Just listening to Anime Hardcore, finished watching the Daily Show w/ Jon Stewart and put in my DVD order for lots of Akira Kurosawa movies.
So news of the day, Yasser Arafat is dead. Some people are jubilant, some people are sad, and too many don't know enough about international politics to care. Myself, I'm a bit saddened, just b/c I know there was a lot that he wanted to do. Aside from seeing Palestine having territory. But this is a man that was, and some still think is, recognized a terrorist and then later went on to become a statesman and win the Nobel Peace Prize. Now, I know the Nobels get handed out every year, but this is still quite an achievement.
So what does this mean? Is terrorism a viable route to force an agenda? What is terrorism? What are the lines that separate it from other acts of disobedience? Who's correct? Where am I going with this?
The object of the act will see terrorism as a unnecessary malevolent act w/o purpose, whereas the subject will see terrorism as a justifiable self-defensive action against a greater force. A person that commits violent acts only to fulfill their personal pleasures and/or needs is not a terrorist, but a psychopath. But a person who commits criminal acts for the purpose of clearly defined goals and can say "once I have achieved my objective I will stop. I could see no other method to achieve my goals except thru actions which violate societal rules" is clearly different. The latter is someone who has considered his actions and possibly w/ the correct persuasion, will choose to change their actions. However both are labelled terrorists. Yasser Arafat was more of the latter. But for a lot of others who engage in "terrorist acts," but don't clearly fall into the former, many of their goals are ill-defined. To threaten b/c you feel threatened is to never stop being scared, and never stop hurting. It's better to face the fear and work w/ it, manipulate it so it works for you.
Oversimplification? Sure, but humans are still thinking w/ the same part of the brain that was developed tens of millions of years ago.
Incidently, this is the 2nd time I had to write this. The first one went with a err 500 when I tried to publish it.
Yabara - Juné's New Venture
8 years ago
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