New York Again

It’s not just because the United Nations has its headquarters there that New York often gets called the capital of the world. It is the definitive city. Since the 19th century, it’s been a destination for thousands of immigrants from all over the globe, transforming it into a city with the richest mix of race and color, truly a place without parallel on this planet. Its financial and artistic worlds have become synonymous with power and an archetype of Western culture. Perhaps the latter led to it becoming the victim of the most brutal, inhuman terrorist attack of modern times on that fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001 – and for its continuing, to this day, to be a target for enemies of tolerance and civilized coexistence.

On Tuesday, Oct. 31, innocent citizens were out on their bikes, in an area of Manhattan intended for such a purpose, when they were run down by an automobile that deliberately knocked over a number of them, causing the deaths of eight cyclists and leaving more than a dozen injured. The incident has once again raised the alarm in New York, forcing authorities to take extraordinary measures to prevent further attacks and any resulting victims of jihadi brutality.

It’s impossible for a person of sound mind to understand the processes of alienation necessary to produce a criminal and fanatic capable of causing such pain to families and entire communities. This time, Argentines lost their lives, along with citizens of other nationalities; people who had made the Big Apple their home, who had chosen it as the place where they wanted to watch their children grow up and to grow old themselves, in peace.

President Trump reacted swiftly as he announced new measures to prevent immigrants and refugees from predominantly Muslim countries entering the United States. Of course, when something like this happens, it’s not just the sinners who suffer, but also the many followers of the Islamic faith whose desire it is to emigrate to the United States, who genuinely want to find work there and who aspire to a better future. Their dreams are shattered when they are forced to remain in their home countries, living in poverty without any real opportunity to grow and develop, both as human beings and professionally. But the U.S. government has no other option. The duty to safeguard the lives of its own citizens comes before even any humanitarian consideration. Islamist stupidity ultimately affects honorable Muslims, who make up the vast majority – what a shame!