OPINION:
Candle lighting and congregation in places of worship to honor the deceased following terrorist acts of barbarism demonstrate how much we value life. This is not a ’language’ understood by the terrorists. It is time that Muslim religious leadership from all over the world now proactively take on the task of protecting the tenets of their religion, and either through dialogue or other means restrict the perpetrators of these crimes from use of force against human life.
The Muslim moderates and leaders must not allow denigration of practice of their religion. They must ensure that younger generations of followers of Islam are guided toward better causes than reckless destruction.
What exactly are the deep-seated grievances that these highly misled young individuals harbor? There is a need for transparency at the political-leadership level so that we may have an opportunity for dialogue with the leaders of the groups and religious sects that are producing these people. This may allow them an opportunity to discuss feasible solutions to problems that may seem trivial but end up having disastrous consequences, again and again.
If all else fails, terrorism needs to be forcibly eliminated, just as small pox has been eradicated and other human illnesses will be. I urge us to give ourselves only until the end of 2016 to do this. We may have to go through many painful efforts from now until then but the need to have a peaceful world for our children is non-negotiable.
SANJAY R. JAIN
Associate professor
Morehouse School of Medicine
Atlanta
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