Misguided Sympathy for the Enemy

Tech Central Station via FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | 2/05/04 | Helen Smith

[kattracks]

Violence breeds violence -- but so can nonviolence. This is often forgotten in the debate over terrorism, as illustrated in some reviews of the new book by David Frum and Richard Perle, An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror. Perle and Frum lay out a bold plan to defend America. But more important than their specific proposals, they provide insight into how our leaders are confronting -- or not confronting -- the war on terrorism.

As a forensic psychologist, what I found most worthwhile about the book was this unapologetic attitude toward terrorists and terrorism. I believe the authors are correct when they promote strong tactics in dealing with terrorists. In fact, I believe that the liberal stance of trying too hard to "humanize" our enemies is a mistake that will make the problem worse, and produce more violence rather than less.

Frum and Perle's view is not popular among the media elite. Case in point: a New York Times review by Michiko Kakutani that criticizes the authors as they:

"purvey a worldview of us-versus-them, all-or-nothing, either-or, and this outlook results in a refusal to countenance the possibility that people who do not share the authors' views about the war in Iraq or their faith in a pre-emptive, unilateralist foreign policy might have legitimate reasons for doing so."

I suppose it follows from this statement that Kakutani would rather promote understanding and empathy with respect to injuries that Muslims feel they have suffered at the hands of the United States. No surprise here: Frum and Perle state that some commentators even suggested that Islamic anti-Americanism should be regarded as an understandable reaction to the materialism and hedonism of American life, as refracted through MTV, pornography, and the Internet. Apparently, they were anticipating Kakutani's review. In a Clintonian sort of approach, some Americans seem to believe that if we can "feel our enemies' pain," then we will be on the path to enlightenment and peace. This belief could not be further from the truth.

In my private practice, I don't work with terrorists but I do work with violent people. I used to believe (as many of my colleagues still do) that empathizing with my patients and increasing their self-esteem would help them on the path to self-actualization. Of course, for some anxiety-ridden patients who need faith in themselves, the technique of empathy and support works. However, for those patients with serious violent tendencies, just the opposite is true. With those patients, I've found that setting clear boundaries and making judgments about their immoral behavior works like a charm.

Those patients who threatened me backed down only when I got up in their face and told them forcefully to stop -- the slightest hint of fear or intimidation (or sympathy!) on my part was met with increased threats. In the real world of private practice, confronting real murderers, I learned to act in ways that were different from what I had been taught in graduate school.

Unfortunately, there are still those in the ivory tower who have not learned this valuable lesson. They continue to believe that to humanize and to empathize with violent students, professors, and terrorists is the only way to treat those who wish to do them harm. In fact, however, the old saw "give them an inch and they'll take a mile" applies. Without clear boundaries, and a sense of consequences, their behavior will spiral out of control until they injure themselves and others.

This seems to be the case where America's limp response to terrorism in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s is concerned (Osama bin Laden reportedly joked that the worst Americans would do in response to 9/11 was file a lawsuit.) It's also the case with crimes closer to home. As a recent study of mine indicates, university administrators often think that angry, violent students and faculty can be placated if they are understood and given what they ask for -- just like terrorists. But in recent university shootings, just the opposite happened.

Valery Fabrikant was a mechanical engineering professor at Concordia University in Canada who, after being denied tenure, murdered four of his colleagues. Apparently, the professor's rudeness and disruptive behavior had started a good ten years before he opened fire on his colleagues. He even boasted to others that he planned to shoot various professors and take hostages -- but instead of being disciplined or fired for this outrageous behavior, he was promoted and given raises. Many of the faculty were too frightened or impotent to take action against Mr. Fabrikant. One of the senior members of the engineering department even insisted that "giving Fabrikant what he wanted would bring out the best in him." Instead of acting to subdue his anger, giving in to his demands time and time again encouraged him to act in more and more outrageous ways, and eventually sent him on a killing spree.

In a similar case at the Appalachian Law School in 2002, a student by the name of Peter Odighizuwa murdered three and wounded three others before being subdued at gunpoint by his fellow students. Dean L. Anthony Sutin had helped Odighizuwa get into law school and even allowed him back in after he had flunked out the first time. Sutin and the school helped him get a loan, and to buy a car and a computer. Odighizuwa was known for his belligerent manner and threats to harm others. But in the academic world where nonviolence and understanding are believed to work wonders, no one bothered to tell Odighizuwa that his behavior was unacceptable. Once he flunked a second time, he was told he had to go, but instead he took the lives of some of the people who had helped him the most.

As any parent can attest, it's hard to punish those close to you. Social psychologists tell us that people strongly disapprove of punitive actions and rarely excuse them when they are directed at persons depicted in humanized terms. Psychological studies also show it is hard to be harsh toward others when they are humanized or even personalized a bit. This is why defense lawyers have their clients dress up in nice clothes and include personal information about them in trials. It makes their clients seem more human and less likely to receive a severe punishment, despite the fact that they may have murdered someone. Likewise, when the media and academics personalize terrorists to the extent that the American public feels they "know them," it is hard to support acting in ways that are incongruent with our treatment of someone we know. But in trying so hard to humanize the enemy -- who, remember, hates us -- we wind up dehumanizing ourselves, and in the process we do the victims of terrorists and murderers an injustice.

I've seen this in murder cases too, where psychologists and social-services workers are more interested in helping the murderer than in seeking justice. The victim, I'm sometimes told rather callously, is already dead.

Frum and Perle remind us that many would treat international terrorists the same way we treat domestic murderers: as sick people to be cured, without regard to the dignity of those they kill. In our attempt to be overly-tolerant and empathetic, we start to identify too much with the enemy (very much like those suffering from Stockholm syndrome) and start to dehumanize the victims of terror. Surely, the victims of 9/11 deserve more from us than that. As do the potential victims who might be saved by a more realistic, and less "nurturing," approach.

---

Dr. Helen Smith is a forensic psychologist in Knoxville, Tennessee. She is the author of The Scarred Heart: Understanding and Identifying Kids Who Kill, and the executive producer and writer of Six, a documentary about a mass murder.

[texasflower]

I would really like a review of Frum and Perle's book.

Has anyone read it?

[maica]

Without clear boundaries, and a sense of consequences, their behavior will spiral out of control until they injure themselves and others.

This applies to all - from schoolyard bullies to MTV 'entertainer' to activist judges. We all better learn it and apply it.

[beckysueb]

and Perle state that some commentators even suggested that Islamic anti-Americanism should be regarded as an understandable reaction to the materialism and hedonism of American life, as refracted through MTV, pornography, and the Internet. Apparently, they were anticipating Kakutani's review Thats stange! When conservative Americans object to these things, we are called intolerant. But the libs "understand" why the Muslims object. Isn't Michael Jackson a Muslim? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

[Diogenesis]

PARTIAL LIST OF TERRORIST ACTIONS [e.g.,TWA800, etc. ignored here]

1968 Robert Kennedy assassinated
1972 Munich Olympic Massacure Sep-5,1972 (Black September)
1976 Entebbe Hostage Crisis, June 27, 1976
1979 Iran Hostage Crisis, Nov. 4, 1979 444 days
1979 Grand Mosque Seizure, Nov 20,1979
1981 Assassination of Egyptian President, Oct 6,1981
1982 Assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister, Sept 14, 1982
1983 Bombing of US Embassy in Beirut6, April 18,1983
1983 Bombing of Maring Barricks, Beruit, Oct 23,1983
1984 Hizballah Restaurant Bombing, April 12,1984
1985 Egyptian Airliner Hijacking, Nov 23,1985
1985 Rome Airport murders
1985 TWA Flight 847 hijacked, U.S. Navy diver murdered
1985 Achille Lauro hijacking, Homacidal maniac lived in saddams Iraq
1986 Aircraft Bombing in Greece, March 30, 1986
1988 Pan Am 747 Flight 103 Bombing, Lockerbie, 100's murdered
1988 Berlin Discoteque Bombing, Dec 21,1988
1992 Bombing in Israeli Embassy in Argentina, March 17,1992
1993 Attempted Assassination of Pres. Bush Sr., April 14,1993
1993 First World Trade Center bombing, February 26th, 7 Killed, Hundreds injured, Billions
1994 Air France Hijacking, Dec 24,1994
1995 Attack on US Diplomats in Pakistan, Mar 8,1995
1995 Saudi Military Installation Attack, Nov 13, 1995
1995 Kashmiri Hostage taking, July 4,1995
1996 Khobar Towers attack
1996 Sudanese Missionarys Kidnapping, Aug 17,1996
1996 Paris Subway Explosion, Dec 3,1996
1997 Israeli Shopping Mall Bombing, Sept 4, 1997
1997 Yemeni Kidnappings, Oct 30,1997
1998 Somali Hostage taking crisis, April 15,1998
1998 U.S. Embassy Bombing in Peru, Jan 15, 1998
1998 U.S. Kenya Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1998 U.S. Tanzania Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1999 Plot to blow up Space Needle (thwarted)
2000 USS Cole attacked, many U.S. Navy sailors murdered
2000-2003 Intifada against Israel - 100's dead and injured
2000 Manila Bombing, Dec 30,2000
2001 4 Commercial airliners hijacked, 250+ murdered
2001 World Trade Center attacked, 2800+ murdered
2001 Flight 93 murders
2001 Pentagon attacked, 180+ murdered
2002 Reporter Daniel Pearl, kidnapped and murdered
2002 Philippines American missionary, Filipino nurse killed
2002 July 4, El Al attack Los Angeles LAX, several murdered
2002 Bali bombing - 200 dead, 300 injured
2002 Yemen, French Oil Tanker attacked
2002 Marines attacked / murdered in Kuwait
2002 Washington D.C. sniper
2002 Russian Theater attacked, 100+ dead
2002 Nigerian riots against Miss World Pageant, 200 dead, dozens injured
2002 Mombasa Hotel Attacked, 12 dead, dozens injured
2002 Israeli Boeing 757 attacked by missiles, fortunately no one injured
2002 August Hotel bombing in Jakarta, Indonesia. 12 dead, dozens injured.
2003 Rusian concert bombing
2003 Phillipines airport and market bombing
2003 Foiled SAM plot in the USA
2003 UN Baghdad HQ Bombing
2003 Ticrit Mosque Bombing
2003 Neveh Shalom Synagogue Bombing in Istanbul, Turkey

[mitch5501]

"But in trying so hard to humanize the enemy -- who, remember, hates us -- we wind up dehumanizing ourselves, and in the process we do the victims of terrorists and murderers an injustice."

Unfortunately the west is fast trashing it's christian heritage and we are ending up with bits and pieces of our own choosing.Cherry picking those parts that don't offend too many.No one will last long trying to be as "harmless as doves" whilst forgetting to be as "wise as serpents" Wise as doves and as harmless as serpents is how it seems to end up.

God bless

[tkathy]

Very profound. Also why our democratic run inner cities are in such ongoing chaos. Not until Guiliani became mayor of NYC with a tough strong but compassionate approach, did things start to get better.

[marktwain]

Most people learn early that you have to meet violence with the willingness to do violence. A few never do, and we call them liberals.

[facedown]

An excellent article. Violent evil must be met head on with superior force. Case in point:

In a similar case at the Appalachian Law School in 2002, a student by the name of Peter Odighizuwa murdered three and wounded three others before being subdued at gunpoint by his fellow students.

Rarely mentioned in media accounts.

[JCG]

PARTIAL LIST OF TERRORIST ACTIONS [e.g.,TWA800, etc. ignored here]

I wonder how long this list would be if we all contributed to it? Here's mine:

05/22/02

KENNER, La. (AP) - A man wounded two people with a shotgun at the New Orleans airport Wednesday, telling investigators that he fired because people made fun of his turban.

Lee identified the suspect as Patrick Gott, 43, of Pensacola, Fla. He said Gott was carrying a Quran and invoked the name of Allah.

Article here

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

[Diogenesis]

You should start a string on your great idea.

[angkor]

Islamic anti-Americanism should be regarded as an understandable reaction to the materialism and hedonism of American life, as refracted through MTV, pornography, and the Internet.

Anyone out there know which version of MTV they receive on Mideast cable and sat feeds (e.g. MTV Europe?).

And if they don't like the Internet content (understandable), why don't they install backbone filters like Singapore and Vietnam?

[John O]

Isn't Michael Jackson a Muslim? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

No one's called MJ black for at least 5 years. It would be a lie. Only in America can a poor black boy grow up to be a rich white woman

[nathanbedford]

In waging the Cold War against communism, one either accepted that world domination was/is the goal of communism or one did not. If one rejected that conversion of the whole world was communism's ultimate goal, one was, for example, unconcerned about the domino effect in South East Asia. Kerry was clearly in the camp that did not see Viet Nam as part of a larger threat. Millions died later in Indo China.

Even if one accepted that world domination was communism's end game, some regarded this as a benign outcome. These were blind to the halocausts under Stalin and Mao even though they were tormented by the image of Hitler's halocaust.

In short, where one came down on waging the Cold War depended on whether one accepted one or another first principles. The Left, on the whole, did not accept the proposition that communism sought the destruction of representative democracy or that communist triumph in the Cold War would amount to nothing less than a disaster for humankind. This sort is represented by, for example, Dean Acheson.

What is a stake in the War Aganist Terrorism? Pittsburg!

Either one accepts that we are in a foot race to destroy terrorists before they can murder masses of Americans or one does not. Consider the this remark by Newt Gingrich:

"The greatest threat to the human race over the next 30 to 50 years is an engineered infectious biological weapon. The bubonic plague killed about a third of the population of Europe between 1347 and 1348. In North America, multiple diseases killed up to 96 percent of American Indians in some villages. A genetically engineered retrovirus could render our current vaccines useless, leaving our population utterly defenseless to a deadly and horrific epidemic."

VISIT-ing the U.S. / Defend the Homeland--Or Lose It
The American Enterprise ^ | January/February 2003 | Newt Gingrich

President Bush has made similiar observations. It is clear that Bush accepts the first principle in the War Against Terrorism.

John Kerry thinks the threat is "exaggerated." Kerry, in his soul, like so many leftists before him, simply does not believe that our representative democracy is at stake. Without troubling here to argue the point, one can hardly expect to retain representative democracy in America after Detroit is smoldering in ashes.

From this initial error all further mischief flows. The left cannot wage effective War Against Terrorism and save Pittsburg because it does not believe we are really at war. Hence the endless battles over tatics, intelligence, multilateralism, etc.

If Bush has failed at all in this war, he has failed to make the stakes in this war clear to every voter. No soccer mom should walk into any voting booth unaware of the possibility that if she pulls the wrong lever, her children might die.

[Mr. Jeeves]

In a Clintonian sort of approach, some Americans seem to believe that if we can "feel our enemies' pain," then we will be on the path to enlightenment and peace.

We waste time "feeling their pain", while they concern themselves with inflicting ours.