Terrorism’s ‘elephant in the room’

R J Poole, Lismore

The ‘elephant in the room’ is a metaphoric saying denoting something that is palpable, yet unnoticed.

It refers to an obvious truth or reality that is so large it often goes unseen – until someone points it out.

Western culture has a number of elephants standing in its room, one of which is a cultural arrogance towards other cultures.

This arrogance stems from a long history of conquest and colonisation.

Since the time of Cortez and the first trading caravels, white Europeans have claimed other parts of the world and exploited them for all the cheap labour and cheap resources they’re worth.

This process has changed over the years and nowadays is more commonly seen in the form of puppet governments and corporate licenses.

The West has learned you don’t have to actually occupy a country to have control over their affairs!

Along with our economic and military domination however, has come a cultural attitude that views other people as somehow less worthy, less important. Initially, this view centred on skin colour and our (perceived) technical superiority, but these days it often manifests as indifference.

Our media convulses over the recent shootings in Paris, yet largely ignores drone attacks in locations around the globe. Attacks that often miss their intended target, killing innocent men, women and children!

A recent report by the human-rights group Reprieve, says these killings are fuelling extreme groups and violent reprisals.

So the elephant in the room with terrorism appears to be our own terror. When we kill it’s for justifiable reasons, to defend the weak, to defend freedom. But when others kill it’s an act of unspeakable horror.

Perhaps the big picture we’re not seeing is that murder begets murder and it’s all equally bad news regardless!

R J Poole, Lismore