Thankfully, it's over now.
What do I think about it? I heard/read that the terrorists had three aims in mind when they did this attack:
- Harm India's economy by making it seem like a dangerous place to do business in.
- Harm India's Tourism Industry, by striking fear in foreign and domestic tourist, right at the start of the season.
- Foment ill will between Hindu's and Muslims thereby de-stabilizing the economy.
What's the best way to stick it to these guys, their minders and whoever else is linked to this?
I'm too scared to join the army. I'll accept that. So, what else can I do? Here's what I'm planning to do.
Work a little extra. I know it sounds ridiculous, but think about it. If a third of our population in the service industry picks up the pace, pushes productivity, turns out even greater profits, this attack's aim is nullified. Terrorists will realize there's no point trying stunts of the sort they did, because India only comes back the next day and works even harder. Makes better products, writes more code, handles more clients.
Vote. Enough said about this one. Get off your ass, quit complaining and vote.
Crass as this might sound, Have Fun! Go out, meet with friends, catch a movie, visit a mall. Go on a vacation!
Don't change your habits. That is exactly what terrorists want. They want you to be terrorized. And nothing will sadden them more than to see that people really seem to bother much and carry on living. Greatest example I saw of this attitude was a gentleman who had brought his 2 year old kid outside Taj on Saturday evening. A TV anchor asked him if he felt safe to come to this place, this scene of carnage. With this child.
He gave a huge wide grin and said - "I'm not scared at all."
Take that terrorists!
Stop pointing fingers at Muslims in general. While it is true the terrorists were Muslims, it is also true that the reason they pretended to be "Deccan Mujahideen" is so we in India can kill each other and undo the enormous progress we've made in 60 years of Independence.
My visit to two Arab countries earlier this year (Jordan and Egypt) opened my eyes already and now, I believe more than ever, that a handful of rotten apples are indeed bringing an entire religion down. I can only imagine how hard it must be for a moderate, liberal, educated Muslim right now. Shamed and suspected for no fault of theirs.
I'll leave you with two pieces of writing.
Suketu Mehta, wrote this, in New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/
But the best answer to the terrorists is to dream bigger, make even more money, and visit Mumbai more than ever.
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought
and action--
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
-- Rabindranath Tagore
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