Pulp Non Fiction

[ Wednesday, August 25, 2004 ]

 

Defining Terrorism



Exactly what is terrorism?

Can one man be both hero and terrorist? Consider Ireland's Michael Collins. In the fall of 1920, Collins' band of "Twelve Apostles" assassinated 14 British officers in an effort to win independence. Many say Collins was a patriot. But was he a terrorist?

Telling the difference between violent struggle for freedom and terrorist activity can be difficult. But the Bush Doctrine - the "with us or with the terrorists" foreign policy that followed Sept. 11 - requires that it be done.

So what is terrorism?

Some people define terrorism the way a US Supreme Court Justice defined obscenity: "I know it when I see it." But when we break it down into its components - its tactics and aims - the grays of moral relativism are clarified into sharper hues. Join us as we explore the difficulty - and significance - of defining terrorism.

art [3:43 PM]

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