Cultural Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural Critique - Essay Example Jihad (holy, or religious, war) is waged by the mujahideen (‘strugglers’ or Muslim fighters). Jihad is now commonly linked with terrorism Terrorism (anti-state, state-sponsored, religious, etc.) has existed in every nation, state and society in some form or the other (physical, emotional, psychological, economic, biological, etc.) since times immemorial. It is inherently latent in basic human nature, only it varies in degree and form from individual to individual and situation to situation. Terrorism can be traced back to the ‘Before Common Era’, a non-religious alternative to the use of BC in designating the first period of the Gregorian Calendar. According to Encyclop?dia Britannica Online, â€Å"The ancient Greek historian Xenophon (c. 431–c. 350 BC) wrote of the effectiveness of psychological warfare against enemy populations. Roman emperors such as Tiberius (reigned ad 14–37) and Caligula (reigned ad 37–41) used banishment, expropr iation of property, and execution as means to discourage opposition to their rule.† The thread of terrorism relentlessly stretched and â€Å"In the summer of a.d. ... nce by local whites in a campaign of terrorist violence that overthrew the reconstructionist governments in the American South and re-established segregation† (Bryant 2002) and in â€Å"1898, 10 September, Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria of Austria-Hungary (commonly called "Sisi") was stabbed to death by a young Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni, in Geneva† (New York Times 7). Terrorist and destructive activities have been perpetrated by almost every sect and culture, be they in the garb of the Crusades (One to Nine), activities of the Jewish Zealots known as Sicarii, anti-colonial conflict between Ireland and the UK, Algeria and France and Vietnam and France and the United States, conflict between national groups such as Palestinians and Israelis, fighting between religious denominations such as Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, internal conflicts between revolutionary forces and established governments such as the successor states of the former Yugoslavia , Indonesia, the Philippines, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Peru, fundamentalist religious ideological strifes such as ?amas and al-Qaeda, suicide bombing tactics by ?amas and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, terrorist activities of the Japanese Red Army, Puerto Rican FALN, Palestine Liberation Organization, among others. It is amply evident that terrorism is not an exclusive trait of any particular socio-religious group, sect, nationality, etc. It is the manifestation of the frustrations of disgruntled maniacal or brainwashed minds which have been cunningly manipulated to serve the interests of terrorists in carrying out destructive acts. Terrorist has no face, persona, religion or morals. His only identity is terror. He is a misguided and misdirected, indeed mentally captivated, ‘victim’ primed for