Interesting concept.  Taken at face value I guess it could mean laundering the dirt from our brains.

But brains don’t have dirt.  I know this from watching Grey’s anatomy.  So it must mean something else.

How about this? Brainwashing means replacing either what was already in your brain with something else or placing something in a space in your brain formally unoccupied.

The result of washing anything is supposed to be a positive experience.  In actuality brainwashing never is.  I can say that because I know brainwashing either modifies ideas gained by your own experience, or brainwashing puts ideas of others in your head which you now claim as your own.

In either case you are now no longer your own man.  Pieces of you, or more importantly pieces of your brain, are now in the care and custody of other’s thoughts.

All people are good people at birth and most people manage to stay that way through life.  Most people just want to live and let live.

But some of us are really sick, and who can say why.  When good people fall victim to brainwashing from extremists and sickos and don’t have the advantage of contrary points of view bad things happen.

Fighting terrorism with an army is ridiculous.  Armies never get inside anyone’s head; they only destroy their bodies. Fighting terrorism is a one-on-one business.  You must win over people by example.  You can only show them a better way; you can’t force them to follow you.  We must lead by example, not try to force compliance.  One must show respect, not contempt, for people of different faiths and their beliefs.