So, this morning while sipping my sugarless coffee (doctor’s orders; doctor being my wife), I kept reading all the horror that has just happened leaving twenty- six dead. And of course, the usual statements from leaders saying “We strongly condemn…”

Yes, that’s terrorism. Loud, brutal, explosive. Makes the news anchor’s tongue spin faster than a washing machine on steroids. But there’s another type, a quieter kind, that doesn’t always come whistling like a bullet.

It’s called terrorizing. And believe me, it’s just a different brand of cruelty.

Now terrorism, in its most despicable form, is when fanatics attack innocent people—airport lounges, markets, gardens, even holy places. But terrorizing? Ah, that’s when bullies strut into peaceful spaces or prayer and worship—not with grenades, but with grins, sticks and fists—shouting slogans that sound less like patriotism and more like playground threats gone rogue.

Yes, these very frequent incidents of fringe groups bursting in, not with confetti, but with chaos, into churches, and religious services, frightening women, children, thrashing priests, “To protect our culture,” they say, while trampling over someone else’s prayers. How noble.

And then there’s the politician, who, instead of building bridges, prefers poking holes in the social fabric with well-timed jabs at minority communities. Not bullets or bombs, oh no. But with words, sharp, slicing, and designed to dehumanize. It’s a masterclass in soft terrorism: no blood, but plenty of brutal bruises.

Here’s the thing—when it comes to terrorism, we often demand action. Strike back! Bomb their bases! Sanction the entire nation if needed!

But when it’s terrorizing—subtle, domestic, and usually by people who look and dress like “us”—we call it “free speech,” or worse, “public sentiment.”

Let’s get this straight: just because the latter doesn’t make the six o’clock news with dramatic footage doesn’t mean it’s any less dangerous. Terrorizing isn’t measured in body counts—it’s measured in fear, in silenced voices, in communities that walk a little faster at night and speak a little softer during the day.

And who do they turn to then? Not the army, not international coalitions. No, to leaders—yes, those well-fed gentlemen and ladies who promised justice during election campaigns in fonts large enough to cover half a hoarding. It’s their fairness, their courage, and their sense of what’s right that must rise.

Because both these acts—bombs that explode and words that corrode—are born from the same dark place: the desire to dominate, to instill fear, to silence.

So, the next time you condemn terrorism—and please do—take a deep breath and look around. If you see someone terrorizing another with privilege, with power, or with political immunity, condemn that with the same breath.

Because in the end, whether it’s the whistle of a bullet or the whisper of a threat, terror is still terror…!

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