This afterall is a travel blog, among other items, so I would be remiss not to at least comment on what is currently happening in Brussels. It is unfortunate that something so shameless happens in the 21st century. Whether this gets tied to a terrorist group or is that of a few distraught individuals, it is something that I truly believe should not change ones travel plans. Certainly it is not something to be brushed under the carpet, the threat is real, but keep that threat in perspective. Yes, it grabs the attention of millions from around the world, that is afterall the point of the thugs, but it is still small in what we know as ‘life’.
Just some statistics to keep you grounded:
- 115 people die everyday in the USA in a car accident; 1 person every thirteen minutes.
- 1500 people die everyday in the USA due to cancer.
- 105 people per day die due to a drug overdose
These are just three key statistics; the list could go on. Again the point is not to diminish what the Belgium people are going through, rather just to keep a perspective. Certainly bombings are more sensational than a car accident, cancer, and drug overdose deaths, but understand the chances of personally being involved in a bombing is still slim.
Traveling, learning about other cultures, religions, history of places should play an important role in everyone’s life. We live in a global economy and taking the time to learn about others, where they come from, and what their beliefs are, among other things will build a foundation for tolerance and understanding. Life should be about building bridges and peace, not walls and ignorance.
Use this attack as an opportunity to learn about the people of Belgium; go beyond that 37 or 55 inch screen that you call TV that is tuned to CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS etc., search the web for yourself, or go to international news outlets like BBC or Reuters. You may be happily surprised about what you find about the country and its people.
Just like you can research what led the Uber driver to kill in Kalamazoo, or Ted Bundy in days past, and other mass killings in the USA, you can also find for yourself, what leads the perpetrator(s) to do such heinous acts as suicide bombing or mass shootings like the Paris and London attacks.
You may learn what causes people to join groups (cults) to stand for a particular belief that they are willing to take up arms and die for. Most recently here in the USA you might have heard about the ranchers taking on the Bureau of Land Management out west or groups like the Black Panters, KKK, or even the Hells Angels. One side may see their ways as a necessary evil to get their point across to the outside, where as the other side may see the tactics as alarming and be dismissive a it the cause do to lack of knowledge. Many individuals in these groups have said they are willing to die for their beliefs.
Part of understanding the psyche of an individual is understanding what they’ve gone through, what they’ve seen, their culture, customs etc., but mostly it’s listening to the concerns and keeping an open mind until you have gathered all the facts.
Additionally, since this year is a presidential election year, use your vote. Put individuals in power at your local government, state government and national government positions that share your same view on policy; don’t give into fear or rhetoric or other useless words. Support you local nurses, fire officers, police officers, and anyone else that is a service individual for they carry a great burden in our health, security and happiness. Hold other’s accountable yes, but be accountable yourself.
Bottom line, live a life you can be proud of, not one that you’re sitting idle. Travel, explore, even if it’s just next door to learn about your neighbor’s history, culture, and customs. The USA is so diverse, chances are you may know several 1st generation immigrants.
Be open and accepting of another religion or race. Enjoy, don’t be afraid about what could happen; waiting for it only makes you nervous about something you can’t control and something that may never happen. Understand you can never agree with everyone 100% of the time, nor should you, but understand they too are entitled to an opinion. Most individuals living on the planet earth are not without morals, so be free to live a life that brings people together, not one that is divisive.
Just because a few morally corrupt individuals did something so sensational as to detonate a bomb at an international airport and subway doesn’t mean they represent the the majority of the individuals that they share the same cultures, religion, and customs with. They are a small group, the exceptions to mainstream, just trying to get noticed.
http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html
http://m.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-031941.pdf
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/drug-overdose-deaths_n_3843690.html