When terrorists murder children, world takes notice
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 awakened the world – especially Americans – to the hatred and deadly capabilities of terrorists.
Now that malice has surfaced again. Russia has felt the pain and suffering of one of the cruelest terrorist acts in recent history when bombs and gunfire at a school gymnasium resulted in at least 335 deaths – over 160 of them children.
When innocent children become terrorist targets, it shows how merciless, how bent for destruction, these organizations are. These terrorists are evil to the core. They take lives, shatter families and show no remorse.
Sadly, the United States felt this cruelty almost three years ago today. And while we have avoided another strike on U.S. soil, other countries haven’t been so fortunate.
The school massacre has been cause for outcry not only in Russia but around the world. In addition to the death toll, around 450 people, including about 250 children, remain hospitalized.
It marked the second terrorist attack in Russia in roughly a week following the crash of two airplanes that left 90 people dead.
Before that, the citizens of Spain were victims of a March train bombing in Madrid that killed 191 people and left more than 1,400 more wounded.
Granted, these terrorists may not belong to the al-Qaeda network, but they are terrorists nonetheless. Their goal is to kill and they do not discriminate. As long as people perish, their mission has been accomplished.
As we approach the third anniversary of Sept. 11, we can’t allow a feeling of complacency to settle. Three years removed from the most deadly attack on American soil in this country’s history, the images might not be as vivid as they once were, but we can’t let the message fade.
That message is we were – and still are – vulnerable to a terrorist attack. In fact no nation, no community, is safe.
Terrorists, for whatever reason, may decide to bomb a building in Nashville. They may try to crash a plane in Knoxville or Murfreesboro.
That’s not to say we should live in fear, but we do need to maintain a certain awareness that a terrorist strike is possible. Clear-cut clues should not be ignored under the flawed thinking terrorists would never target Middle Tennessee.
The reasons for killing over 160 school children can never be understood by rational people. It shows just what type of hate-filled individuals there are in this world. And it shows Americans should not be lulled into a false sense of security and believe we are free from terrorism’s destruction.