Last week, four innocent Americans lost their lives when brutal and inhumane Somali pirates murdered them on the morning of Feb. 18. The United States Navy was unable to rescue the hostages even though they promised the safe return of the hostages. The exact details as what happened are unclear but I believe it is time to put an end to Somali pirates. Somali pirates are not known for being murderous but clearly, they have changed their ways, many people saw this coming and were quietly anticipating a violent turn of events soon.
The four who were murdered were an impressive bunch. Scott and Jean Adam from Marina Ray, California were world travelers. Jean was a dentist who loved Biology and the sea. Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle from Seattle loved sailing. Bob was a veterinarian who offered his services to stray animals in the Seattle area. I know that the attack wasn’t “personal” but it upsets me that four amazing people, who had given more than enough to the community, were murdered so viciously while doing what they loved: innocently sailing the seas.
I find myself asking myself: How many men must die before the international community, more importantly the United States, puts an end to the Somali Pirates terror reign? This question should have been answered years ago when these crimes were first committed. We have let the Somali Pirates do this for too long and we must act now.
I for the most part, am a fairly peaceful person who is against violence. I truly believe we should, like John Lennon once said, “Give peace a chance” but what the pirates are doing at sea is not justified in any way. They are not acting as Robin Hoods, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor; they are stealing and manipulating people to get money for hookers and drugs.
They not only threaten international security but they are stealing from countries. Only a couple of months did South Korea pay the pirate $9.5 million dollars for the return of a ship. Just last month, South Korea was threatened by the pirates again so the South Korean Navy attacked back and ended up saving a whole ship and crew while taking a couple of pirates, who were lucky to be alive, as prisoners.
South Korea is a tiny country that is often looked over by others because of their small size. If South Korea can do it, we can too.
Many people question how the four ill-fated Americans died. I don’t know what really happened at sea when the U.S. Navy approached the pirates—no one does. But it doesn’t really matter what happened; it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. If we totally get rid of the problem, we wouldn’t have to fear about more lives being lost.
So now we need to figure out a way to get rid of the problem, the pirates. Killing all of them wouldn’t be right and as time goes on, the younger generation will produce pirates and history, like always, will repeat itself. The wise Mohandas Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind,” but with all the recent attacks on innocent people, it’s time to knock some eyes out.
The four travelers who lost their lives will not have died in vain. We must use this tragic event to prevent similar fates. We must put an end to all pirates.