LETTER

The Bulletin’s cover 

 

Regarding your cover photo in the Bulletin of January 14, 2015, I take exception to the caption: “We are all human”. (Not sure if your point - and caption - was to remind us we are human, so behave like one.) Definition: “human”. A derivative of “homo sapiens” - “homo” meaning “man” and “sapiens” meaning “wise”.  The implication is that humans are wise and, by extension, animals are a lower form of life.

But animals don't kill except for food or to protect.  Humans have a range of behaviours from good to bad, but I have a hard time understanding the evil that is committed by some men. 

Etymologically, the word “Islam” is a verbal noun which forms a large class of words mostly relating to concepts of wholeness, safeness and peace.  I believe the great majority of Islam subscribes to these concepts.

While I can understand that some of the perpetrators of inhuman acts can be mentally ill, I don't believe for a minute that the captors of young girls in Nigeria (Boko Haram), the massacre of school-aged children in Pakistan (Taliban), or the indiscriminate killings of different sects of Muslim and people of other religions in Iraq and Syria (ISIS and al-Qaeda) are suffering from mental illness. They do not act in keeping with the tenets of Islam.  They are just plain evil.  

Are we human?  Most are.  Are we all human?  No!

 

Steve d'Eça

Aylmer