The purpose of this essay is to show that acts of terrorism are morally wrong because women and children are the usual victims of terrorism, terrorism serves no purpose except to ruin lives, and that because terrorism uses murder and murder is wrong. War and subsequent terrorism are two of the most inhumane and useless inventions that human society has created and there can be no justification for premeditated violence against innocents for whatever purpose.

There are over 100 hundred definitions of the word “terrorism” but my definition is: terrorism is the organized use of violence to destroy and decimate innocents for whatever purpose, political or nonsensical. In the Congo, women, children and babies are raped with impunity. Over thirty Chicago public school students have been murdered this year alone. Under this definition, both of these acts are considered terrorism.

There are some people who believe that acts of terrorism are “necessary evils” and are needed to create a more democratic world. I disagree. Political reasons, however noble, do not constitute the acts of terrorism against civilians. Why should a woman taking her children to school or to the market be shot down in the streets like a dog by some misguided fool who thinks his actions will topple a dictator from power? The vast majority of terrorism victims are women and children. Women and children for the most part do not start wars or commit acts of terrorism. Although there been incidents of women and children committing acts of terrorism such as becoming suicide bombers, that is not the norm. Men are in charge of the economic and political systems in the world. Whether it be a legitimate government or an outlaw, rebel one, men are the major players in the game and are the ones who plan out terrorist acts. If a political group has a problem with another group, it should target the group specifically instead of bombing a busy marketplace where women and children would be the large majority. This is a sexist and pedophilic society we live in. Neither group has much protection or respect and can be looked at as easily replaceable casualties of war.

Secondly, acts of terrorism serve no purpose except to kill and maim millions and make the lives of individuals miserable. Violence begets more violence and how can acts such as kidnapping and killing a prime minister, attacking a village and raping all the women and children or setting off a suicide bomb killing thousands be morally correct? Although the bombing of the World Trade Center crippled the foundations of the American economic and political systems for a short time and brought home the possibility of more invasions to millions, ultimately it was for nothing.

Previously, Osama bin Laden had issued two fatwas (a legal Islamic pronouncement), one in 1996 and one in 1998 calling for the murder of all civilians and military personnel from the United States and allied countries by Muslims until they withdraw political support for Israel and withdraw military forces from Islamic countries. Did that plan work? No. The United States for all intents and purposes own Iraq, are still close allies with Saudi Arabia and still support Israel to the fullest. Any terrorist attacks conducted by Bin Laden and his cohorts has shown him and them to be both morally bankrupt and stupid.

Lastly, acts of terrorism are morally wrong because most acts of terrorism end up murdering people and murder of any kind is wrong. Murder does not solve problems but create more problems. Murder violates the sanctity of life and cuts off the ability of its victims to live their lives as they wanted. To murder someone takes a certain kind of arrogance. Who ultimately has the right to have life or death judgment on human being? No one. I am a mother of three who loves her children fiercely. If one of them were killed, I would want justice for my child. I would want the person who perpetrated the crime to be locked up for all eternity in a small cell with little human contact. Why? A murderer should suffer mental and emotional agonies and death is too easy. Killing the perpetrator of the crime would not bring my child back anymore than the execution of Saddam Hussein has brought back the lives of hundreds of Kurds he ordered slaughtered. The ends do not justify the means when it comes to murder.

In conclusion, any terrorist attack is morally wrong. To condone murder, rape and plunder of innocents because of political reasons or gain is morally reprehensible. The United States will eventually have to pay the price for an act of terrorism committed on its own shores: the decimation of the Native American nation that existed peacefully for centuries before the advent of colonists who used terrorism and violence to destroy and decimate innocents for financial gain. Anything gained because of terrorism is covered with the blood of its victims.