We are under attack. The sophisticated military-style attack which shocked France on January 7 was rightly perceived to be a declaration of war against our values and identity. In the immediate aftermath, the prevailing sentiments were those of confusion, fear and anger.
People are confused because they are told that Islam is a peaceful religion. But then they see these barbaric acts committed in the name of ‘Islam’ and they ask themselves: which is the real Islam?
We also live in fear. If it happened in Paris, it can happen anywhere.
We are also very angry at the total lack of respect for the precious gift of life; that someone could lose a brother, sister, husband at the hands of cowards armed with Kalashnikovs and hatred.
When faced with this level of inhumanity, we feel violated in our own humanity. If the aim of this attack was to ‘shock and awe’ the public, the terrorists succeeded hands down.
They have won the battle. But they have not yet won the war. It all depends on the way we react, as individuals, families and nations, to these barbaric acts.
They win if we repay evil with evil, if in our quest to rightly seek justice, we fall into the trap of inhumanity, where the end justifies the means. They win if we respond to their intolerance with our own version of intolerance, which fails to recognise the inherent dignity of every human being. They win if we oversimplify the debate as one characterised by a clash of faiths and cultures, thus lumping together terrorists with Muslims.
They win if we allow these terrorists poison our minds with thoughts of hatred and revenge. They do not have to win. They should not win.
Instead of sowing more confusion by smearing all Muslims with a terrorist brush, we are called to make the necessarydistinctions and use the force of our arguments more than the brutal force of arms.
Instead of cowering down in fear, this horrible tragedy is a golden opportunity to reaffirm our values of tolerance, freedom and respect for life. Instead of letting our anger blind us, we are invited to stand up and be counted in defence of the inalienable human rights which belong to everyone, irrespective of their race, religion and origin.
It will be a long struggle. But we cannot afford to fall into the trap these terrorists have laid for us and start mirroring their behaviour and inhumanity. We can defeat them by showing that we are not like them, that we are different. Now is the time to show it.