Why Do They Hate Us?
John Michael Talbot - Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Brothers and Sisters,

I am compelled to write you on this, a most tragic day in the history of our nation. You know the news. You have seen it on TV, heard it on the radio, or read about it through the papers and the Internet.

The U.S. has been hit by the worst terrorist attack in our history, and the worst attack on human life and property since Pearl Harbor. A terrorist war has been declared, and our government, and the other governments of the developed democratic world have given a strong answer.

How do we, as Catholic and non-Catholic Christians, and Brothers and Sisters of Charity respond?

First, we must simply grieve this terrible loss of innocent life, and such widespread serious injury. Jesus carried the sins of the world on the cross. We are called to take up our cross and follow Him. This means emptying ourselves of self so that we might truly help carry the weight of the sorrows of others. It means getting rid of all the superficial layers of our personality so that we might do so from the absolute center of our real person and being in God. So grieve my brothers and sisters, and grieve well.

We must also pray for those who have been injured and died, and their families. We pray that Jesus receive the souls of the departed, and comfort those who survive. Only when carrying their sorrows can we really intercede for them in the Intercession and healing of Christ.

We also pray for the many unsung heroes who have exhibited such great courage, love, and charity in the midst of this horrific crisis. Tragedy of such magnitude cuts through the superficial things of life, and gets us right down to the center of our being. Stories abound in the secular media of those who prayed upon their deliverance to safety, or who thanked God for those who survived, or who simply prayed for the thousands in peril during the thick of the crises. Even the anchor people of the major networks were filled with the words, "thank God," and "pray." The usual tough exterior business climate of Manhattan was changed into an outpouring of the best of humanity in the face of humanity's worst.

But we must also ask the more uncomfortable question: Why do the terrorists hate Americans so much? The answer is well known to many. It is nothing short of a revelation to others. It is an affront to some.

There is an understandable controlled collective anger in America, and talk of war and retaliation. A military campaign might solve some immediate problems, but it will not get to the deeper issues that lie at the heart of the terrorists hatred. We should stand behind our president and our nation in a time of war, but we need to recognize the limitations of such military activity in a situation like this. Why are we called, "the Great Satan,' in Islamic countries, a supporter of dictators in Central America, and an addict of material things and illegal drugs in South America? These questions cut more to the heart of the problem. Let us now look at some deeper solutions.

First, we are a major world power, and with that power always comes resentment from the less powerful. Furthermore, the powerful almost always abuse some of their power by the sheer size of it. It is not intentional. It is usually inadvertent. But it is still very real. This is normal in the history of the world.

But this is still too easy of an answer. We are also hated for some deeply legitimate reasons.

Our nation and corporations have a rather tragic record of often supporting an abusive foreign government in order to keep our capitalistic interests insured abroad. This means that we inadvertently abuse the downtrodden and the poor in other parts of the world. Yes, we might want to help them through creating employment in an underprivileged region, or by offering military aid, but often that employment is at almost slave wages, and the military help sometimes creates a disproportionate strength for the unjust government who supports our foreign interests. We rationalize our position easily enough, but deep down inside a person with a developed conscience knows that it isn't just and right.

These things in no way cause us to condone the act of terrorism, but it helps us to understand the motivation of the terrorist. In turn, this can help us to really solve the problem.

It is also important to remember that most of our people doing these things that inadvertently create the environment for terrorism are usually not "bad people." Essentially, most of them are good people. Most really think that they are offering some help to the developing region or nation.

But there is another reason that strikes closer to home. Sometimes our lifestyle itself creates this cycle of injustice. Despite our talk of simple living, we continue with more and more materialistic pursuits that support these same corporations, governments, and movements abroad. The poor get poorer while the rich keep getting richer. The poor finally have enough, so they rise up in rebellion in their own countries. We then grant military aid to that country in order to create stability for our economic interests. Then eventually the various revolutionary movements resort to terrorism directed towards the stronger countries of the world. We become the target. In that case we need to change ourselves before we can really change the situation of terrorism.

So, as Brothers and Sisters of Charity we must take our commitments to poverty, chastity, and obedience most seriously, and find ways to appropriately reform our life in Christ accordingly. These commitments must be reasonable, but they must not be rationalized either. They must have some "teeth' to take a bite out of our typical western lifestyles, and change them for the betterment of all the world, beginning with ourselves.

The most important thing to change in this situation is our heart. St. Francis said that we must have peace in our hearts before we can announce it to anyone else. I agree.

John Michael Talbot