-Caveat Lector- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Terrorism for Dummies By Said Hamideh April 13, 2002 As a Palestinian-American I cannot help but to dwell for a moment on the Palestinian loss of water, electricity, media representation, education, doctors, food, lives and a living environment conducive to sanity. In light of this, I do not see peace at the end of the tunnel when Sharon, simultaneously choking Palestinian lifestyles to inhumane conditions, expects Palestinians not to retaliate violently. Patrick Henry put in the same position as a Palestinian would have declared "Give me liberty, or give me death!". In fact, he did say that in 1775, the year before America liberated itself from England's oppressive occupation. Patrick Henry only valued a life worth living, and to protect it, he was prepared to kill any bloody Tory that stood in his way. In the same way that Patrick Henry is revered as an American patriot, I am frustrated to see how Palestinians also resisting oppression get brushed off with the "terrorist" label while the other side washes its hand from that word and its stigma. Merriam-Webster defines "terrorism" as: the use of terror especially as a means of coercion. I propose to you all that this is not the word George W. Bush or Ariel Sharon means when they say terrorism. Since terror can arise in consequence from any violent act, a finer distinction must be made to extract any valuable meaning from the word terrorism. The terrorism you hear and regurgitate with ease every day has come to mean more or less the use of unjustified violence as a means of coercion. Permit me to explain. This new definition has boiled down to a matter of rationalizing the violence. I could easily argue that the U.S. engaged in terrorism when it dropped two atomic bombs over Japan killing over a quarter of a million innocent civilians. But alas, terrorism is a dirty term reserved for "evil" doers. And, of course, the U.S. wasn't "evil" for they saved an estimated 35 million lives that would have perished under a prolonged WW2. This counter-argument that pleads "self defense", which I agree with, sets a controlling precedent over what kind of violence embodies terrorism and what doesn't. For example, the una-bomber's use of violence to coerce the end of technological progress does not exempt itself from terrorism because its mission wasn't defensive enough in nature. In the same vein, it would be an equivocation of the term (as the western world uses it today) to label Palestinian suicide bombers as terrorists. If we are to be unemotional and, most importantly, fair, suicide bombers should share the same name with Israeli troops being as they serve the same function: to protect the interests of their constituents through violent forms of deterrence. If violent actions called terrorism are to share a common denominator then the location of where the violence occurs wouldn't be it. The same way U.S. president Truman turned Hiroshima into a living hell and Sharon has turned Arab neighborhoods into war zones, suicide bombers killing civilians in a pizzeria or a cafe falls into the same category just on a smaller scale. Therefore, we have yet to find out what it is exactly about suicide bombing that makes it terrorism if the other aforementioned U.S. and Israeli actions are to be exempt from it as well. In the meantime, while some of you search for that missing attribute, I beg of you to consider the possibility that any Palestinian bearing arms or killing someone else right now is just as entrenched, desperate and psychologically ill as any of the other players in this dirty conflict of interests. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
