Let's stop using the words "terrorist" and "terrorism"

[mumon]

for reasons I mention here. Really the use of these words feeds into a feeling that we should, in fact, be afraid of these sons of bitches, or worse, that we should be afraid of the people who want to fight a "war against terror."

Screw 'em. Call it something else: let's take the "terror" out of "terrorism."

[Deja Q]

1. I'm blank on the subject. What words can we use in their places?

[mumon]

2. How about:

paramilitary action, criminal action, organized criminal action, etc.

Notice that unlike "terrorism" these terms are emotion-free, and describe the behaviors to be countered, not emotions we are "supposed" to feel.

[Last Lemming]

3. Dead straight. . .

it's used now as to manipulate emotions. . .it means "the people against us"

Never forget--there is no end to the war on terror--we will be "fighting" it forever--

[mumon]

5. If we can get the Dems to stop using these words...

it also has the nice effect of making the Repubs look like chicken littles..."the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

[drdon326]

4. Huh ?? What do you call the 9-11 highjackers ?

wayward boy-scouts?????


you can call the sob's but dont call them "terrorists"??

[mumon]

6. Call 'em paramilitiaries....

that's what they were.

They did not commit an act of "terrorism," they committed a military action.

They targetted economic and military facilities.

[bryant69]

10. And killed thousandsof civilians.

Bryant
check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Last Lemming]

7. I think different points of view weigh in

differently on what to call the 9/11 guys.
Here's a few suggestions:
1) Patsies
2) Saudi Arabians
3) Unknown hijackers (since several ID'd by the FBI have been subsequently shown to be alive)
4) 9/11 conspirators (so we don't think we are restricting ourselves to just the guys on the planes--weren't their local supporters "terrorists" as well--why weren't any arrested much less tried--or was there no one in the states that assisted the plot?

5)...

[dave123williams]

8. But TERRA is a magic word!

You don't have to abide by the law, if you're torturing people in the name of fighting TERRA. You can get $100bn in supplimental funding to fight TERRA, and not have to count it towards the budget defecit.

You can have trials without a public hearing, you can hold people without charging them, you can do all sorts of neat things, as long as you're claiming to fight a concept.

[Coventina]

9. I wish it were possible

but I think it's a meme we're pretty much stuck with for a long, long time.

[mumon]

11. All it takes is our active participation in NOT using that meme,

and replacing it with another one.

And, being derisive in the use of the "terrorist" meme.

It's really easy with conservatives you simply say: "What, are you afraid of them?"



"Not me. But that's how they want us to feel!"

"But if you don't feel that way, and I don't feel that way, and nobody we know feels that way, then clearly they're not doing terrorism..."