What Is A Terrorist?
Some Fuzzy Logic By Will Dugan
October 15, 2004
Terrorist - what exactly is a terrorist? The online OneLook Dictionary Search provided this:
noun: a radical who employs terror as a political weapon; usually organizes with other
terrorists in small cells; often uses religion as a cover for terrorist activities
which begs the next logical question - what is terror? Again using the OneLook reference:
noun: a very troublesome child
noun: a person who inspires fear or
noun: an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
Why do I ask? Well, I am having trouble coming to grips with the way we use the word. When I say we, I
guess that I mean Americans in general and probably more specifically, American news organizations.
On September 11, 2001, our country was attacked by "The Terrorists". There can be no questioning the fact
that we were attacked. I remember saying at the time (to no one in particular), "this is not an act of
terrorism - it is an act of war". And while I'm not sure if there was an official Declaration of War, there
can be no doubt that we are engaged in a "War on Terror". We are told so every day; we are reminded in
countless ways that our way of life is threatened by these terrorists. I do not question this fact
(although I do have many questions regarding our consequent actions; questions that many Americans do not
ask).
But our use of the word "terrorist" pre-dates 9-11. I cannot be sure when it came into popular usage, but
I seem to remember it being used extensively in the reporting of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East
between Israel and the Palestinians. And it is in this context that I believe we may have started
misapplying or misusing the term. In the context of the conflict between Israel and her neighbors, could it
be that the word "terrorist" is way overused? Could it be that the word itself is more a tool of propaganda
than an accurate description of a combatant?
Please hear me out - and know that I am doing my best to "not take sides", but to be objective. You see,
while I accept the fact that the Israelis are our allies and that the Palestinians are not, I don't know
why exactly. The general consensus that the Jews are the good guys and that their enemies are the bad guys
seems to me to be way over-simplified. I do not pretend to understand this ongoing conflict, but hasn't
this been going on for centuries? Is there any factual basis to the Biblical accounts of the Jews and her
neighbors killing each other for - (almost forever)?
Ah! Maybe, therein lies part of the problem of understanding? The Bible, which many accept as the Word of
God, paints the Jews as the good guys and the enemies of the Jews as the bad guys. So, could it be that we
need a word to describe the enemy of the Jews, a word that clearly shows that he is a bad guy? Yes, I think
that it could be. Terrorist, that's the word. We can use that word to paint a mental image of the bad guy.
And if I have ANY of this right - it brings me right back to my confusion concerning the use of the word
terrorist. Why is it that when a 19 year old Israeli straps a helicopter gunship to his back and flies over
Palestinian territory and kills people - he is a soldier engaged in war - BUT - when a 19 year old
Palestinian straps explosives to his back and goes into Israeli territory and kills people - he is a terrorist?
Do you see my point of confusion?
Copyright © 2009 By Will Dugan
