I don't understand them

The last thing I want to do, as I have said before, is to give any more fame to the two wasted young men who were taken down today after the five day manhunt.  What I mean by wasted will soon become apparent.  The thing is, one thing about Friday's events keeps playing in my head, the words of the one who now stands before God saying, "Does this mean I don't get my virgins?"

“I don’t have a single American friend, I don’t understand them.”
You don't understand them.  I said to myself, I wonder what it is that he didn't understand.

Is it that we love and value- and for the most part, enjoy- our lives?  I can see where people who place no value on life might be confused.

Is it where this country's people believe, despite what atheists might want to claim, that faith should not be forced at the edge of a sword?  Or that we have little interest in slavishly worshipping a "god" that commands such butchery?

Was it the willingness of this nation and its people, over and over, to shower the men and their family kindness- refuge from ethnic persecution, the best of our education, even to the point of helping pay for schooling in one of the nation's finest schools?  They probably thought us fools for helping them, but between the man that gives with an open hand and the man who spits in his face, which one is the fool?

Did they not understand about how we may look soft and easy to cow on the outside, but are strong and hard as steel when wounded?  They certainly learned that- from the runners who aided in triage, to the first responders who rushed in, to the fans who sang the national anthem in the Garden Wednesday night, I think they had ample opportunity to learn THAT lesson.

I don't think they ever really tried to understand.  Even when that first one fell, the other one swore vengeance for his death, never stopping to reason that perhaps if they hadn't killed so many, he would still be alive.

Before the followers of Allah come out saying, "True Islam is not like that,"  I say, "Fine.  But the variety of Islam they practiced is not what you are defending."  Atheists like to whine about Christians "infringing on their rights", but these people would put you to death for your beliefs.  They would kill you, and take your children and indoctrinate them as modern day Janissaries.  If you weren't so disingenuous in what you say you believe, you'd be worrying less about those praying for you and more about those plotting against you.  These are people who robotically follow an ideology- I wouldn't grant them the courtesy of actually having any kind of faith- and will kill you if you refuse.  The human race's version of "You will be assimilated".

And the most important thing they didn't understand is, we are Americans.  We won't be beaten by them.  Nothing they can ever think to do will defeat us.  In the end, we may well bring ourselves down.  But will defend to the death our right to destroy ourselves.

And their own cause?  We never even knew for sure what it was.  It may have been nothing other than mass murder for the sheer joy of it.  If they had a cause, they brought nothing to it.  Anyone who paid attention to 9-11 should have been able to figure out that this kind of thing only makes us stronger.  I mean, think about it.  Before 9-11 they had a filthy rich leader, several uncaring governments to hide under, and a complacent US of A to work around.  Afterwards, the filthy rich leader is fish food, the governments that shielded them have either been tromped on or are busy ducking drones, and the words "Let's Roll" make them run and hide.  Now, we have a new meaning attached to Patriots Day, a whole group of new heroes, and a reason to stop being so nice to their fellows if we so choose.  Good job.

Wasted?  Yes, wasted.  These were potentially brilliant young men, who could have made a true difference to their people, their faith, their world.  But in the end, all they had is hate, and hate just makes you stupid.