On Terrorism...

R. Uncle Melvyn?

M. Mm?

R. What do you think about Terrorism?

M. Beware of -isms and -ists.

R. What?

M. (Puts his book down) How does anything turn into an -ism?

R. Don’t ask me. Does it matter?

M. Powerful people can insult people they don’t like by granting them an -ism.

R. What’s that got to do with terrorists who blow people up because of their faith?

M. Take someone like Jomo Kenyatta….

R. Who?

M. Jomo Kenyatta. We chucked him in gaol because he was head of the Mau-Mau who were trying to throw us Brits out of Kenya as our Empire was shrinking.


R. Then what?

M. We let him out and he was elected President.

R. What’s that got to do with -isms and -ists?

M. We called him a terrorist. That’s what he was to us.

R. But what about all the other-isms: Communism, Socialism, Consumerism etc:

M. There are a bit different, as they all claim to adhere to a common ideology. Sort of.

R. What’s an ideology?

M. A system of beliefs. If we organise things this way the world will be wonderful.
Utopianism. That’s an -ism for you: .

R. But what about blowing up innocent women and children in a crowded market? Terrorists do that.

M. Horrible. It should be stamped out by force if necessary. But is it any worse than being collateral damage from a Cruise missile? Terror is a cheap way of fighting a war if you don’t have the resources.

R. You sound as if you support the terrorists!

M. I’m against all fighting and killing..

R. Even killing to stop killing?

M. I give up! Lets have a mug of tea.

R. And a marmalade toastie, please.