As I read more and more about the case of Faisal Shahzad, I am reminded of this Bollywood movie -Kurban. And whenever I see these movies, based on terrorists activities across the world -just to name a few – Body of Lies, Hurt Locker, New York and Kurban. I begin to wonder – what is the source of this negative creativity? Is it the movies that are replicating reality or are the terrorist groups learning more from these movies? I don’t know the answer. I simply do not want to derive any entertainment from terror. The news channels do a fair job of providing entertainment already. Why do we need these movies ?
Faisal was probably not born with the intent of spending the rest of his life in prison. None of these men are. They are not born with intent to terrorize souls like me. Their soul purpose, when they were conceived was to take the human race forward – not backward. They did not know that their actions would force me to imagine – what if this bomb was not detonated in time? What if I was at Times Square, when this happened? What if one of my loved ones was grabbing lunch around that area, when this massacre happened? What if I was witnessing the massacre – may be not directly impacted by it. I am left to ponder – how valuable or invaluable life is.
Faisal is probably the freest soul today. He has met his fate. But what about several others – who get inspired by notions of jihad? What about others who are still confused over the choice of – religion vs. humanity? Isn’t that what it boils down to? Am I to hide in the veil of my religion, and shoot innocents, coz I think they are against my religion? Or do I simply be human.
I am a Hindu by religion, but I am human first. I am a citizen of India, but I am a resident of this planet earth – first. Why is it so simple to me — and not so simple to the likes of Faisal? What changes in their minds – what chemicals are all so balanced for me — and all so whacked up for Faisal. Did he really think he would avenge for his religion by killing 100 people.
I am not the only one asking these questions. I am just another human, tormented by what happens around me. Is Faisal’s sister also thinking like me today? She is also as human as I am.
Just Questions — no answers. In Business Analysis we have a rule – don’t ask me a question, you don’t have a proposed solution to. But I fail to give any solution today. I am ashamed of sharing the same planet earth as Faisal.
Shivi 
Interesting questions.
As for the example of us feeling very easy to have our priorities right, and people like Faisal not, I'm reminded of the movie Dil Se (another film on the terrorists, albeit not Islamic but the Maoists). It describes how Manisha Koirala's family was tormented in front of her eyes and etc.
Her mentality changes, and her first aim is just to take revenge against the government, and to simply meet their demands of justice. And this is a STRONG desire to the point of fanatism. Slowly, to meet this demand, they realize they need to do more things to make the government hear (like blowing up the proceedings on the Independence Day) etc. etc. and this is how terrorism developed (according to this movie).
I guess things happen small, and turn big by time if the desire to accomplish those “small” things is very large and the “obstacles” are many. This is just my opinion.
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Valid point there Rajat. But in the recent events – people who are turning into terrorists are hailing from educated and prosperous families.. A point well raised by NYT here – http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/another-middle-class-terror-suspect/?hp
And yes, small things turn into bigger plans – sometimes due to circumstances and some times with help from even bigger establishments.
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