Sure leaders should condemn terrorists, but what should they say to would-be terrorists?

[reformist2]

I'm just wondering what - if anything - could be said to make them not go through with it. I know there are no magic words, but just as there are things leaders say that provoke terrorism, there must be things leaders can say that will lessen it.

[Marrah_G]

1. The world should say this to them:

Stop hurting people- Peace

[reformist2]

2. That's a great reply. Who knows what that boy would have grown up to be.

Obviously some terrorists are so consumed with hatred nothing will shake them. But maybe some of them,
if they come across this picture, just maybe, might return to their senses.

[GaYellowDawg]

3. I've seen a Facebook note going around.

A lot of it's crap, so I've cut chunks of it out. And it's pretty awfully jingoistic, but I think there's some truth in it.

When terrorism strikes against us, our people do not rest until the ones responsible are no longer breathing. Further violence against us does not weaken our resolve. It strengthens our resolve.

We are a people who are capable of both great and terrible things. We are capable of great violence. We are capable of terrible things. If you hurt us, we will hurt someone for it. It may be you. It may be the ones you love. It may be your friends, or your organization, or your community, or your country. I do not say this to praise it. I say this because it is true. We, as a people, will not stop until or unless we decide our country is safe. We, as a people, will close our hearts and minds to those who we perceive have harmed us, or those who harbored those who harmed us. Although we are capable of great compassion, we will toss away our compassion in the name of safety for our own. We will burn the rest of the world to ash before we allow anyone to jeopardize us. It is who we are. You awaken that side of us at your peril.


If you want something of the United States, ask. We may give it to you. We may sell it to you. But you will never bomb it out of us. You will never terrorize it out of us. You are murderers, but you are also committing the ultimate act of futility. Once you kill any of us, you will never see your aims, for we will never give in to them so long as you live. We will never bow to terrorists or bombers. Never. We will never bow to violence against our own. We will never meet your demands. We will, in fact, stake out a position against them and hold it at all costs. We will never bow to your country, to your religion, to your beliefs, to your methods, or to you. We will never compromise with you. We will never treat you with anything save enmity. And we will always prevail.