Thursday, May 13, 2004
There are movies more gory than this, but this video does not shock us in visual bloodshed. It is disturbing because it is real. I had just watched the grainy video in its entirety. We probably won't ever know what ran through Nicholas' mind when the statement was read out for ages in a foreign tongue he couldn't understand or when he was shoved-pushed to the ground with a large knife sawing at his throat. His screams were enough to remind us of the senseless barbarity man is capable of and of this chilling episode.
If indeed Islamic militants believe they were doing the right thing amid shouts of "Allahu Akbar!" in standing up to the Abu Ghraib abuses, why then did they have to don scarves and ski masks? Why had they been afraid to reveal their identities in the ultimate videoed faith-proclaiming act? Blatant cowardice, I see it as. They knew they were in the wrong; They knew the Holy Koran doesn't advocate this. I hope Nicholas' piercing final screams will wake those imbeciles up from their martyr's dream of eternal life and its 72 virgins.
