Don't get mad get intelligenter

Oh yes I can

Mohammed El-leissey is right, particularly the part about:

"as the West becomes more nuanced in its response and Muslims are finding their voice against Islamic State, there's a real hope that together we can deprive them of the blood bath (the radicals) so desperately crave."

In the above quote, I'd like to give a special shout out to the words "hope" and "together" - they are critical. 

This guy has an unpronounceable name and a very big brain. In fact I have no idea what he's talking about in the last few paragraphs of this article. But I am really intrigued by this idea:

"What (the terrorists) obviously lack is a feature that is easy to discern in all authentic fundamentalists, from Tibetan Buddhists to the Amish in the US: the absence of resentment and envy, the deep indifference towards the non-believers’ way of life. If today’s so-called fundamentalists really believe they have found their way to Truth, why should they feel threatened by non-believers, why should they envy them? ... In contrast to true fundamentalists, the terrorist pseudo-fundamentalists are deeply bothered, intrigued, fascinated, by the sinful life of the non-believers. One can feel that, in fighting the sinful other, they are fighting their own temptation."

This makes sense, at least to me. And if it's true, then it's a great illustration of why a military response, while at times practical and necessary, will also strengthen the terrorists on an idealogical level, by giving them attention and making them feel important. As many of us know from our school days and beyond, what really slays bullies is withdrawing attention from them and refusing to be intimidated. So aside from what we are doing on a military level (and regardless of how we individually feel about that), individuals, societies and groups of nations have an opportunity here. By looking after each other and getting on with our lives, we demonstrate our humanity and potential. 

There are many folks out there whose lives are being devastated by these fundamentalist shitheads. For the sakes of the victims, and in the interests of not letting the terrorists win, let's all keep calm, communicate respectfully with each other and respond intelligently.