Hypocrisy TOWARD Suicide Bombers

The recent attempt to set off a bomb in Times Square by a militant Muslim brought back to the fore, at least in the US, the notion of attacks by ideological militants or zealots.  In particular, it reminded me of the more common method, which is a suicide attack.  The Times Square bomber didn't attempt a suicide attack and didn't even attempt the attack he planned very well.  Had he remained in the vehicle, intent on seeing it through to the end, he may very well have managed to set the bomb off when it started to malfunction.

The recent subway bombings in Moscow are another example of the effectiveness of the suicide bomber.  It basically shows that an intelligent bomb is far more reliable than something planted and detonated from afar.  The Shoe and Underwear bombers appear to contradiction this, but in the context of where they attempted to ignite their bombs, it's understandable they were less than successful (or even willing, after all, why didn't they just go to the bathroom to set it off?).

Of course, the Bush administration once unsuccessfully tried to get us to call them "homicide bombers", which Fox News cheerfully obeyed, in order to bring attention on the effects of the blasts instead of the bombers' sacrifices.  I think that Bush's people suspected what I now suspect about the symbol of the suicide attacker:  it tends to work and we love it.

Suicide attacks are common throughout our literature and film.  We extol the noble sacrificing Hero, especially if his sacrifice takes out a lot of the enemy, or Them.  Remember the movie "Independence Day"?  Remember how it ended?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-fBruIPPxs

Our Hero, played by Randy Quaid, to the sound of swelling music, and looks of concern, longing, and even admiration by the other characters, takes his plane into the belly of the alien ship, just before it's set to fire, causing an explosion which inexplicably chain reacts throughout the entire ship, killing the millions, perhaps billions on board.  We know nothing of the individuals on board, what internal dissent there might have been over the alien leadership's decision to invade.  We only know They are all Bad....and now They are all dead.

Other movies portray it in slightly less stark terms.  For example, "300" has our Heroes standing their ground, knowing they will be slaughtered, only so they can 1. kill as many of Them as possible, and 2. buy their homeland enough time to quit bickering about authorizing military force and give the President the powers to invade Iraq already...err..something like that.

Further still, the suicide bombers in our modern culture are Muslims, pissed off about various things, including their perception of how badly persecuted their fellow Muslims are at the hands of western powers.  Yet, no one seems to remember how the fabled hero of the Bible, Samson, ended his own life in a suicide attack.  The story goes that Samson became quite the killer of Philistines.  His legendary strength allowed him super-hero levels of slaughter, to the point the Philistines were desperate to capture him.  Through some trickery and womanly wiles, they manage to catch him and take away his super powers by cutting his hair.

Later, the Philistines hold a large gathering for their religion, a sacrifice to their god.  After awhile, the party gets going pretty well and they decide to trot out Samson as an example of their god's benevolence to them.  He "performs" for them, and then this happens:

When they stood him among the pillars,  Samson said to the servant who held his hand, "Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them."  Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform.  Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other,  Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

So, a crowded temple, people called together for a religious service.  Basically, Samson brought down a church in a suicide attack on his enemies.  There were thousands there, all crowded together.  Men, women, and children, all there for their religious observance and to see an enemy who had killed so many of their people brought out to be mocked.  All dead.

Some Jews and Christians might take the standpoint of "but that was different", without actually addressing what's different about it.  Samson felt every bit as justified in his suicide attack as, presumably, anyone else who makes the same sacrifice.

Now, does this mean I somehow approve of suicide attacks?  No, not in the least.  However, I don't agree with calling them "cowardly" or "craven", especially when our society extols them so highly in both film and literature.  It's hypocrisy to suggest otherwise.