Violence, terrorism and justice eds. Frey, R. G., & Morris, C., Christopher W. (Review)

Consider two views about terrorism. The first, the conventional view, is that terrorism is an outrage. It involves, typically, the kidnapping, killing, and intimidation of innocent people who simply happen to be in the wrong place. Terrorists are fanatics, thugs, criminals, deranged individuals, who are gripped by an ideology and willing to do anything to further it. They violate the basic constraints of civilized society. While they may sometimes have just grievances, the means they use are morally impermissible and entirely ineffective. They put on shows for media attention which waste lives for no achievable end. As such, terrorism in Paul Johnson's phrase "the cancer of the modern world" cannot be justified, and must be zealously combated.