A Very Morbid Valentine's Day

CNN.com - Philippines bombings kill at least 9 - Feb 14, 2005

I'm sitting in the office right now, a little early as nobody else is here yet, and I can't help but blog about this.

Last night, a friend and I were just discussing about how cliche Valentine's blog entries were, and how all over the world, blogs will whine or grow mushy.

I wish my blog was mushy or whiny right now, rather than to hear of something like this.

For those who might be visiting my blog from the Western Hemisphere, a busload in the Philippines is a lot of people. This is pretty much still in the rush hour, where tired commuters holding wilting roses look forward to just coming home to the arms of their loved ones. These unfortunates in the bus won't even make it.

Abu Solaiman, the spokesperson for the terrorist group Abu Sayyaff went on the radio to claim responsibility and offer the bombings, three overall, to the President of the Philippines as a "Valentine's Day Gift." I can't help but feel that these people are either so far gone that they can't imagine the pain and suffering that their attacks have caused, or if they truly are monsters that have no capacity to understand that these dead have nothing to do with their agenda.

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A side of me wants to grab this Abu Solaiman, arm him with a knife, and throw him in a solitary confinement cell. Complete with a closed circut camera and night vision and plug the video feed on the internet without him knowing. The ultimate reality show.

One terrorist. One tiny cell to small to stand in, and too narrow to lie down on. One knife in his hand.

How long will he last, I wonder? Feed him nothing but raw oats and water and watch his devotion. I want to see him think if anyone will rescue him. I want him to fiddle with the knife, and watch as he contemplates suicide. I want to see him set his face, determined, holding the knife, and then fail, cowardice overriding madness.

And for the finale, if he doesn't do anything for oh... say two days? We fill the cell with water. Slowly.

Then we hold an online poll while we're doing so: Do we let him drown?
a) Sure
b) Absolutely
c) Why not?
d) Are you guys freakin' nuts? Of course!
e) no, because we are civilized people who want to end this cycle of violence.

Who knows? If he's lucky, people will vote for E, and we'll leave him alone, take his knife away, and keep him in solitary confinement. Still with the webcam on.

But I suppose such treatment would be cruel. And so we wait, quietly hoping that somehow, someone can stop them.

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Hold your loved ones close and let them know that they are loved. Be they family, friends or your significant other. Remember that there are people out there who will think nothing of taking their lives away, in the name of religion, ideology, or madness.