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The Twin Towers of Peace and Justice

An Augustinian Reflection on Acts of Terrorism

The only true remedy for terrorism is to remove its causes. Acts of revenge will not cure hatred.

In order to eliminate the evil scourge of terrorism it is necessary to address the problems and situations in which terrorism is cultivated.

You can eliminate millions of mosquitoes and millions more will take their place. You have to dry the [standing water] that breeds them.

In this case, the [standing water] is poverty and exclusion that engulf the lives of so many people. As does the denial of human dignity, the lack of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, intolerable refugee situations and oppression. All these are breeding ground only waiting to be exploited by terrorists.

In place of the magnificent buildings so tragically destroyed in New York, along with the many lives interrupted and damaged as a consequence, now is the time to make plans for the twin towers of peace and justice to be built.

Sixteen centuries ago, while the Roman Empire was crumbling, Augustine reflected on the edification of society on Christian values. His thought is captured in The City of God, but it is also reflected in his preaching and other writings, as well as his effort to organize communities around the Gospel principles.

His wisdom enlightens us again today:

"Mercy and truth have met: justice and peace have kissed each other." Do justice, and you shall have peace; that justice and peace may kiss each other. For if you do not love justice, you shall not have peace; for those two, justice and peace, love one another, and kiss one another so that the one who has done justice may find peace embracing justice. They are two friends: you perhaps desire the one, and not the other: for there is no one who does not desire peace: but all will not work for justice.

Ask everyone, do you desire peace? With one voice the whole human race answers: I wish, I desire, I want, I love peace. Love also justice: for these two, justice and peace are friends; they kiss one another: if you do not love the friend of peace, peace itself will not love you, nor come to you.

For how extraordinary is it to desire peace? Every bad person longs for peace. For peace is a good thing. But do justice, for justice and peace kiss one another, they do not quarrel among themselves. --Commentary on Psalm 85, 9

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan gives this insight into the situation:

"One is tempted to say that we must now focus all our energies on the struggle against terrorism, and on directly related issues. Yet if we should do so, we will be giving the terrorists a victory of a kind.

Let us remember that none of the issues that faced us on 10 September has become less urgent. The number of people living on less than one dollar a day has not decreased. The numbers dying of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other preventable diseases have not decreased. The factors that cause the desert to advance, biodiversity to be lost, and the Earth's atmosphere to warm have not decreased. --Address to the UN General Assembly on November 10, 2001

John Paul II addressed the issue recently and made the following appeal:

At this opportune time I ask Catholics to live next December 14 as a day of fasting, on which to pray fervently to God to grant the world stable peace, based on justice and make it possible to find adequate solutions to the many conflicts that travail the world. May what is saved by fasting be put at the disposal of the poor, especially those who suffer at this moment the consequences of terrorism and war.