History can be simplified into a series of narratives, human journeys, and eras defined by centers of power and ideas. Further simplification can reduce history into a struggle of good versus evil, of the strong versus the weak, of the haves versus the have nots, of us against them. But underlying many of these simplistic characterizations is an underlying prejudice by one race against another due to the self appointed and arrogant superiority of ethnicity, religion, and color. Arrogance, Ignorance, and a lack of "talking" breeds prejudice and fear of the other. As the famous Islamic Caliphate Ali bin Aba Talib (RA) in the seventh century said of human nature "We Fear What We Don't Know." The Three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, believe, we are all created by the one God, all descendents from the same man and woman, thus logically human nature and behavior is similar. Unlike Thomas Friedman's opinion (New York Times, September 21) that America has failed to explain its narrative to the Arab and Islamic world, the Muslim world will disagree and say that in fact the political, economic, military, and cultural narrative has been only one way, from America to the Muslim world. The Muslim world doesn't "hate" and envy our freedoms, wealth, and culture of worldly lust and passions, quite the opposite and sadly they desire to emulate America's immoral cultural decline. They seek our democracy but tragically it is us, America, that prevents their democratization supporting corrupt Un-Islamic regimes to serve our greed out of fear that true Islamic governments will be less compliant to our interests of cheap oil, resources, and military bases. From Turkey, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Lebanon, Yemen, and Pakistan, America supports oppression of Islamic parties and massive human rights abuses. Even in the poorest Islamic nations people are drinking America's Coke, Alcohol, and Cigarettes while simultaneously dying in huge numbers by American weapons out of sight of our cameras and reporters. The third world has come to one simple conclusion: If you're dark skinned, poor, and a non-Christian or Jew, you're not worthy of life, justice, or reparations according to America and Europe, as was amply demonstrated in the Durban Racism Conference. It is after all a "White" man's world and if the white man conquers or enslaves you, steals your land and resources, it is simply done as a civilizing favor. So spare the white man your tears and anguish or else--strategies currently followed in America and Israel. Indeed, the world is divided into good and evil, civilized and uncivilized; but the definer of such catastrophic terms is the white man. America defines and decides who and what is terrorism. The State Department's list of terror groups basically decides who lives, dies, gets sanctioned and impoverished. Not surpassingly, the majority of the list are "Islamic Terrorist" groups, mainly those involved in conflict with Israel. If the white man kills you it's a rational civilized behavior of self defense , if the dark skinned fight back it's terrorism worthy of more killing.

The unspeakable terrorism that shook and unified America presents us with a forked road of response. One road is "instinctual" the other is "rational, logical, and civilized." Our overwhelming rage at the loss of loved ones and citizens cries for revenge and blood shed, striking blindly at an unknown, un-indicted enemy that according to our President is spread across 60 nations, one third of the world. To some the short term carpet killing of third world nations (although terrorism breeds in "civilized" nations as well) will allegedly bring peace and justice to their souls. To others, hopefully the silent majority, such indiscriminate genocide goes against our national founding based on freedom and justice (disregarding slavery and genocide against Native Americans) and our very Constitution: "WE the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish JUSTICE.." Such reasoned people say show us the evidence for your "crusade", let us bring to justice the accused and not kill the innocents, let us have a rational dialogue as to "why they hate us" not just be railroaded by political opportunists in the media and government intent on wide scale war to settle scores that can only beget violent reactions Let us show the "restraint" we demand in other conflicts, let's assess if our policies here and abroad are causing pain and injustice to others. Let's make sure nations are not using us for their political ends, and let's begin a civilized dialogue as how to address persistent world problems that we maybe contributing too such as population growth (no family planning funds), pollution (abandoning the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty), and poverty (one third of all our foreign aid goes to the 16th richest nation on earth--Israel). No overwhelming military force has ever ended terrorism. No success was achieved by England in Ireland, Russia in Chechnya, India in Kashmir, Indonesia in East Timor, and above all Israel in Palestine and Lebanon. Insanely we maybe fulfilling the self prophesied "Clash of Civilizations" between the West and the Islamic world. Who will benefit from such a war between the Christian Islamic world? Certainly not the human race.

In his speech to Congress President Bush missed a golden opportunity to lead America and the world in the noble pursuit of justice and peace. He was a crusader with a mission to get Bin Laden "dead or alive." He presented the world with a simplistic option, either you're with us or against us in our fight to eliminate terrorism and their state supporters, defining us as the good, the innocent who only want peace and prosperity in the world, the sinless nation. If others hit us they are bad, if we or are allies hit you, we are good. He mistakenly marginalized the United Nations (as we've done for decades until we need Resolutions to kill as in Iraq, Serbia), Russia and China and neglected Canada as our friend. He jeopardized moderate Arab regimes perceived as American puppets. Most importantly, he avoided providing hope and leadership to the many conflicts in the Islamic world that America is directly or indirectly involved in, such as Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir, Sudan, Iran, Libya, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Chechnya. Such courage and resolve would do more to eliminate terrorism than any overwhelming military force that may backfire in the very region we have paramount national interests. It was a missed opportunity to tell Israel and the Palestinians that the U.S. will seek a final settlement based on UN Resolution 242. No grander pain permeates the Islamic world than the daily suffering of Palestinians and desecration of the Holy Mosque in Jerusalem with our money and weapons. To Muslims, America has elevated Israel above international law, above UN Resolutions used to otherwise decimate Iraqi children, and above reproach for human rights violations. America has the courage to kill, does it have the courage to fight for justice.

Our leaders have only further inflamed our national passion for revenge at a time when resolute rational leadership is demanded. President Bush's speech was a call for war because Americans tragically died and three American "houses" were demolished. However when Palestinians follow America's lead for retaliation when they die and their homes are demolished they are called terrorists in need of Israeli discipline with F-16's and Apache helicopters to "quiet" them. Again, the white world makes that judgment.

Gabriel Koko, in "Confronting the Third World" states: "The fundamental assumption that the United States retains the right and obligation to intervene in the Third World in any way it ultimately deems necessary, including military, remains an article of faith among the people who guide both political parties."

America is willing to spend another one trillion dollars on its military to provide it security and freedom from fear. On the contrary, America's freedom from fear lies in its freedom from domestic special interest groups, lies in it's active education and involvement in world affairs, lies in its pursuit of peace and justice worldwide, lies in its respect and equal treatment of all races, lies in the expenditure of wealth on impoverished not wealthy nations, lies in restoring respect and support to the United Nations and implementing its Resolutions, lies in abandoning its arrogance and the logic of power, lies in supporting true democratization worldwide and abandoning regimes of oppression. Only then will America truly be the beacon of hope, peace, and prosperity.