After Terrorist Attack, It Is An Ideological Fight We Face

+Wonderful World

Figuring out what to do in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack is difficult. People feel they need to do something.

I would much rather people change their profile pics to show support and solidarity with the French people than to spread hate-filled, divisive, frankly racist language directed toward Muslims in general or advocate for the immediate invasion of countries where ISIL fighters happen to currently reside. 

Despite the extremely long time that we've been facing this ideological fight against terrorism, we are only in the early stages of that fight. It's like a hydra because it is ideological. You can't just bomb an idea out of existence. It resides in the hearts and minds of people.

+Wonderful World 

We've cut off the head of Al Qaeda a couple of times. Now we have ISIL. As a country and a world we've yet to really figure out how to actually fight or even diagnose the root causes of this ideology. In fact, many people within our country and within our government help feed and grow this ideology through their rhetoric based on hatred and fear. 

Until we examine the entire enemy of the ideology that we face, root, stem, fighters, leaders, and ideas, we will continue to throw away our blood and treasure.