Hindsight is 20/20. Isn’t that how the saying goes?
If you have been following the news, you’ve heard about the recent tragedies in Brussels, Belgium. Critics of Belgian intelligence claim that with Europe’s porous borders and lack of communication between nations, these heinous acts of terror that killed 31 people and injured 330, were inevitable. Belgian officials are being blamed for their lack of proactivity after they learned ISIS communication webs were present in Belgium, following the catastrophic attacks in Paris a few months back.
I, however, have a different perspective.
With essentially no integration of the Muslim community, Belgium has created a breeding ground for radicalization. Authorities cannot be surprised about the flourishing number of ISIS affiliates present in the country, since followers of Islam are isolated in ghettos and continuously discriminated against. I am by no means discounting the efforts of Belgian authorities, or implying that the absence of interaction and unprotected borders are not a factor, but I am, however, suggesting that the issue is far more contentious than we might assume. I should also clarify that this negative overtone and seclusion of Muslims is not only relevant in Belgium, this can be applied to virtually every European nation.
Turning our attention away from Europe for a moment, let’s refocus on the United States. Think about the heated rhetoric in America concerning the Muslim population. With the presidential election in full swing, candidates on both sides of the aisle are responding to questions about their approach on terror prevention and proposing precautionary measures to implement. Instead of utilizing this time to establish the solidarity of the U.S. behind Belgium, some presidential hopefuls are using the heartbreaking event to validate controversial plans to cease Muslim travel to America based on the claim that Muslims threaten our national security.
Isn’t it obvious that these kind of alienating implications only further the grips of ISIS?
By spreading the ignorance and wrongfully regarding an entire religion as would-be terrorists, we only worsen the general populations’ unjust intolerance of Muslims and in turn, create a catalyst for the spread of radicalism instead of hindering it. We must stop persecuting the religious group and letting the extremism of a few, reflect the image of Muslims as a whole.