Global terrorism is extreme both in its lack of realistic goals and in its cynical exploitation of the vulnerability of complex systems.
Jurgen HabermasRead
I cannot imagine a context that would some day, in some manner, make the monstrous crime of September 11 an understandable or comprehensible political act
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses disbelief that the September 11 attacks could ever be justified or rationalized in a political context.
Jurgen Habermas emphasizes the moral outrage surrounding the September 11 attacks, asserting that no political context can justify such a horrific act of violence. By characterizing the event as a 'monstrous crime,' he highlights the need for ethical considerations in political discourse and the dangers of rationalizing acts of terror.
Themes
September 11TerrorismPoliticsMoralityViolence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing the importance of peace, one might reference this quote to emphasize that acts of violence can never be justified, regardless of context.
More from Jurgen Habermas
All quotes βIf the September 11 terror attack is supposed to constitute a caesura in world history, it must be able to stand comparison to other events of world historical impact.
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The scenarios of biological or chemical warfare painted in detail by the American media during the months after September 11 only betray the inability of the government to determine the magnitude of the danger.
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Perhaps September 11 could be called the first historic world event in the strictest sense: the impact, the explosion, the slow collapse - a gruesome reality literally took place in front of a global public.
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The difference between political terror and ordinary crime becomes clear during the change of regimes, in which former terrorists become well-regarded representatives of their country.
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Today's Islamic fundamentalism is also a cover for political motifs. We should not overlook the political motifs we encounter in forms of religious fanaticism
Jurgen HabermasRead
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