Words as Weapons: Dropping the ‘Terrorism’ Bomb -- New York TimesWASHINGTON — Words can be weapons, too. So after nearly every new report of political violence, whether merely plotted or actually carried out, there is a vocabulary debate: Should it be labeled “terrorism”?
When early reports of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s shooting spree at Fort Hood, Tex., in November mentioned his personal problems and failed to apply the T-word, activists on the right cried foul: He’s a radical Muslim terrorist, they said, and only political correctness run amok could argue otherwise.
Read more ....
My Comment: George Orwell was the best writer on the use of language to frame political discussion and policy. His book "Politics And The English Language" is a classic in this regard .... which the New York Times tries but does not even come close to matching in this post.
For a free pdf copy of George orwell's book "Politics and The English Language", go here.
Update: Obama bans terms Jihad, Islam -- Jerusalem Post/AP
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