TERRORIST

“TERRORIST” – AN USELESS WORD

The recent “Canada Reads” contest on CBC One, February, 2012, stirred up a controversy because of one panellist’s use of the word “terrorist” referring to a member of Chilean resistance movement. I think the panellist lost credibility completely because of her blatantly ideological bias. Syrian President al Asaad calls opposition, “terrorists.” I refused to use the word “terrorism or terrorist” ever, because all sides use it hence it does not mean anything any more

A President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was imprisoned for 27 years for being a terrorist. Two past Israeli Prime Ministers, Manahem Beguin and Izaak Shamir, had belonged to the group termed by the British government as terrorist organization. They participated in the bombing of King David Hotel in Jerusalem killing a hundred or more British soldiers towards the end of the British mandate of Palestine. French resistant fighters Maquis were terrorists and executed by the Nazi. The maquis’ were a vital element responsible for the Allied victory. Even a cowardly little me was expelled from South Africa in 1971 under the Terrorism Act. Was I a bomber? No, I had subversive friends like Desmond Tutu.

I don’t remember who it was, but there was a CBC reporter who declared publicly that he would not use the word “terrorism or terrorist” because the word is so elusive that it does not mean anything. I agree.

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