Historically, a terrorist was someone who sought the overthrow of a
regime (usually from within) by terrorising the population in an effort
to force the regime into ever more suppressive and oppressive measures.
The people were then supposed to see the regime for what it was and rise
up against it.
A terrorist doesn't necessarily try to kill as many people as possible.
He (or she, of course) merely wants to terrorize -- kill 3,000,
terrorize 300 million.
In the case of the FLQ in Quebec, they began by blowing up mailboxes.
The loud bang frightened the population and the tampered-with mail
ensured the involvement of the federal authorities. When they stuck to
mailboxes, they enjoyed the sympathy of many Quebecers. They lost it
when things spiralled out of control and they kidnapped and killed
people. But, and this no-doubt pleased many FLQers...many Canadians
were also deeply angered by Trudeau's heavy-handed response -- the
instigation of the War Measures Act which allowed the police to raid
people's homes, hold them without charge and otherwise step on their
civil liberties.
We tend to throw the word around, now, at anyone who kills for political
reasons. But that's a distortion of the original meaning.
Ursula
JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx wrote:
<<Terrorism is the issue. Deal with that and we can discuss Iraq and everything else.>>
I'm going to regret this, but I rarely do my best decision-making at 5 in the morning. I think it's definition time again. Let's define terrorist.
To me, a terrorist is someone who terrorizes: scares, frightens, some one or some group into doing something they want them to by threatening physical, financial, psychological, etc. pain and harm if the thing wanted is not done. Successful terrorists who end up making a name for themselves are successful on following through on the threat.
Julie Krueger
========Original Message========
Subj: *[lit-ideas] Re: "Stand By Denmark" Rally*
Date: 2/25/06 11:34:06 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: eyost1132@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:eyost1132@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent on:
armed insurgents against Islamic invasion and overrule in North America
Let me explain why that's obfuscation.
Imagine that Christian extremists hijack a jet and crash it into the Kaaba in Mecca, and the Christian co-religionists here refuse to help sort them out.
Terrorism is the issue. Deal with that and we can discuss Iraq and everything else.
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