22 readers online now

99,258 comments by 26,347 readers

Go to Mobile Site
Homepage Articles Blog Reviews Spoken Books Other Languages Biographical Middle East Forum About this site Mailing List

Semantics are not important
Reader comment on item: [Beslan Atrocity:] They're Terrorists - Not Activists

Submitted by paulina (United States), Sep 8, 2004 at 17:32

Why get caught up in the words which are used? It only takes away from the significance of the tragedy which goes on every day all over the world. Would the problems will be solved once they are called "terrorists" uniformly throughout the media? Isn't the real problem actually WHAT they do and WHY they do it? That is what needs to be the focus, not what they are called.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

Submit a comment on this item

Search by Enter name or date
Search Forum Comments:

Reader comments (173) on this item

Title By Date
Silence is a weapon too - Reply [133 words]SlimSep 4, 2005 09:12
Silence is a weapon too [194 words]James.R.EdwardsAug 25, 2005 09:01
BBC's discovery of Terrorism [156 words]Rob JamesJul 11, 2005 18:09
Civilian casualties [96 words]Cheryl YoungNov 12, 2004 23:39
Interesting but ironic [101 words]Jasper InesOct 20, 2004 07:55
Fears [479 words]Joanne CottoneOct 13, 2004 08:38
"Freedom fighters"? Even they refer to themselves as "terrorists"! [200 words]alvin_dayOct 4, 2004 22:08
A courageous voice speaking out [117 words]Bhupendra BhartiOct 2, 2004 07:48
Terror is terror [34 words]TreekOct 1, 2004 16:51
Use the T-Word [289 words]Raphael Cohen-AlmagorSep 30, 2004 11:36
"Freedom Fighters" in Nicaragua? [118 words]John KeaganSep 30, 2004 01:39
NPR's Al Qaeda "Officials" [62 words]JohnSep 27, 2004 14:15
Intention [50 words]DaveSep 20, 2004 09:04
Savages? [221 words]Samuel P. PanuccioSep 20, 2004 03:44
Terrorism defined [87 words]DavidSep 19, 2004 11:26
One man's terrorist [51 words]Jerry NormoyleSep 18, 2004 00:26
Politcal Correctness Gone Berserk [87 words]Margaret BroomfieldSep 17, 2004 10:40
Canadian PC Media [146 words]Jeff BercovitchSep 16, 2004 19:47
Islam is THE problem [103 words]Hari IyerSep 16, 2004 01:10
↔ Thank you for your Ignorance [218 words]KiranMar 7, 2009 02:47
Thank you, Daniel [15 words]Maria IvanovaSep 15, 2004 12:56
The Marxist Paradigm [346 words]Diane WolffSep 15, 2004 10:13
Terrorism is a tactic, not a movement
[w/response] [114 words]		Bill KeaneSep 15, 2004 03:28
Another idea, a term, but not for the terrorists as such [33 words]Nancy SutherlanSep 14, 2004 19:45
My thoughts exactly [35 words]Phaedra BagrationSep 14, 2004 18:44
"they're terrorists" [41 words]Steven JacobySep 14, 2004 06:36
Islamist origins? [36 words]Jake MorrisonSep 14, 2004 04:19
World journalists in Dhimmitude [79 words]Bhupendra BhartiSep 13, 2004 12:20
Euphemism [28 words]Edward ShortSep 13, 2004 11:24
Both ways [111 words]Malik MuhammadSep 12, 2004 23:44
Well done [8 words]Tsahi NivSep 12, 2004 15:42
Major Media: Non commital buzzwords [59 words]MarkSep 11, 2004 22:09
Maalot School - Beslan article redaction by AP [623 words]MitchSep 11, 2004 10:36
Bravo! [1 words]George KunSep 11, 2004 09:32
How true [126 words]Patrick WatkinsSep 10, 2004 21:42
Algeria...a real catastrophe [51 words]GeorgeSep 10, 2004 20:40
Activists, Indeed. [52 words]Barry MillerSep 10, 2004 17:37
Another term [13 words]Lawrence ShumanSep 10, 2004 17:07
Post article openswith the work "terrorists" [12 words]R. RoistacherSep 10, 2004 16:22
Point of View [87 words]Max EdisonSep 10, 2004 14:19
It's murder, even if the excuse is political. [18 words]Judith RachmaniSep 10, 2004 13:30
Terrorism is terrorism. Period. [67 words]Marcos BerensteinSep 10, 2004 08:25
Euphemisms for Terrorism [26 words]Arlinda DeAngelisSep 10, 2004 00:01
Perp(etrator)s [952 words]Ethel C. FenigSep 9, 2004 23:48
Gee, how come it's not terrorism when YOU bomb THEM? [74 words]Hugh DillonSep 9, 2004 19:46
Horror on both sides [63 words]ZhivagoSep 9, 2004 19:20
So you would define as terrorist anyone the Israelis shoot? [106 words]SamuelSep 9, 2004 19:17
Who followed the links? [110 words]soren veliceSep 9, 2004 19:03
What is Jemaah Islamiyah? [134 words]John SharpeSep 9, 2004 18:22
terrorism = (new) communism [95 words]SadiaSep 9, 2004 18:12
Freedom fighters [25 words]Tom StriniSep 9, 2004 15:30
Thank you [22 words]Louis M. SteinbergSep 9, 2004 13:22
There are other terrorists, too. [94 words]Peter J. HerzSep 9, 2004 12:58
Homicide Bombers: Let's call them what they are... [149 words]R. WilliamsSep 9, 2004 11:28
True Leaders Do Not Shirk Verbal or Physical Combat [183 words]Joe FeigSep 9, 2004 11:01
What would you call the Iran Contras? [74 words]J.Sep 9, 2004 09:58
"Terrorism" is not the clearest word itself [134 words]KirbySep 9, 2004 09:29
A commenter misses the point [70 words]Aubie ArrowSep 9, 2004 09:02
The Western Press Misleads Its Readers [334 words]Lawrence I. GouldSep 9, 2004 08:53
Victims or terrorists? A matter of semantics, perhaps? [110 words]P. OakleySep 9, 2004 07:33
PC and Terrorism [341 words]J.T FiddesSep 9, 2004 07:23
Newton's apple at last [175 words]PCSep 9, 2004 05:34
More political correctness [112 words]Toby BeckSep 9, 2004 04:50
Euphanisms have their place [161 words]RJ KennedySep 9, 2004 02:53
By any other name.... [164 words]Matt FyffeSep 9, 2004 01:09
I Was Just Following Orders [72 words]Jim JSep 8, 2004 23:54
Let's be fair [23 words]Alan RutkowskiSep 8, 2004 21:28
Right on target! [11 words]Robert GelberSep 8, 2004 21:12
Leftist Media [98 words]Samuel KarpovSep 8, 2004 20:55
'Militant' now means 'terrorist' [90 words]Howard PieletSep 8, 2004 20:13
Terrorists [2 words]Walter D'UllSep 8, 2004 19:46
My Favorite Term [6 words]KatieSep 8, 2004 19:22
Chechyna [154 words]HarrisonSep 8, 2004 18:58
A Terrorist By Any Other Name... [113 words]Sheldon TaftSep 8, 2004 17:47
⇒ Semantics are not important [70 words]paulinaSep 8, 2004 17:32
Civilization at Risk [544 words]Jim StollSep 8, 2004 17:23
proper definitions [362 words]NickSep 8, 2004 17:22
No sympathy for terrorists [43 words]Dick ShortSep 8, 2004 16:47
It's "Gang" on Radio New Zealand [49 words]Josh DuthieSep 8, 2004 16:42
Terror is graphic [34 words]Tom PerrinSep 8, 2004 16:31
Strategic bombing [92 words]KonradSep 8, 2004 16:30
On the use of language [62 words]Paul E PriceSep 8, 2004 16:29
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is a mallard [69 words]Raghu DesikanSep 8, 2004 15:39
Flawed Reasoning [88 words]Justin LannoyeSep 8, 2004 15:26
"Commentaries,yours." [111 words]Mr. Sandy HaazSep 8, 2004 15:17
They're Terrorists- Not activists [216 words]Ken KinrichSep 8, 2004 15:14
They cannot sanitize this [143 words]Martin KalaydjianSep 8, 2004 14:39
George Washington, Terrorist [146 words]Scott RyanSep 8, 2004 14:25
Defining terrorism [110 words]Bjorn MerkerSep 8, 2004 14:18
Reporting vs. storytelling [270 words]Rick DarbySep 8, 2004 13:59
Tyranny - wherever - is still tyranny. [220 words]TexposéSep 8, 2004 13:51
Obfuscation [38 words]John MaloneySep 8, 2004 13:38
Calling a Spade a Black Upside-Down Heart With a Tail [120 words]Marci MaysSep 8, 2004 13:36
Is "Terrorist" really just a description? [142 words]Arti PersaudSep 8, 2004 13:30
Terrorism = non-financial impersonal mayhem upon civilians [361 words]Jason JungreisSep 8, 2004 13:11
Re comment: "Who Gets To Choose?" [32 words]Rob ArsenaultSep 8, 2004 12:56
K. I. S. S. ITS ABOUT "WORDS" [91 words]Bob BreslauerSep 8, 2004 12:46
The Terrorism Scale [253 words]David GuySep 8, 2004 12:40
What's the complaint?? [22 words]Judy SteinSep 8, 2004 12:23
Its murder, even if the motive is political. [110 words]Lawrence M. DubinSep 8, 2004 11:57
Finally! [20 words]Zachary CarlinSep 8, 2004 11:54
What is Terrorism [113 words]rhona hotchkissSep 8, 2004 11:31
The real enemy [43 words]Ross CoxSep 8, 2004 10:50
Amen! [98 words]JasonnSep 8, 2004 10:33
Another term [11 words]William PapkeSep 8, 2004 10:32
But almost every article also uses TERRORIST [151 words]Brian HoustonSep 8, 2004 10:32
Political Correctness and the war on Terror [240 words]Rick MoranSep 8, 2004 10:02
Who gets to choose? [76 words]Robert DaySep 8, 2004 09:53
Desperados? [42 words]Aubie ArrowSep 8, 2004 09:48
Call them Mujihadeen instead of terrorists [124 words]DennisSep 8, 2004 09:16
Terrorists and "freedom fighters" [303 words]Tom MartinSep 8, 2004 09:14
EMET [36 words]Esther ElbazSep 8, 2004 09:10
This misses the point [166 words]Rich TaylorSep 8, 2004 07:00
TERRORIST AS SOCIAL TORTURERS [131 words]Alan RobertsSep 8, 2004 06:53
Terrorists or freedom fighters? [129 words]Sue VogelSep 8, 2004 05:46
Once again careful documentation and proof of a reality so many sense [159 words]Shalom FreedmanSep 8, 2004 05:07
Call them murderers [37 words]Ramesh RaghuvanshiSep 8, 2004 04:07
Thank You [16 words]Jack WynnSep 8, 2004 03:51
Terrorists, bandits, assassins, criminals [79 words]Octavio JohansonSep 8, 2004 03:48
One man's freedom fighter, Is another man's terrorist. [104 words]Charles Edward FrithSep 8, 2004 03:11
A Spade's a spade - dig? [132 words]Tony MoraSep 8, 2004 03:03
Euphemisms for terrorist [129 words]Melvyn RosensteinSep 8, 2004 02:57
A Miasma of Words [104 words]Jon MillerSep 8, 2004 02:35
Oh fercryin' out loud! [86 words]Anonymous CowardSep 8, 2004 01:58
A term more destructive than terrorist [228 words]Gilbert SimonsSep 8, 2004 00:45
A Word With Ways [85 words]Lisa NybergSep 8, 2004 00:06
NY Times Guilty on 9/1/04 [104 words]Reena SeltzerSep 7, 2004 23:34
More euphemisms [48 words]Harry BartonSep 7, 2004 23:11
Jihadists [69 words]Tim RobertsSep 7, 2004 22:53
Misnomers [33 words]Malia TaylorSep 7, 2004 21:41
Canada's coverage: how do you know? [464 words]Greg HanniganSep 7, 2004 21:29
Even the UN used the word "terrorist" [41 words]CHINGCHINGSep 7, 2004 21:20
Euphemisms in France [20 words]Tzvi TamariSep 7, 2004 21:02
Excellent Article [20 words]Bob RuggillSep 7, 2004 21:01
Selective sensitivity [128 words]Paul M.Sep 7, 2004 20:15
Euphemisms and action [201 words]Dr. Bill HayesSep 7, 2004 19:54
Euphemisms are for the Morally and Intellectually Braindead [102 words]Jeremy Dan FreedmanSep 7, 2004 19:39
Terrorism [70 words]S FinemanSep 7, 2004 19:27
terrorist euphemisms [25 words]Bruce KauffmanSep 7, 2004 19:01
Mainstream Press Bias [185 words]Michael LevineSep 7, 2004 18:59
The meaning of "Terrorism" [105 words]Alan GreenSep 7, 2004 18:49
Ah, so [86 words]Gary GreerSep 7, 2004 18:38
Another One [7 words]GregSep 7, 2004 18:36
Definition of terrorism [40 words]Brian AndersonSep 7, 2004 18:28
Euphemisms for terrorist [139 words]Bob AlexanderSep 7, 2004 17:29
Semantics - execution and assassination [214 words]Peter SamuelSep 7, 2004 17:19
Language usage determines the way we think [86 words]Bernard KestenSep 7, 2004 16:57
The Right Word Is Important [46 words]Patrick BarronSep 7, 2004 16:40
The BBC sinks to a new low [36 words]Shedon SchorerSep 7, 2004 16:28
Definition of terrorist [45 words]Nathaniel BarrSep 7, 2004 16:09
Not only weakness, but sheer stupidity [23 words]George PlescovSep 7, 2004 16:08
Another home run [27 words]Frank MagnaniSep 7, 2004 16:04
Militants and Terrorists [298 words]David HarrisSep 7, 2004 15:31
Job well done [153 words]John W. McGinleySep 7, 2004 15:14
"Terrorists" [99 words]Walter RogoffSep 7, 2004 14:52
getting real! [23 words]M. MartinSep 7, 2004 14:39
Euphemisms: a humdinger [68 words]Allan GrantSep 7, 2004 14:20
Call them what they are. [16 words]Allan GrafmanSep 7, 2004 14:09
Let's be a little more specific... [43 words]Tobias MoyerSep 7, 2004 13:54
Baffled! [266 words]Bryan TaplitsSep 7, 2004 13:35
Failure to call a duck a duck [244 words]Donald W. BalesSep 7, 2004 13:30
What's in a word? [45 words]Michael ElvinSep 7, 2004 13:29
They're Terrorist Not Activists [87 words]Lisa MIchelsonSep 7, 2004 13:29
Down with synonyms [138 words]Michael ElvinSep 7, 2004 13:22
Call things as they are [281 words]Jean OuelletteSep 7, 2004 13:21
Correction of term [43 words]Marsha LivsonSep 7, 2004 13:18
Even "terrorist" is a euphumism -- they're "Muslim aggressors" [202 words]Maureen CoteSep 7, 2004 13:12
IDF demolishes house of militant who carried out terror attack near Itamar [175 words]Mladen AndrijasevicSep 7, 2004 13:11
We're fighting Islamists, not terrorism!! [156 words]Commander Roger JohnsonSep 7, 2004 13:08
Islamist terrorists by any other name is wrong. [40 words]bob finkSep 7, 2004 13:04
Terrorists~~not activists [26 words]R.WilsonSep 7, 2004 12:54
The t word; the M word [35 words]Ethel C. FenigSep 7, 2004 12:35
Definition of terror [34 words]Yirmeyahu Ben-David, Paqid 16, The NetzarimSep 7, 2004 12:07

Comment on this item

Name
Email Address (optional)
Title of Comments
Comments:

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

See the 25 most recent outstanding comments.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Premium Links by Wikio

• Computers
• Electronics
• Communication
• Appliances

eXTReMe Tracker

All materials written by Daniel Pipes on this site © Daniel Pipes. Email: MeqMef@aol.com

You can help support Daniel Pipes' important work by making a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.