This paper examines Laura Blumenfeld's article "The Apology," which centers around the issue is
terrorism as it is practiced
today in the Middle East and the tactics used today are used as a way of making a
political statement and bringing about political change. It discusses how the article personalizes
terrorism in two ways, by describing a victim known to the writer and by bringing the terrorist into open view as well and finding ways in which he is human. It analyzes how the entire article raises a number of issues about terrorism, including its basic irrationality and how terrorism is beyond reason and beyond persuasion.