On April 15th, 2013, two pressure cooker explosives were detonated near the end of the annual Boston marathon. The suspects, two brothers by the names of Tamerian and Dshokar Tsarnev, were part of a localized Islamic extremist group. They left a total of four dead in their wake, along with 280 spectators, and officers wounded.

But now, even 22 days later, the events of this horrific, ‘American Tragedy’, are all but a forgotten nightmare. With the exception of the family members of those who were lost. An atrocity in itself.

Again, in the early morning of September 11, 2001, 19 Islamic extremists belonging to the terrorist group known as al-Qaeda, took control of four passenger flights to be used in a suicide mission against the American people. On the same morning two of those panes were used in the bombing of the North and South towers of the world trade center. Within several hours both buildings had been reduced to ruble. At the same time another of the four flights was crashed into the Pentagon. Which in turn lead to a partial collapse of the western side. The fourth of the flights, was aimed for the United States Capitol Building. But due to the act of heroism, by the passengers of flight 93, the plane missed its target and was landed in a field in Shanks Ville Pennsylvania. In all, a total of almost 3,000 people were killed, including the 227 civilians and, the 19 hijackers aboard those planes. For most of the American people, this day only crosses their mind on 9/11 day of remembrance.


These are two relatively recent acts of terrorism against the American people, which is why we know about them. But what about other countries, and their horrific experiences with the cold blade of terror.

In Elie Wiesels’ Night. He, his family and many other Jewish people are forced into many horrible positions, whether it be the over crowded prison blocks, or the cold dark corners of the gas chamber, where you can see the claw marks of desperation on the walls. A last ditch hopeless attempt to survive, sadly in vain. For four years Elie and his father lived under the oppressive fist of the Aryan government. This event, the systematic mass extermination, of the Jewish people would come to be known as the holocaust, and for those lucky souls who survived, they will forever be plagued by the madness, that they were forced to live through. And for what, simply because a mad mans dream of a pure race of human beings. No. Because a man wanted to prove him self in an act of desperation. In an act of terrorism.

But what is Terrorism, well to understand what it is, one must go further back to its origin. The definition of its root ‘terror’ refers to extreme fear. For some terror is a tool used to rally troops, for others a weapon to destroy nations. For Hitler and his followers terror was his weapon his ’right-hand man’. But on the other side of the spectrum Sir Winston Churchill, a firm believer in winning at all costs, once said “Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; . Mr. Churchill speaks of terror as though it should not be feared at all and the only thing that he, and his men should fear is the loss of victory. He believed this so much so that he went on to say. “for without victory, there is no survival.” The subject, and the tool of terror are quite easily recognized in the topic of war. But other less seasoned persons would come to hold the same beliefs.

Edgar Allan Poe, a famous American writer shared similar ideals with Mr. Churchill, and said, “I have, indeed, no abhorrence of danger, except in its absolute effect - in terror.” Poe chooses the same methods of somewhat dry mockery as those of Churchill. He confesses that the idea of danger is mad unless of course it is in its purest form, which is also when it should be feared the most.

What the Nazi party did to the Jewish people was nothing less than a human atrocity. But it was the terror that gave the movement its power.

What many do not know is that, the same terror that was used all of those years ago is still used today. Not only in America but in countries like Afghanistan where over the course of January of this year over 19 terrorist attacks had been committed. Leaving hundreds of men women and children dead. One attack was focused on 28 Shia pilgrims. Or in countries like Africa, where the notorious local terrorist group the Boko Haram, leave many afraid to leave their homes at night.

These events are real, every day hundreds of thousands of innocent men and women…. Children, are killed. But for the average American, the scope of our vision can not even see past our flat screen TV’s. Which is why books like Elie Wiesels, Night, are so important for us to read. So that the American people can understand what it is like to watch a little boy die when he does not deserve it. So we may truly comprehend what Wiesel is saying when he said. “Don’t think, don’t stop. Run!” If a nineteen year old man can give himself the courage to run with the cold barrel of a rifle barring down on the nape of his neck for forty-seven miles. Then we to should be able to at least honor him, by never forcing anyone else to ever go through something like this ever again. For he and Madame Schechter a women accused of going mad, whilst exclaiming, “Fire! I can see a Fire! I can see a fire!” relentlessly until she is finally beaten into silence. For all of those poor souls who had to endure the walk of shame after arriving at the camp. We must never forget, even if it means reliving every painstaking detail.

These acts happen every single day, and the men and women who are responsible for them deserve no mercy. But is it entirely their fault, they did not have horrific privilege of reading several first hand accounts of holocaust survivors, or other attack survivors. They may not realize entirely, the extent of their damage. Its like when Jean de La Fontaine said. “Dressed in the lions skin, the ass spread terror far and wide.” A person can be dressed up enough to blind them from what they are doing, enough to make them feel invincible. Terror is blind and unwavering. Because terror is not only bombing, it is not only actions. Terror can be found in even the simplest of words. Which is why we as today’s youth, we read these works of literature, it is why we should constantly work to prevent these atrocities from ever coming to light again. So in a way terror is not only a sword to make and break nations. It is not only a quill for pandemonium. It is a shield to be used in the prevention of the acts of desperation known as terrorist attacks.