Terrorism, Fear and Thanksgiving

The the past 24 hours, we have seen reports from Mumbai around a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on venues largely populated by Westerners. The news at this time is not good: over 100 killed, hostages still being held in a couple of locations and gunfire and explosions still rocking parts of the city.

Closer to home, federal authorities have received a "plausible but unsubstantiated" report that al Qaeda may have discussed targeting transit systems in or around New York. As a regular NJ Transit commuter, I find this troubling but not surprising. I've been in Penn Station at times where the congestion in the terminal is so terrible due to delays and track problems, that you're literally shoulder to shoulder with hundreds, perhaps even thousands of people. In addition to being extremely annoyed, I can't help but think how such scenarios are like shooting fish in a barrel for suicide bombers. As for safety, you have a handful of cops and dogs looking at people carrying bags and randomly searching some. Given you have a two commuter large train lines (NJ Transit and Long Island Railroad) carrying tons of people with computer bags and backpacks, this seems like a tall order. Maybe I should write a note to the MTA.

During a Thanksgiving Eve dinner we had with some friends in our church, we discussed the feasibility of attacks. Friends of mine suggested the best terrorist targets would be iconic and grand in scale, such as World Series game or taking down the George Washington Bridge. Putting my "terrorist hat" on, I countered that the likelihood of success of such attacks are so low due to heavy security and monitoring. If I were a terrorist, I reasoned, I'd more effectively spread terror by having people fear doing everyday things - taking the train, taking the bus and going to the store. I reminded my friends of how the "D.C. sniper" caused an entire region to fear going out to mow their lawns, pump gas or walk to their car in their parking lot. Why? Those were the activities of some of victims before they were killed by the sniper. That's terrifying.

So what can you do? At the end of the day you pretty much have the choice to (A) be paralyzed by fear and stop living your life, or (B) live your life constantly on edge with sweat pouring down your forehead knowing that you could die at any moment, or the third option: (C) live your life with the appreciation that you could die at any moment, but still live without fear. For a Christian who lives in the reality of the sovereignity and love of God, this option is actually possible. Or as Paul said in Romans "...and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - a verse I asked a Christian sister to read when holding a prayer service in Dallas marooned during 9/11.

And this is, above all, what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. I am so very grateful for my wife, my children, my family, my friends, my health, my possessions, and my job. But if, in this age of global terrorism, I walk in the valley of the shadow of death unbeknownst to me, that peace is priceless.