A bombing in Peshawar, Pakistan on Tuesday has left at least 12 people dead and 17 others injured after terrorists threw hand grenades into the Shama cinema (infamous for its naughty flicks) during a showing of a pornographic film. This was the second bombing in two weeks, as Peshawar has become a battle zone for militant extremists in the area.
We have to wonder, though — why a porno theatre?
Terrorists in all corners of the globe seem to be specializing in more abstract venues for their murderous destruction; the mall shooting in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Boston bombing are two examples of focused attacks on innocent civilians. This is a development we've seen since 9/11, where we saw a massive killing used as a metaphor for a greater issue, rather than a targeted attack on government entities.
The greater aim seems to be in the title of the movement: terrorists seem to be more cunning in crafting "terror" than ever before. Less and less obvious targeting makes for an seemingly-inescapable flood of worries; will the local grocery store be bombed by radical environmentalists for selling Monsanto goods? Will we be killed while browsing for new kicks by bloodthirsty anti-capitalists? What if the newest blockbuster we're settling in for at the theatre had a Jewish director, and a demented anti-Semite happens to wander in? The lines are continually being blurred between what a civilian can and cannot do within the ever-widening neo-political stratosphere.
Some argue that an increasingly open dialogue between — as well as within — countries is vital to progress; others urge that tough stances such as sanctions and drones are the only way to ensure our safety. A third, less-talked about theory is that the growing global inequality between the rich and poor of the world is a major source of both military and guerilla aggression; the more limited our resources become, the dirtier we fight to claim our share. There's also that pesky detail of climate change lingering in the air (literally), and our poorest nations are some of those being hit the hardest.
We can't say we have all the answers to the globally rampant violence, but one thing is for sure — the more we question, the more we doubt, the more we learn.
Image: Wikimedia
