You may condemn the “beheader” terrorist, known as ‘Jihadi John’ to his fellow fighters, who was recently identified as Mohammed Emwazi, and you may say he is

a monster. You may cut off his head just as he did when you capture him.

But will this cut off the source of our problems? Will it dissuade fledgling jihadists from taking over the duty?

I am not sure it will.

A question we must ask to tackle the problem: will we be able to coexist despite our differences?

First, we must learn how to make compromises. Without it, there will be no rest for those who are not like us. Let me explain it by referring to two scholars.

British historian and philosopher Arnold Toynbee was a Western intellectual who closely knew Islam and Muslim societies.

Before he died, he drew attention to some fundamental contradictions of the Western civilization.

If these contradictions are not eliminated, they will pose serious problems for “humankind” and “environment,” he cautioned.

For Toynbee, modern man’s materialistic ambitions and egoistic attitudes threaten not only the Western world, but also other societies. The rest of the world blindly imitates the West.

He argues that a selfish person who does everything his own interests and pleasures will be of no use to his own family, let alone to the society.

The philosopher believes that the individuals who are enslaved by their materialistic ambitions and ambitions can love their children, but this love may not be enough for them to sacrifice a portion of their assets to secure a good future for their children.

Therefore, the people who go after their materialistic ambitions may do everything saying, “Apres moi le deluge.”

Leave the mentality that see every non-Caucasian person as the “other” and discriminates against him/her aside; I am talking about a mindset of people that discriminates against even their children.

For this reason, the West’s education systems must develop a coexistence-centric educational philosophy that will embrace not only Muslims, but all groups.

The other intellectually is famous writer Amin Maalouf, who defines himself as “Arab-French,” and has been living in Paris for many years although he was born in Lebanon.

Some 20 years ago, Maalouf had cautioned that the identity problem of the minorities and immigrants living in Europe may become “deadly” if serious measures are not taken. With a sense of precision and responsibility that can be expected from a novelist, he had drawn attention to the impending storm.

If these people do not assume their multiple belongings and if they are continually forced to choose sides and return to the ranks of their clans, then we have reason for being worried about the world’s future, Maalouf argues.

France suffered and is still suffering from the negative consequences of not paying heed to Maalouf’s warnings.

In his book, “Les Identités meurtrières,” (English translation: In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong), he gives examples from the lives of Turkish immigrants in Europe. He advises against the likelihood of increased radicalization of Muslim youths who are born in, and are citizens of, these countries due to their negationist and exclusionary policies.

John the Beheader is only one of them.

John was educated and grew up in the UK. As such, he is the product of the British education system.

However, if he feels he belongs to a radical terrorist organization, not to the UK, then there is a serious “identity” problem at hand.

Has the British society failed to embrace John and his friends?

Has it left them alone with their problems and hardships?

Has it seen them as “nasty and unreliable” Muslims?

We have to find reasonable answers to these questions and understand the reasons for the hatred and resentment of these youths.

A solution may be to help these youths find correct and valid answers to their question, “Who am I?” and accept this answer as such and learn how to coexist with other identities.

We should take heed of the warnings Maalouf and others make about identities that may prove “deadly.”

If we believe we can solve our problems with stricter laws and harsher penalties, then we must be ready for the likes of Jihadi John.