Americans can see or hear about dozens of terrorist acts every day. They can tune in to their favorite TV shows or go to the local cinema and be bombarded with violence and mayhem endlessly. Perhaps these events should be called “virtual terrorism.” Consider this as you read more.
Americans can also, of course, tune in to media outlets that are continuous accounts of terrorist acts. These accounts describe suicide bombers, mass slaughter of innocent civilians, car bombs, and much more. The most disturbing terrorist acts at the moment involve public beheadings of reporters or other civilians who happen to be in the path of Islamic radicals in ungoverned parts of Iraq or Syria. Reaction to these beheadings has brought a sense of revulsion to new highs. Words to describe them seem inadequate, though they include “barbarian,” “uncivilized,” “heinous,” “depraved,” and “wicked.” If a single word were to be used to describe terrorist acts, it would be EVIL. Defining terrorism and discussing its relationship to morality may lead to less heat and more light on the subject.
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