, bombs raise questions. Who is the enemy? Is it a religious war? What is the ultimate goal? What is the reason for the bloodshed? Is it our own fault? Is it a result of the countless inequalities or are the terrorists just murderers?
The Madrid attack had an immediate effect on the elections. Is this another politically motivated attack? Is there a way out of this nightmare?

I don’t know any of the answers, but I’m sure that attacks like these can’t be prevented, no matter how high the security standards are. Focusing on terrorism has proven to be effective to win votes but attacks have not been prevented. So instead of turning the world into a Big Brother house it might be a good idea to start asking questions and looking for solutions. Elevating people from poverty (which isn’t only an issue in Africa) isn’t an altruistic dream, dreamt by alternative treehuggers. Neither is the preservation of water resources or the fight to prevent climate change. The reasons are so damn rational that it’s scary. Politicians have ignored these issues far too long.

This is not an excuse. Terrorists and violent demonstrators make me sick. That’s exactly why we shouldn’t give them the pleasure to dictate our political agenda. Poverty and climate change are being discussed right now at the G8 summit. These issues affect billions of people. Whoever believes the world could be freed of terrorists is a dreamer. It is not worth devoting all these resources to fight terrorists. It’s even counterproductive. They will feel like heroes if they get all this attention. Let’s talk about what’s important. Let’s ask questions and find solutions. Let’s not wait for bombs to open our eyes.