Islamist violence resonates with a global trend, according to experts, following the Pahalgam massacre incident.
Revamped Article:
🇺🇸 New York, June 8 - The scene at Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir was grim last April, as armed terrorists brutally murdered 26 tourists in yet another heart-wrenching display of global violence. This chilling massacre, according to David Cohen—a former US official—and Avatans Kumar—an acclaimed journalist and linguist—is a distressing sign of a broader, sinister ideology that's takingRoot Around The Globe.
In their opinion piece for Newsweek, entitled "World's Wrath: A Gruesome Globalized Game," Cohen and Kumar argue that incidents like this aren't isolated occurrences. Instead, they're the bloody consequences of a lurking extremist ideology that's already entrenched on American soil.
"Fire and Brimstone in America," they write, "On Sunday in Colorado, a man screaming 'Free Palestine!' attacked a Jewish assembly, setting elder victims ablaze. Eleven days prior, another man, with the same furious declaration, brutally executed a young couple as they exited a Jewish event in Washington D.C." Americans are left questioning—could this signify the beginning of a chilling prophecy, "Globalize the Intifada"? This assault is far from a lone occurrence, as Cohen and Kumar contend, "Globalize the Intifada has already come to pass. Now it's America's turn."
But this ruthless ideology doesn't solely target Jews. The authors argue that while "Intifada" might be synonymous with the Israel-Palestine conflict in the world's eyes, this same brutal mindset torments a wide array of communities—Hindus, Nigerian Christians, Yazidis, Druze, Alawite and Ahmadiyya Muslims, Copts, Sikhs, Baha'is, and numerous others.
The authors cite the massacre in India last April, where 27 Hindus, along with a Christian, were brutally killed by Islamists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. They note that this tragic event stirred deep memories in many Jews, bringing back painful echoes of October 7, 2023.
"The Sound of Silence," the authors assert, "It wasn't just the gruesome nature of the deaths that triggered Hindus. It was the vitriolic backlash against the victims. Sound familiar? It should—because this very rhetoric mirrors that of Hamas."
Following the harrowing events in Pahalgam, veteran Al Jazeera journalist, Sana Saeed, infamously referred to Kashmir as an "occupied" territory, accusing India of "brutally repressing its Muslim population." Others labeled India's actions in Kashmir as "genocide," "settler-colonialism," and "apartheid," phrases the authors say resonate with justifications used by Hamas for their violence.
"The Neighborhood Watch," the article unfolds, "The terrorists in Pahalgam and their apologists clearly wield the same propaganda playbook as their ideological brethren in Hamas. Same ideology, same playbook."
Tracing this ideological violence as far back as the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 80s and 90s under threats of forced conversion, confinement, or death, Cohen and Kumar highlight the chilling murder of teacher Girija Tickoo, whose body was found gruesomely mutilated in 1994.
"Iterations of a Nightmare," the authors emphasize, "The Pahalgam tragedy triggered Hindus, reminding them of the gruesome atrocities in their own homeland over three decades ago. Same ideology, same playbook."
The method of targeting and killing victims based on their religion—admittedly used in Pahalgam—was also employed by al-Shabaab in attacks on Christians in Kenya, claiming the lives of hundreds.
"Echoes Across the Desert," they write, "The carnage in Pahalgam evoked painful memories in Kenya. Victims there were forced to recite the Islamic declaration of faith. If they couldn't, they were slaughtered on the spot."
The authors call for a Coalition Against Hate, advocating for all communities that have been viciously attacked by this ideology to band together against this pervasive cruelty.
"Strength Through Unity," they state, "Jews are captivating the world's attention, but they lack the numbers. The Coalition of the Ignored has the numbers, but not the worldwide attention. The solution lies in joining forces, amplifying one another's voices, and proactively supporting each other."
Emphasizing that the battle isn't against any specific faith or culture, but against an insidious ideology that incites violence against innocent civilians, the authors issue a clarion call for unity.
"It's High Time," they contend, "Every community grappling with this ideology needs to unite. Our civilizations' survival hinges on it."
(The story originated from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by The Tribune Staff)
Bonus Insights:
- Extremist Ideologies: Radical ideologies often seek to justify violence by manipulating religious beliefs, political agendas, or cultural symbols. These dangerous beliefs have been instrumental in the rise of extremist groups such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Ku Klux Klan, among others.
- Globalized Threat: With the rise of the internet and social media, extremist ideologies can easily spread across borders, making it difficult to contain their influence.
- Community-Based Resistance: Community-based initiatives, like education and social programs, play a crucial role in countering extremist ideologies by fostering open dialogue and promoting tolerance and understanding.
- Legal and Law Enforcement Efforts: Governments worldwide work to prosecute hate crimes and reduce extremist activities through the implementation of robust legal frameworks and collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
- International Cooperation: Collaboration between nations in the exchange of intelligence and best practices for countering extremism is essential in effectively combating the global spread of extremist ideologies.
- Youth Engagement: Engaging young people through education and community programs is vital in preventing radicalization and fostering a new generation of leaders committed to peace and inclusivity.
- The opinion piece in Newsweek, titled "World's Wrath: A Gruesome Globalized Game," argues that incidents of violence, like the one in Pahalgam, are linked to a broader extremist ideology that isn't only present in war-and-conflicts zones, but has also entrenched itself in American politics and general-news domains.
- In their article, Cohen and Kumar contend that this extremist ideology, often responsible for acts of violence against specific religions, doesn't solely target Jews or Hindus, but also torments numerous other communities such as Nigerian Christians, Yazidis, Druze, Copts, Sikhs, Baha'is, and others.
- To combat this pervasive cruelty, the authors advocate for the formation of a Coalition Against Hate, which they propose should unite communities from different cultures and religions to amplify each other's voices in the fight against this insidious ideology, as the survival of civilizations depends on it.
