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posted by Fnord666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @07:23AM   Printer-friendly
from the oink-I-say dept.

Newsweek has this article on America's skewed definition of terrorism:

What is terrorism? According to the FBI, animal activists who stole two piglets from a farm were terrorists. As of now, Stephen Paddock, who killed 58 people at a country music concert in Las Vegas two weeks ago, has not been labeled a terrorist by the federal security organization.

In a viral story posted on The Intercept, journalist Glenn Greenwald details an account of federal agents investigating animal activists and scouring farm-animal sanctuaries to find two missing piglets that allegedly had been stolen from a farm. The FBI devoted such resources to finding these two piglets because their alleged theft and the capturing of undercover videos of the farm's conditions count as terrorism.

Why is the piglet theft classified as terrorism, but not the Las Vegas shooting? The distinction is rooted in the definition of the term. In spite of the emotions the word "terrorist" might elicit, the definition is not "mass killer" or "Muslim extremist" or "very bad person." The legal definition of terrorism is "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property in order to coerce or intimidate a government or the civilian population in furtherance of political or social objectives."


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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @11:57AM (19 children)

    by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday October 12 2017, @11:57AM (#581088) Journal

    The FBI is being too cute with their use of the dictionary definition of "terrorist" to explain why these folks are, and the Vegas shooter isn't. They know damn well that "terrorist" has long since lost that neat connotation. Thanks to tens of thousands of hours of loose usage in broadcast TV and countless reams of articles the term has become a scary shock term on par with "Nazi." It's now invective hurled at a target to elicit fear, anger, and hatred from the public. Nobody uses the term like the FBI is claiming it is used anymore, except for maybe a handful of political scientists writing articles for Foreign Affairs.

    And the final irony is, the FBI meets the terms of "terrorism" under its own definition, because it employs targeted violence in service of a political agenda in bringing its weight to bear against these animal rights activists. FBI agents using that violence in service of a political agenda are therefore "terrorists."

    Are we gonna let those terrorists win?

    --
    Washington DC delenda est.
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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:12PM (6 children)

    by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:12PM (#581096) Homepage Journal

    Nope. Words have meanings and this one hasn't changed. You may use it incorrectly but that's all it is, you using it incorrectly.

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.
    • (Score: 3, Informative) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:39PM (4 children)

      by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:39PM (#581104) Journal

      Its usage has in fact changed. See Merriam Webster's definition of "nazi" [merriam-webster.com] for an example of the dynamic at work:

      Definition of Nazi
      1 :a member of a German fascist party controlling Germany from 1933 to 1945 under Adolf Hitler
      2 often not capitalized
      a :one who espouses the beliefs and policies of the German Nazis :fascist
      b :one who is likened to a German Nazi :a harshly domineering, dictatorial, or intolerant person

              a grammar nazi

      1. and 2a. were the original, formal definitions of the term. 2b. came about because of everyone running around throwing the term loosely at anyone they didn't like.

      Merriam Webster's formal documentation hasn't caught up with common usage of the term "terrorist" yet, but the FBI knows good and well that's how everyone uses it now and what effect it will produce on the public. The classification also produces a stronger legal bargaining position if they catch the animal rights activists; they can get them to take a plea instead of taking it to trial.

      --
      Washington DC delenda est.
      • (Score: 3, Funny) by aristarchus on Thursday October 12 2017, @07:08PM (3 children)

        by aristarchus (2645) on Thursday October 12 2017, @07:08PM (#581295) Journal

        Oh, great! Soon SoylentNews is going to be infested with Grammar Terrorists! Posters will live in fear of spelling and grammar mistakes! They will be afraid that some middle school teacher will take their piglets! But at least they will be gluten-free. The one thing I could never stomach about Grammar Nazis was all the gluten. They would post, in their snide and arrogant way, "Gluten Tag!" all the time. Nazis.

        • (Score: 3, Funny) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @09:33PM

          by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday October 12 2017, @09:33PM (#581357) Journal

          "Soon SoylentNews is going to be infested with Grammar Terrorists! Posters will live in fear of spelling and grammar mistakes"

          That future is already here. @wonkey_monkey. :-)

          --
          Washington DC delenda est.
        • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday October 13 2017, @02:13AM

          by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 13 2017, @02:13AM (#581508) Journal

          They would post, in their snide and arrogant way, "Gluten Tag!" all the time. Nazis.

          Shouldn't that be in modern Twitter orthography? Like #gluten!

          When do you think you are, you insensitive clod, in antiquity times?
          Who the hell has the time nowadays to type - much less to think about - some extra 4 characters?
          Not to mention the 140/280 limit. What? You reckon anyone cares about books anymore? Today, you don't tweet, you don't exist.

          (grin)

          --
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
        • (Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Friday October 13 2017, @02:17AM

          by AthanasiusKircher (5291) on Friday October 13 2017, @02:17AM (#581513) Journal

          But at least they will be gluten-free. The one thing I could never stomach about Grammar Nazis was all the gluten. They would post, in their snide and arrogant way, "Gluten Tag!" all the time. Nazis.

          Gosh, this made me snort. And I had to log in just to thank you for that nonsense. Don't ever change, Aristarchus.

    • (Score: 2) by pe1rxq on Thursday October 12 2017, @08:46PM

      by pe1rxq (844) on Thursday October 12 2017, @08:46PM (#581339) Homepage

      And that is why calling you a Nazi asshole is a perfectly valid thing to do. No matter how many times you vote for Trump.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:20PM (9 children)

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:20PM (#581098) Journal

    Are we gonna let those terrorists win?

    To quote TMB, "you seem to be under a misapprehension.".
    Are you harbouring the delusion you haven't had lost since quite a long time back? Like since you let them throw the PATRIOT dust in your eyes, more that 15 years ago.

    (are you able to say what the PATRIOT acronyms stands for, without using the Internet? Otherwise, what the hell has patriotism to do with/against terrorism? What better indication you need that this was just the "be against loss of freedom is just unpatriotic" dust in your eyes?)

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:48PM (4 children)

      by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday October 12 2017, @12:48PM (#581107) Journal

      ?

      I'm not sure what you're saying. Are you placing me on the side of FBI apologists, and that's a bad thing, or that I'm a critic and that's a bad thing? Or is it a blanket condemnation of America and the direction it's take over the last 18 years?

      I don't recall off the top of my head what the PATRIOT acronym stands for. I knew once. Now it's in a dusty drawer labeled "Orwellian doublespeak" next to "Homeland Security."

      --
      Washington DC delenda est.
      • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:01PM (1 child)

        by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:01PM (#581113) Journal

        Are you placing me on the side of FBI apologists, and that's a bad thing, or that I'm a critic and that's a bad thing?

        No, I'm not, apologies if this is a meaning that can be derived from my post, it's not what I intended.

        I'm saying that's too late to think that "Are we gonna let those terrorists win?" makes sense, because you lost this battle long time ago. So, rather this one:

        Or is it a blanket condemnation of America and the direction it's take over the last 18 years?

        is closer to (but not an exact match of) what I meant.

        Perhaps asking "Are we going to let them keep what they won?" is a better form for your question?

        --
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
        • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:30PM

          by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:30PM (#581121) Journal

          You're always gonna be playing a game of catch up when you're so deeply betrayed by an insider you entrusted with such an important role. We trusted the FBI, NSA, CIA, Congress, the Whitehouse, the police, etc with so much money and power to perform the duties the People required them to do, and they used it to work directly against the Constitution we swore them in to uphold. Thus they are vile, perjured wretches.

          The Rule of Law and public scorn have shown little effect in bringing them to heel, so eventually it's going to take revolution. If they don't receive the ultimate penalty for their betrayal of their oaths, and for violating the freedom and the rights of the People, then the Constitution and its precepts have no meaning and no teeth. When that happens is anyone's guess.

          --
          Washington DC delenda est.
      • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:11PM (1 child)

        by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:11PM (#581117) Journal

        (I can see why the '?'. No, I used "you/your" as the plural. Apologies once again)

        --
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
        • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:31PM

          by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday October 12 2017, @01:31PM (#581122) Journal

          No need to apologize. Thanks for clarifying.

          --
          Washington DC delenda est.
    • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday October 12 2017, @10:53PM

      by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Thursday October 12 2017, @10:53PM (#581411) Homepage
      Pedantically, it's the USA PATRIOT Act whose acronym you're after.
      --
      Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
    • (Score: 2) by Pino P on Friday October 13 2017, @01:30AM (2 children)

      by Pino P (4721) on Friday October 13 2017, @01:30AM (#581487) Journal

      Without looking it up:
      Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools something something Terrorism

      Looked it up:
      Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism

      Do I win 70% of a cookie?

      • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday October 13 2017, @01:57AM

        by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 13 2017, @01:57AM (#581494) Journal

        Do I win 70% of a cookie?

        But of course! Welcome to the Darkside, son, have as many as you want!! ;)

        --
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 13 2017, @05:49AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 13 2017, @05:49AM (#581592)

        Of the 10 cookies that were originally on the plate, DHS has grabbed 9 and is now pointing at the nearly-empty plate and attempting to convince you that a terrorist is trying to take your cookie.

        Security theater: the best kind of kabuki theater.

        -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by DeathMonkey on Thursday October 12 2017, @05:39PM (1 child)

    by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday October 12 2017, @05:39PM (#581234) Journal

    Yes, professionals tend to use words within their domain correctly.

    • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 12 2017, @09:36PM

      by Phoenix666 (552) on Thursday October 12 2017, @09:36PM (#581358) Journal

      Meaning the animal rights activists are terrorists and the Vegas shooter is not, or the other way around?

      --
      Washington DC delenda est.