Aug 23, 2021
What happens when an ultimatum doesn’t work, and instead of bringing people into alignment with your cause, it pushes them into the very thing you’re trying to prevent or discourage?
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush famously stated “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists,” effectively launching the 20-year War on Terror.
For Jesse Morton, who had
recently come to find Islam as a potential landing spot to find
community, connection, and belonging, President Bush’s words laid
out a duality of choice, and Jesse took the path that President
Bush and nearly all other Americans wanted to avoid, and
over time, Jesse became one
of the most prominent radicalizers in the West.
Jesse and I discuss the ramifications of reciprocal dehumanization — where opposing sides see each other as less than — we talk about the immense difference between simply airing grievances and creating a vision that supersedes the allure of extremist ideas and behaviors, and ultimately, we dive into what the end game might look like if we don’t seek ways to unearth common ground with each other.
Connect with Jesse's work at https://www.lightuponlight.online, and follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/_JesseMorton.