I note that Al Jazeera English and the BBC have been troubling lovers of free speech by restricting the use of the word “Terrorist” in some of their news reporting. “Terrorist” is a word with a relatively recent etymology. It dates from 1794 and originated in that unpleasant phase of French history called “La Terreur,” when Parisian Tricoteuses did their knitting in the shadow of the guillotine.
Since then, the word has evolved. The terrorism of 1794 was created and enforced by government. Today’s Western media generally use the term to describe groups or individuals engaged in violent action against governments and, more specifically, against western interests. Naturally, the word terrorist no longer applies to the violence of governments. Pre-emptive war, torture, unprovoked attacks on civilians – these are mere collateral damage, necessary for the defence of our freedoms.
So Al Jazeera English and the BBC may have a point. The word has been devalued by its partisan usage and means only what you want it to mean. One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. For example, rebels in Syria are not terrorists but “freedom fighters”, at least they were until Isis got involved and blurred the distinction.
A distinction that brings me back to my first encounter with the T-word. It was 1957 and a relative of my family, an RUC sergeant, had been killed by an IRA bomb. My parents travelled to the home of our relative to be with his widow and children, leaving me in the care of a neighbour. The neighbour, anxious to know the whole story, sent me to buy a newspaper.
I had never bought a newspaper before so I studied the headlines to see which newspaper was best. The Northern Whig led with a headline on the lines of “RUC Sergeant murdered in IRA Terrorist Attack” and a full half page story. The Belfast Newsletter also headlined terrorism and murder but did not fill quite half a page with them. The Irish News, with significantly smaller headlines, reported the killing of a policeman by the IRA. The story ran to almost a column.
I bought the Northern Whig. Our neighbour took one look and said, “Bring that rag back to the shop and get me the Irish News.”
I went back, already conscious, at 12 years old, of the conflict between the nationalism in which I was being reared, learning to revere those who fought and died so that Ireland might be free, and the alternative truth that killing our policeman relative was an act of murder which merited the use of that accusatory word, “terrorism”.
I am still conflicted.
there are no freedom- fighters in this day and age.
Over-use of the words “terrorist” and “terrorism” in recent years has led to annhilation of whatever causes may underlie the action.
The underlying reasons are not examined or evaluated – it’s simply “terrorism” – the perpetrators and their justifications don’t count, whatever their grievances may be
JE SUIS AL JAZEERA!
The good news is one Al Jazeera journalist has been freed from his Egyptian jail.
The bad news is that two of his colleagues remain incarcerated, along with nine other journalists from various organs.
Why have we not seen the world leaders marching arm-in-arm through Cairo in support of these people and the denial of their free speech.
It is true that one man`s terrorist is another`s freedom fighter, Cameron and co. have bred the current spectacle of Islamist fascists butchering westerners through their handing over of weapons to groups opposed to Gadafi and Assad. Were these weapons monitored? Who actually received them? Did they pay for them? Were there conditions applied, ie, NOT TO BE USED AGAINST INNOCENT PEOPLE? I doubt it. ISIS beheads people and they are quite rightly condemned yet Cameron and the English prince Charles paid homage to the king of Saudi Arabia, a country where beheadings and stonings are commomplace. Likewise Nationalists regarded the RUC/UDR and co. as the terrorists, not the so called `security forces`. How could they do otherwise, when they were terrorised by these organisations?
The BBC regularly called the Provos terrorists but incredibly call the Isis maniacs “fighters”