By Mark Green
Guest Columnist
I would think that after 20 years of war in the fight against terrorism, itself, and feeling the ripple effect the attack on 9/11 had on the country so many years ago, that we would’ve learned to better identify the morality of our fellow man. But, the news is awash with crowds of people all over the world, certainly all over our country, taking to the streets to protest against Israel for simply existing. Meanwhile, a terrorist group cries foul while hiding behind women and children because they’re, in fact, cowards (here’s looking at you, Hamas.)
So here it is: I condemn the actions of Hamas. I know, it’s easy to talk big behind the safety of a computer screen and keyboard when I don’t have to face them myself. Unfortunately, I’ve done my time, and my stance is the same now as it was then. Of course, I’ve got memories of scanning for the bad guys looking to blow us up plenty while I was overseas a decade ago. That particular brand of bully waited until we’d pulled out of Iraq before they decided to come out en masse with their black flags and masks. But even though the geography and costumes changed a bit over time, the belief system seems to have stayed the same. There are people out there who would rather kill someone for being different, or for not believing in the same god, or for enjoying a nice pair of pants (Western culture, am I right?) than coexist.
Sadly, back home people are aligning themselves to an ideology whose practice involves taking hostages, targeting civilians, and beheading anyone who disagrees with them. And yet, somehow, the free world is allowing this thought process to infect and spread to places where this simply cannot be allowed. Hamas would throw members of the LGBT community from the rooftops when given the chance, despite people waving rainbow flags everywhere adamantly supporting the war against Israel. Christians would be raped and killed for their values.
How do I know this? These groups like to post videos of burning prisoners alive, throwing people off of buildings, and beheading them simply because they can. Hamas raped their victims and chopped off heads and feet, among other atrocities in the initial attack in October.
How can we support this ideology?
No, this can’t be allowed. Once upon a time we believed in a better way. Our own country was founded on the principles that we’re all created equally and that everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe we once stood by those values. I believe we once defended those values. I cannot ever believe that these values will be allowed to exist in a world where men who pursue power gain it through fear and oppression. Terrorism is the act of a coward who would attempt to gain for himself the world even if it cost him the same. The terrorist knows nothing of the value of life, or he denies its existence, because if he did, he wouldn’t fight from behind a barricade made of innocent women and children. He wouldn’t attack civilians and instill fear in those around him to gain his foothold; he wouldn’t take women and children as hostages. He certainly wouldn’t blow up hospitals, his own or others.
No, Hamas cannot be supported, which means those who support Hamas also can’t be supported. I stand by Israel as a free country, and I’ll stand by their right to live peacefully without fear of attack from anyone who wishes to wipe them from the earth again.
It’s as simple as that. For some reason there are people out there who want to pretend that Israel is the bad guy in this situation, and that Hamas gets to play the part of the victim. People are losing their jobs for voicing support for Israel, our ally, in the wake of the ungodly crimes Hamas enacted on innocent civilians—which included children, if I need to remind someone.
War is never clean, let’s be very clear on that. If Israel pulls a dirty move, I’ll be right here ready to condemn any atrocious act of theirs just as much as I’ll condemn Hamas. Atrocities shouldn’t go unjudged, no matter who the accused is, but standing beside a group who intentionally destroys out of hate while condemning those who are defending themselves shows how blind we as a country have become. It’s time to wake up and realize that our morals are slipping, and if we don’t adjust them soon, we might not be able to recover.
Pray to God it’s not too late.
