The Rise of Extremist Politics - How the Terrorists Are Winning

When America was attacked on 9/11, it was the first time many of us had seen the face of extremism. A group had drawn a hard, unyielding ideological line, and we were the ‘enemy’ on the other side of that line. Following the typical extremist train of thought, we had to be destroyed.

Since then, I have seen the tenor of American politics become more and more shrill and divisive. Our reaction to those who only saw in black and white has been to become as polarized ourselves. I could feel it coming the first time I heard “you’re either with us, or you’re against us” from our government, and a chill ran up my spine as I recalled the same “logic” being used as propaganda in Germany at the outset of World War II.

Since when have we forgotten the principles that founded this country? Principles that, regardless of religion, background, or culture, should be held sacred here. Principles that are echoed in statements like “All men are created equal,” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.” These are great words, but more than just words, they should guide our actions.

There are those that say that any compromise is tantamount to surrender, that we are in constant danger, and that any means are justified to eliminate those dangers and those who would seek to harm us. I realize that there are dangers and dangerous people out there, but if we discard the principles that make us what we are, then we are no better than the extremists who seek to harm us. We have become what we hate. In the name of defending our way of life, we are giving up the very things that we are fighting for.

We can and will defend ourselves, but we should do so without torture, without illegal search and seizure, without illegal wiretaps, without discarding the rights that so many have fought so hard for. We will defend ourselves, but we will do so while still honoring the freedoms that make this country great. We will defend ourselves, but we must not allow ourselves to become the very thing that we are trying to defend ourselves against…

When we become just as exclusionary and narrow minded as they are, the terrorists win.

When we use fear and hate as reasons to discard our liberties, the terrorists win.

When we fight extremism with extremism, the terrorists win.