Although Christoph Westphal makes some good points in his April 5 opinion piece “Treating terrorism like cancer,’’ he still is looking at both problems from the viewpoint of treatment as opposed to prevention.

While treating and curing cancer is worthy of President Obama’s “moon shot’’ initiative, more attention needs to be devoted to prevention. The chemicals and toxins that people are exposed to have grown exponentially, with thousands of untested substances entering the environment every year. Many are known or suspected carcinogens.

Prevention of terrorism also demands attention. Thinking that “big data’’ can stop such a deep-rooted social problem is typical of the technology-can-solve-it attitude that has gotten us into this trouble in the first place. Of course, real prevention would include the employment and educational opportunities Westphal mentions, but there is a deeper problem. Religious extremism feeds on the suffering of millions, and it’s time to move beyond the ancient myths. The same fundamental problem exists here in the United States, and is making the chasm worse between the West and the rest.

Religion make us tribal, and being tribal, by its nature, makes “the other’’ the enemy. Terrorism will feed on that until society moves into the light of reason, love, and understanding.

WE are both the problem and the solution, not an unknown force beyond the sky.

Rick Cutler

Arlington