Euphemisms for terrorist

Submitted by Melvyn Rosenstein (United States), Sep 8, 2004 at 02:57

As you rightly point out in the last paragraph of your column, language is a powerful tool thus its usage is crucial to understanding. The many euphemisms used by the press, for whatever their reasoning happens to be, is quite harmful to a real understanding of the true horror of the acts performed, while at the same time attributing sympathy to the perpetrators.

If you recall, I objected to the journalists, with whom we met on the last Mission, to the use of the term suicide bombers. This term in no way describes the horror of their acts and again attributes some degree of sympathy to them. The journalists' reply was totally inane and defensive, while being offensive to my intellect.

I only wish your rapier mind had a wider audience.

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