The recent terror attack in Nice, France, morbidly fits in with the culture of violence the world has been experiencing lately. Whether or not the attacks of late are inspired by the Islamic State, they have been brutally indiscriminate in the people they affect. Large volumes of civilians are targeted where they feel safe: an airport, a nightclub, a parade.
Along with the similarity in the attacks’ type and number of targets, there is another common connection in their perpetration: simplicity.
For the most part, it is unclear whether these acts of violence were committed in direct compliance with the Islamic State or whether they were merely inspired by other acts of hate or terrorism. It appears that the perpetrators worked alone, and the weapon used in the most recent attack — the parade violence in Nice — was the crudest yet: a delivery truck.
The increasing simplicity of the attacks could be partially to blame for the rising frequency of senseless violence.
After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Americans feared a type of attack that was complex and calculated. An entire museum in New York is dedicated to the fallen civilians of 9/11 and also details some of the extensive planning and collaborating that the terrorists — plural — went through to execute the attack.
The days of complicated plans appear to be over. A man can work alone. A truck can be a weapon. A parade can be a hunting ground.
The simplicity of these events stir the unsettling feeling that anyone can commit an act of mass violence. They don’t need backing by a powerful organization or purchase the highest artillery or spend years ironing out every detail.
It is no secret that the rise in these acts of violence coincides with the rise of social media and Internet connectivity. The message of terrorist groups like the Islamic State can be spread more quickly and widely than ever before, which may account for the rapidness of some individuals’ radicalization.
Reporting more and more of this simplistic violence inspires more of the same. It is a sort of gruesome DIY project that advertises to its viewers, “No experience needed.”
The repeated reporting of these events also adds to the growing anti-Muslim sentiment in this country.
The answer, then, to this cycle of violence, is not to stop reporting or hide these acts of violence from view. It is to stop taking these acts of violence and using them to alienate entire populations of people. This alienation could be a driving force causing some to lash out.
Instead of fighting hatred with hatred, we must fight hatred with compassion.
meickof@indiana.edu
@maggie_eickhoff
