[OPE-L:5957] Re: Re: Re: Re: RE: Re: Re: Re: the wages of war

From: Patrick L. Mason (pmason@garnet.acns.fsu.edu)
Date: Tue Sep 18 2001 - 14:51:35 EDT


I will gladly accept your argument that "terrorism" is a much abused word. 
But, then, so is socialism, Marxism, Christianity, democracy, etc. However, 
this wasn't clear (to me) in your posting. If I attributed views to you 
that you do not hold, I apologize.

peace, plm

At 10:10 AM 9/18/01 +0100, you wrote:
>Patrick,
>
>you seem to have missed  the point here. In repeating the South African
>Apartheid Governments  daily accusations against the ANC and mandela (what
>charges were made against him to encarcarate him?) .I was trying to
>underline fact that 'terrorism' is  a word used  for purely political
>purposes... its abuse by the corrupt crooks and murderers in power  can no
>longer have any generally acceptable meaning, only meaning for particular
>sides.
>
>Fortunately all the other respondents got the point, for which thanks.
>
>Paul B
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Patrick L. Mason <pmason@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>
>To: ope-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu <ope-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu>
>Date: 17 September 2001 18:13
>Subject: [OPE-L:5931] Re: Re: RE: Re: Re: Re: the wages of war
>
>
> >
> >
> >This discussion is bizarre. Mandela, a terrorist!!! Pure garbage.
> >
> >To conflate terrorism with a legitimate freedom fighter is mind boggling.
> >Everyone on the face of the earth who cared to know, knew the purpose of
> >the ANC's struggle. On the other hand, no one knows (for certain, at the
> >moment) who was behind last week's insanity or what possible goal the
> >perpetrators were trying to achieve.
> >
> >People who target buildings with day-care centers are simply evil. The WTC
> >included people of every religion, political ideology, economic class, skin
> >color, sexual preference, etc. among human beings. The only definable
> >target was human life.
> >
> >Blowing up the world trade center (through the suicidal hijacking and
> >destruction of planes that also contained a vast variety of people) is an
> >extraordinarily vicious, utterly futile, and stupidly meaningless act.
> >America has an $8.5 to $9.0 trillion GDP. This senseless act will have zero
> >longrun economic impact. Politically, it will only make it more difficult
> >to create a more humane world. This horrific event eliminated all
> >discussion of the World Conference Against Racism from the print and
> >electronic.
> >
> >The public works injection associated with rebuilding New York and
> >expanding the military will increase the size of the GDP. The American
> >military-industrial complex will only be made stronger. Neither the
> >Palestinians nor any Arab/Islamic political group fighting for a more
> >democratic government or any form of economic justice will be helped by
> >this act.
> >
> >To equate Mandela and the African National Congress with the
> >nation/organization/individuals that carried out the actions of the past
> >week is deeply insulting to anyone who thinks that morality, ethics,
> >values, and the preciousness of life, especially human life, are something
> >more than "contemptible bourgeois concepts." The ANC had as its policy that
> >only economic infrastructure and military targets were legitimate targets.
> >
> >Only degenerate, hedonistic, psychopaths murder thousands of people for the
> >sheer joy of killing.
> >
> >Maybe, I don't understand the mentality of some on "the left" anymore.
> >Maybe, I never did. Many leftist wish to save whales, protect rain forests,
> >stop the senseless of baby seals, and (some) encourage humans to quit
> >eating meat. Okay, that's all good.
> >
> >I'm all for saving whales, rain forests, and old growth forests and spotted
> >owls. But, I also think human life is worthy of salvation. I'm totally
> >against the senseless murder of animals. I live in a wooded area with
> >rattlesnakes, mocassins, copperheads, and coral snakes. I'm even against
> >killing these deadly snakes.
> >
> >I have no idea who carried out this horrific action, but common decency
> >would suggest that the perpetrators have nothing in common with the ANC or
> >British teenagers training to fight off a Nazi invasion.
> >
> >patrick l mason
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >At 04:48 PM 9/17/01 +0100, you wrote:
> >>During the WW2  British boy scouts, from the age of 11 to 16 were taught
>how
> >>to sabotage an expected German invasion force, in ways which were almost
> >>certainly 'suicidal'... ... no doubt we might have regarded this as
> >>terrorism if we were with the Wehrmacht.
> >>
> >>Your question is  strikingly naive, if you will excuse me saying so.
> >>Mandela, Makarios, and many other post colonial leaders were well
> >>established 'terrorist' leaders.
> >>
> >>What are the 'objective' or material causes of these acts? that is the
> >>point.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Chai-on Lee <conlee@chonnam.ac.kr>
> >>To: ope-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu <ope-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu>
> >>Date: 17 September 2001 11:21
> >>Subject: [OPE-L:5922] RE: Re: Re: Re: the wages of war
> >>
> >>
> >> >Dear All,
> >> >
> >> >Could anybody distinguish between the terrorist and the guerrilla?
> >> >I am purplexed.
> >> >
> >> >Chai-on
> >> >
> >> >
> >
> >



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