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2006-01-23 India-Pakistan
Extremist militants or kidnappers?
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Posted by Fred 2006-01-23 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 They are terrorists. Why are posters using words like "insurgents," "extremists," "militants" etc? I thought Rantburgers were higher beings.
http://static.flickr.com/36/89610889_1f49967fe2.jpg
Posted by CaziFarkus 2006-01-23 06:38||   2006-01-23 06:38|| Front Page Top

#2 Attention CaziFarkus: Please note this was posted by Fred, the site's owner and our host. Please rein in your attitude; this site does not advocate the "nuke 'em all and let god sort 'em out" philosophy. Consider this a warning.
Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious  2006-01-23 07:37||   2006-01-23 07:37|| Front Page Top

#3 Qazi,

Articles are often posted with the original headlines. We have a pretty good idea what the bad guyz are. In this case they are extremists, terrs, and kidnappers.
Posted by Fred 2006-01-23 09:53||   2006-01-23 09:53|| Front Page Top

#4 CaziFarkus point is a good one about the weasel words themselves.

RBs often just post the article from the mainstream media. But the mainstream media is definitely guilty of using weasel words.

They do this because Islamist lobby groups ring up the newsrooms and complain. They write letters. They lobby.

I work in a newspaper. When a story crosses my desk about 'militants' blowing up a market place or kidnapping nuns or beheading schoolgirls I immediately change the word to 'terrorist'. Unfortunately there aren't many like me and I have more arguments at work than you care to think about. Plus half the time my work gets changed by lefties.

The definition of a terrorist is one who attacks random civilians to make a political point. They do this by the terror and grief their actions cause and use this to hold the government to ransom. Do what we say or your civilians get it!

But a militant can be just a plain old law-abiding citizen who simply holds strong views. A militant feminist would not attack people but men might find her a prickly character.

An extremist holds intense views but while anti-social doesn't have to be violent. You might find a left-wing extremist who insists on living in a commune with his friends and won't pay taxes or walk on roads and only eats grains he grows himself. We can even tolerate a few of them, if they don't harm the broader society. They simply hold extreme views.

An insurgent is a member of a rebel military force fighting a war against a dominant ruling power. But to qualify, they attack infrastructure, military and police targets not civilians.

A true terrorist tries to win the war through psychology, public relations and fear by hurting, blowing up, kidnapping and otherwise murdering civilians: schoolgirls in beslan, old people, people at a market, people at a bustop, holidaymakers in bali, options traders in the world trade centre.

They are terrorists pure and simple and the world's mainstream media needs to grow a backbone and call them by their true name.

Posted by anon1 2006-01-23 10:07||   2006-01-23 10:07|| Front Page Top

#5 And to add one more thing: Public thanks to Fred for hosting this site.

He's doing a very important job especially with his archives. He is keeping freedom of speech free.

the lobby groups can shut down main stream media much more effectively but it is so important that there is a place online you can get a collection of the real stories and a different viewpoint: and a searchable database.

best of all, the lobby groups will have a hard time shutting Fred down.

He'll just tell them to get lost.

Thank you Fred, for the amazing work you've done and the resource you've provided.

You help keep freedom alive.
Posted by anon1 2006-01-23 10:11||   2006-01-23 10:11|| Front Page Top

#6 You do your bit, too, anon1. For what you do at your desk, and for your very informative posts in this thread, thank you. If more of your colleagues had your understanding, the world would be a better and happier place.
Posted by trailing wife 2006-01-23 20:16||   2006-01-23 20:16|| Front Page Top

#7 yeah Cazi, that Fred is sure a milquetoast, ain't he? hee hee. Too bad he runs this joint
Posted by Frank G">Frank G  2006-01-23 20:42||   2006-01-23 20:42|| Front Page Top

07:02 CaziFarkus
00:01 anonymous2u
23:26 gromgoru
23:24 gromgoru
23:24 Inspector Clueso
23:17 Fred
23:04 John L
22:56 Rembrandt
22:55 Spavigum Ulomosh9738
22:51 trailing wife
22:47 Alaska Paul
22:42 trailing wife
22:39 trailing wife
22:38 Frank G
22:31 RD
22:26 Old Patriot
22:25 SC88
22:23 Alaska Paul
22:23 badanov
22:23 badanov
22:22 trailing wife
22:16 Danking70
22:14 3dc
22:04 Alaska Paul









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