Not your terrorist

“Everyone is a terrorist when the oppressor labels them that way.” Dr. BLR

 

No matter what you say or how you try to spin it, I am not the terrorist. This is a common defense for those labeled the “boogeyman.” However, when the truth is revealed, the exposure is apparent but not surprising. As long as I have paid attention to this issue, the powerful have always chosen those individuals or groups who carry the label. 

Historically, poorer countries have been looted and robbed of their natural resources by occupying forces for their own benefit. This has been a common practice, and no one is allowed to complain until those affected say enough is enough; therefore, they continue what they do.

Often, the colonizer destroys infrastructure and communities mainly to push an agenda that maintains control. They then make it seem as if others are to blame, but enough of the nonsense. Let’s look at the evidence. 

The U.S. has participated in many wars over the past century. It often targets weaker enemies and labels them as terrorists to rally public support and justify deploying its powerful weapons as a demonstration of force. The companies that produce these weapons are part of the system that fuels corruption and exploits American citizens. Never, in my lifetime, has our government faced a truly deserving adversary. The enemies have mostly been Black and Brown communities, which makes it easier to sell the conflicts. 

The tragic events of 9/11 exemplify deception. Conspiracy theories circulate about who’s responsible, but credible evidence suggests it might have been an inside job. Countless innocent lives were lost, and thousands of naive Americans died believing they were expendable victims. We can’t keep hiding the truth and then acting surprised. In fact, we might even be the terrorists we blame others for being. 

Some believe that America is controlled by a small, powerful group that influences every part of government and major industry. A quick look suggests this might indeed be true. However, discussing this publicly and naming the group is self-defeating. A review of this group’s actions would lead any rational person to label them as a terrorist organization, but because they are shadowed by a superior military force, exposing them is frowned upon.

People might wonder how they get away with the nonsense. We can only look at the media and entertainment industry. It is no secret that behind most of the information shown in the news or on screens, there is the previously mentioned, unnamed group. Let me pause here for a moment. 

Growing up, I often wondered why people who looked like me were usually the ones labeled as drug dealers, addicts, criminals, and so on. If we didn’t control the narrative, the outcome was probably predictable. So, it makes sense that the label permanently assigned to us is intentional. That’s why I’ve always been seen as the homegrown terrorist, in a sense. 

In other communities, the same label is also used. If you think about it, why is the “terrorist” in most modern movies usually portrayed as a Brown person? Is it just an accident or intentional? The question is rhetorical, but you get my point. 

Eventually, the non-aligned groups must educate themselves and stop causing psychological harm. Younger generations seem to understand this and have moved away from their parents’ old ways of thinking. Social media and the Internet give them the tools to become critical thinkers and question the propaganda they are exposed to. 

I refuse to be your terrorist because I’ve seen what you’ve done and what you’re still capable of doing. Challenging you may lead to unforeseen consequences, but your genie is already out of the bottle. You’ve been exposed, and I hope that sooner rather than later, your way of living, thinking, and actions will be stopped, discarded into the sea, and hopefully never seen again. Fingers crossed.