One of the Moscow bombers was a 17 year old women, and the wide spread posting of her photo; the one where is is sitting on her husband's lap holding a revolver, makes me consider her motivations. It is hard to determine whether she was political to the point of suicide before her husband died, though I doubt it. One can fight for a cause without giving their life. I can only assume that after her husbands death, she was manipulated through her sorrow and pain to become a human bomb. I'm sure she was told she would become a martyr and the "cause" would be better for it. For her, it was likely just revenge, one of the most powerful emotions.
Since suicide bombers are not widespread in the Western world, it is hard to understand how someone could use themselves to cause such destruction. Here in the West, we hide behind guns, and in rooms before we cause similar destruction. Is there much difference? Is it because we, in the West, seek approval for our actions? We need the rewards? Or is is because we have morals? We are less passionate about politics or religion?
I am undecided.
I would like to think we don't have suicide bombers because we find it reprehensible, but I know that is untrue. We have done far worse things.
K.
Maybe it is possible that the Western World has just the correct amount of apathy that things are shitty but not shitty to do anything about it. I have never experienced being pushed to the brink. But desperation can lead to what we perceive as incomprehensible. I think that is anyone is at the point they are willing to die for their cause like that, maybe we need to explore that further. This was maybe the only way they felt they could open up dialog. However, I can't justly speak to something like this from my basement apartment in Toronto.
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