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Police recently arrested an 18-year-old man in Dover in connection with the London Tube attack. There will likely be a series of arrests as part of the ongoing investigation, which is the latest in a series of terror attacks in Europe and the United States. Whether we talk about radical, far right terrorism or extremism in the name of religion, we clearly have a problem in need of a more holistic solution.
From the 18-year-old Dover suspect to 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr., young men are increasingly being drawn to violent extremism. The response to the radicalization of youths is largely reactive in nature: indict, convict, forget, and move on. More extreme responses call for greater monitoring and surveillance, along with calls to condemn particular faiths, rather than focusing on the broader social determinants of terrorism.
Regardless of one’s political ideology, we can all agree that terrorism poses a fundamental threat to societal well-being. It erodes any fabric of trust and places marginalized communities in the crosshairs. Ironically, our impulsive reactions to approaching terrorism, namely blaming particular identities and groups and calling for further political and geographical isolation, furthers the agenda of the groups that promote such chaos.
But, what if we were to completely alter our approach to terrorism?
Let us be clear: we will never be able to police our way out of terrorism. The ideology of terrorism is too difficult to extinguish with a police state alone- each time you remove a wing, another one crops up somewhere else, seemingly stronger and more effective. A sufficiently motivated terrorist can use any means at his disposal: a gun, a knife, an IED, or a vehicle. In our globalized, interconnected world, ideology knows no borders.
Beyond knowledge and skills, men must be taught to value humanity and strive for justice and equity.
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What we truly need and desperately lack is a public health perspective on what causes terrorism in the first place. Rather than policing our way out of a situation after it has happened, we need to analyze broader social determinants such as unemployment, poverty, or political isolation, which may influence a marginalized youth’s journey to terrorism. What are the steps in the pathway to becoming a terrorist, and where can we intervene to stop our young men from becoming active recruits?
In order to truly stem the flow of young men becoming susceptible to terrorism, we need to look at more holistic policy changes that would provide a meaningful standard of living for all and prevent radicalization.
One area which shows promise is the idea of promoting job growth and a basic standard of living for all, in order to prevent youths from falling through the cracks. Universal basic income is one proposal which not only promotes a life of dignity but also reduces the propensity for crime and improves mental health outcomes.
Alongside income-based measures, we must focus on increasing community spaces for interfaith events and create more opportunities for folks to understand different folks. At an individual level, we must resist the call to isolate ourselves further and push back against the fear of other cultures.
Finally, we must make education and vocational training opportunities more affordable and accessible to marginalized youths in order to prevent radicalization and promote integration into society. Schools must groom young men to learn from history and empower them with the tools to succeed in a 21st-century economy. Beyond knowledge and skills, men must be taught to value humanity and strive for justice and equity.
These are just a few of many measures that present a way forward when faced with the grave threat of youth succumbing to radical violence. Naturally, these also have to be accompanied by law enforcement measures that crack down on dangerous, extremist websites, propaganda, and hate speech, but creating a heavy police state is not going to be sufficient to solve a problem of this magnitude.
The sooner we start looking at terrorism from a public health perspective, the better chance we all have for a harmonious future, without being reduced to a constantly monitored police state.
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