122
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2023
122 points (100.0% liked)
World News
22057 readers
56 users here now
Breaking news from around the world.
News that is American but has an international facet may also be posted here.
Guidelines for submissions:
- Where possible, post the original source of information.
- If there is a paywall, you can use alternative sources or provide an archive.today, 12ft.io, etc. link in the body.
- Do not editorialize titles. Preserve the original title when possible; edits for clarity are fine.
- Do not post ragebait or shock stories. These will be removed.
- Do not post tabloid or blogspam stories. These will be removed.
- Social media should be a source of last resort.
These guidelines will be enforced on a know-it-when-I-see-it basis.
For US News, see the US News community.
This community's icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
This seems to be missing the meaning of the word "terrorist", as in anyone espousing the ideology of instilling fear as a weapon.
I wish that was what the word "terrorist" means.
It has always meant anyone using asymmetric tactics to oppose states or capitalism, both violent and non-violent. If it simply meant using fear as a weapon, then every state that has prisons and police would be terrorist.
The standard usage of the word is so hypocritical that it has become an authoritarian allegiance-signifying pejorative without any deeper meaning.
Well... you said it ๐
The Oxford definition adds "unlawful" as an extra requirement, but I'd readily call Iran's morality police "terrorist", despite being lawful and state sponsored.
I agree Iran uses fear to control its citizens, but that's a pretty facile statement in an English speaking community. How do you feel about Anastasija Kukhta or Mikhail Lazakovich, both convicted of terrorism?
Russia and Belarus also use fear to control their citizens. Setting a place on fire to make the state fear you, definitely can be called terrorism. Asking for sanctions against a state... hm, kind of? Technically, many of the sanctions against Russia are also intended to instill fear, including amongst civilians so they stop supporting their state. Making the EU fear whether it will have enough fuel for the winter, is another case.
There's a lot of terrorising going around these days.
The word is useless for describing violent acts in a meaningful way. It can mean making children traumatized with bombs, or making HOA members afraid their property value will decrease with graffiti, vastly different actions and outcomes.
Tellingly, none of the people who tried to overthrow the government and caused hundreds of senators and congresspeople to retreat in fear have been charged with terrorism.
Meanwhile, people who take videos of animal abuse on farms are terrorists. Eric King is housed at the infamous prison for terrorists ADX Florence, and is referred to the counterterrorism unit for passing out Union cards.
No one who wants to be taken seriously should use the word "terrorist" in a descriptive context. It is not a meaningful word, it's a noise people make when the word they actually mean is socially inappropriate or politically inopportune.
Agree.
Disagree.
"Terrorism" has a clear meaning, and observing when people use it, or avoid using it, is even more meaningful, as proven by those examples.
PS: I've been called a "no freeloading terrorist", a "TV remote terrorist", and a "cleaning terrorist". It may not tell you much about what I did, but it should convey enough meaning about what they were thinking.
It seems the person who called you a terrorist did not want to be taken seriously :)