Terrorist or Asshole

It occurs to me, after engaging in a discussion on Morton's blog, that we have to distinguish between two types of people: the terrorist and the asshole.

It's useful to have a definition of a terrorist: a person who uses violence or the threat of violence to create political change or change in public opinion.

The subject of the discussion on Morton's blog was that of honour killings. If a man kills his daughter for wearing the wrong clothes or courting the wrong suitor, is this an act of a terrorist, or is he merely an asshole? (We take it as read, here, that he is at least an asshole.)

Does this constitute an act of terrorism?

A lot of that depends on how we weasel the definition. If this act of assholery has the effect of intimidating other women from making the clothing and courting choices they truly want, the effect is that of terrorism. But did the guy who murdered his daughter intend that effect, or did he just go off in a murderous, punitive rage and only incidentally have that effect?

If he were to take his petulant child and, as the bible advises, bring her before the town and have her put to death, we could definitely conclude that he is a terrorist. He, and any townspeople helping him, are intentionally using violence to intimidate others in to obeying their moral code. That would be terrorism.

But if we include the unintentional effects of a violent act committed by an asshole and allow that to declare him a terrorist, I would think that pretty much every violent act would have to be called a terrorist act on account of the fact that violence is always intimidating.

This is probably why the designation of "hate crime" had to be created. We judge the crime not only on the intent or the result, but on that shady region in between, where the victim was chosen because of her membership in a group (young women, possibly "young women of a certain culture") and the effect of the assault was to intimidate others of the same group. Additionally, the violence is part of a system of behaviour that intrinsically intimidates that group.

So. Honour killers are terrorists? I don't think so (though I'm not married to not thinking so). But they are assholes and deserve extra time in jail for participating in a hate crime.

Recommend this Post

Who is David H. Wilkins?

Oh, he's the ambassador to Canada from the United States. That's explains this nonsense that only the National Post would print. (My blood pressure was a bit low and I needed something annoying to bring it back up).

Where else would you get the notion that freedom is on the march? No, I'm not kidding. He actually wrote that "freedom is on the march and Al Qaeda is badly diminished."

Who is this guy kidding? His entire article is nothing but lies and distortion.

In reference to Iraq

Even the most vociferous opponents of the surge are now forced to admit the success of the surge strategy.

Sorry. I can't believe that I'm the most vociferous opponent you have, but I don't admit to the success of the surge. The Anbar awakening that is often touted as evidence of success occurred before the surge. Has there been a sudden drop off in violence since the surge? No. Are American soldiers dying less? No.

Welcome to Canada. We may not like our media, but at least they aren't cheerleaders for the government. That means we hear things that Americans don't, like the fact that Al Qaeda is recruiting like crazy ever since the Afghan and Iraq wars started. I think that tidbit comes from "U.S. officials" who tell us, in the same article, that Al Qaeda is strong in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The same article tells us, "...nine American soldiers were killed at a remote base in Kunar province Sunday in the deadliest attack in several years."

Yeah. Sounds like the war on terror is an unparalleled success.

Look Mr. Wilkins. I realize you're not allowed to say anything contrary to the Bush Administration's desires. But you're in Canada now. If you
a) keep up with the "freedom is on march" nonsense while you hold one of our citizens in your torture jail.
b) try to tell us "al-Qaeda [is] badly diminished" when we see more and more death in Afghanistan.
c) tell us that America has a "commitment to freedom for the Afghan people" while we die on the route of a natural gas pipeline.

Then you should expect us to laugh at you and dismiss as one of George Bush's jingoistic liars.

Recommend this Post