World War Tweet

Al Jazeera reported on November 24th that the evangelical group Christians United for Israel (CUFI) has started an online petition to ban the twitter account of Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing. CUFI claims, “when it comes to Israel’s military campaign, there is little that we here in America can do to help. But when it comes to this second conflict – the so-called “twitter war” – there is something important we can do.”

#TerroristSafeHaven

Tears of American patriotism welled in my eyes as I read this righteous declaration.

It’s well known that Hamas is a US-declared terrorist organization, and any website that permits publications of terrorist organizations must act swiftly to prevent the onslaught of propaganda. 

@AlQassamBrigades already has roughly 43,000 followers on Twitter. 43,000. That number should be shocking even to the most under-read on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Yet it's important to understand certain realities. Let’s say that Twitter does decide to eliminate Al Qassam from its website. If this comes to pass, we will only replicate the effects of the War on Terror.

Consider Afghanistan. The Taliban were known to be harboring Al Qaeda within their borders, and in turn, the US invaded Afghanistan to expel Al Qaeda operatives. Victory seemed imminent, and supporters of the War on Terror were ready to hang up their coats, make their beds, and take a long-overdue freedom nap. Yet as Al-Qaeda cells sprang up in Yemen, Somalia, and other locations, our freedom fighters realized that the mission was far from accomplished.

Thus, I pose a question to the CUFI which so earnestly but misguidedly wishes to eradicate Hamas’ Twitter: What is to stop @AlQassamBrigade from wreaking havoc through other social media sites?

The CUFI is sincere in its pursuit of terrorist operatives on the web, so let's forgive its naïveté regarding the Twitter War. History shows us that when one terrorist target is forcefully eliminated, more operatives rise up to take its place. 

Think about it: a direct attack on @AlQassamBrigade would unquestionably spark the emergence of any of the following:

• AlQassam.tumblr.com

• http://www.couchsurfing.org/profile.html?id=99PalestinianRefugees 

• myspace.com/Al_Qassam_Slow_Jams_From_1967/Music

The list goes on.

If we allow this censorship to happen, then history will repeat itself.

But I have a solution.

There is only one way we can successfully diminish Hamas' terrorizing rhetoric from the public debate and simultaneously give them a medium to voice whatever complaints, musings, and random thoughts they seem so eager to propagate:

We must create a Hamas Xanga journal.

If we take on this challenge, perhaps one of the most would-be defining endeavors of the decade, Hamas will immediately feel less oppressed by Western propa media, while leaving the Twitter-verse unharmed by its anti-Israeli lies. Because realistically, no one uses Xanga journal anymore.

Don't tweet away this opportunity for peace.

#HamasXangaJournal