International Politics

Letting the Enemy Win 

Mitchell Harris 

Ankara, Turkey 

March 23, 2016 


C-51 is an act of terror sign

With the recent terrorist attacks in Mali, Paris, and Ankara, people around the globe are anticipating more activity from groups like Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and the infamous Islamic State. Governments in countries like Belgium have issued statements warning its citizens to avoid large crowds, suspicious bags and popular destinations such as restaurants, shopping centres and tourist attractions. France has invoked martial law, which establishes a nation-wide curfew, and allows officers to search citizens without warrant and detain suspects for extended periods of time. The government of Canada has ramped up its fight against terrorism with the controversial Bill C-51, giving police agencies greater powers in wire-tapping, detention and surveillance, while candidates for the leadership of the GOP in the United States have come out in favour of surveillance measures targeting Muslims and people of Arabic descent.

Worldwide, it seems, the threat of terrorism is instilling great fear and invoking legislative measures which hinder freedom and increase security.

These aforementioned terrorist groups share common methods of inflicting terror - they detonate car bombs on busy streets, send suicide bombers into crowded areas, shoot indiscriminately into bustling cafes, and record atrocities such as executions and mass murder for the world to see. They do this because they share common goals: instilling fear in people who oppose their values and worldview, and inhibiting their ability to carry out their daily lives.

When these groups succeed in achieving their goals, the innocent citizens of free countries suffer drastic repercussions: their governments invoke rash laws which exchange freedom for security in an attempt to prevent attacks before they are committed; people become reluctant to leave the safety of their homes; and minority groups associated with terrorism become persecuted socially and legislatively.

But by changing our daily routines, supporting and passing laws which discriminate against minorities, and living in constant fear of an impending attack, we give these terrorists exactly what they want. We are allowing them to negatively alter our lifestyles, corrupt the values we share and of which our countries were built upon, and inhibit the freedom we deserve. We are handing them the victory without a shot being fired upon us.

As exhibited in countries like Hungary, which has closed off its borders to refugees desperately seeking freedom, when we allow the terrorists to win we fail to do what is right and what is just - we become racists; we become shortsighted; we become obsessed with, unjustifiably, exchanging our freedom for increased security.

Therefore, we cannot falter in the face of terrorism. We must spit at it. We must refuse to allow the enemy to change the way we view each other, minorities, and the world. Of course, we should increase measures to stamp out terrorism at its root - whether it be by restricting and banning firearms and explosive materials, securing our borders against illegal weapons trades, combating these organizations abroad and at home, or putting an end to state-sponsored terrorism by countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. But we should not and cannot allow these groups to prevent us from carrying out our daily lives, and detrimentally affect the freedoms and values we share.

If we let the enemy win, we let ourselves lose.

The views and opinions expressed in all articles are those of the author alone. They do not reflect the positions of the author's current or previous employers, any organization to which the author belongs, or The Young Canadian Media.