Terrorists are our new witches - at least in the West. Growing up in the village in Cameroon, one of the things we were scared of was witches. Witches, we were told, we very stealthy and one may never be sure of when they would strike. They were always plotting, waiting for the opportune moment to do in the unwary. People who were known witches or associated with witches were at best treated with suspicion or at worst exiled from the village. Witches, like terrorists, were dangerous to the body politic. Witches were seen as the greatest threat to the village. Even though witches have bodies, they are often amorphous because it was not clear when and how one might strike. In fact, witches are spiritual in nature not only because they enlist unseen means to carry out their unholy activities but also because they could hardly be detected. In some African villages, there are witch-finders who are in charge of sniffing out those who are witches and neutralizing their malicious powers.
In a sense, the fear of witches found in some African villages is the same as the fear of terrorists in the context of the modern West. I encountered this fear when I first arrived in the United States. I came to this country when a person alleging to be planning terrorist activities was arrested on the border between the United States an Canada. I do not remember the name of this person but his picture was all over the TV and I could feel the fear of terrorism in the air. Since then, 9/11 has happened and there have been many other terrorist acts all over the world. However, one thing that has remained constant with all these activities is fear. Terrorists in the West are like witches in many African villages because these terrorists are seen as waiting to pounce at any moment, taking limb or life, paralyzing, maiming or killing. Terrorists are spoken of as if they are spirits - they appear to be hovering around waiting for the unguarded moment. Those associated with terroristic activities, like those associated with witches, are at best treated with suspicion. Right now, much is being expended on the equivalence of witch-finders but we call them counter-terrorism experts.
In many African villages, however, the fear of witches has not gone away but there has been evolution of witch-finders from traditional to Christian witch-finders. One wonders whether the fear of terrorism will go away in the West or whether, like the fear of witches in many African villages, it will continue to rule our lives.
In a sense, the fear of witches found in some African villages is the same as the fear of terrorists in the context of the modern West. I encountered this fear when I first arrived in the United States. I came to this country when a person alleging to be planning terrorist activities was arrested on the border between the United States an Canada. I do not remember the name of this person but his picture was all over the TV and I could feel the fear of terrorism in the air. Since then, 9/11 has happened and there have been many other terrorist acts all over the world. However, one thing that has remained constant with all these activities is fear. Terrorists in the West are like witches in many African villages because these terrorists are seen as waiting to pounce at any moment, taking limb or life, paralyzing, maiming or killing. Terrorists are spoken of as if they are spirits - they appear to be hovering around waiting for the unguarded moment. Those associated with terroristic activities, like those associated with witches, are at best treated with suspicion. Right now, much is being expended on the equivalence of witch-finders but we call them counter-terrorism experts.
In many African villages, however, the fear of witches has not gone away but there has been evolution of witch-finders from traditional to Christian witch-finders. One wonders whether the fear of terrorism will go away in the West or whether, like the fear of witches in many African villages, it will continue to rule our lives.
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