"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way..." (Charles Dickens, `Tale of Two Cities')
"I wish to speak directly to those who came to London today to take life.
I know that you personally do not fear giving up your own life in order to take others - that's why you are dangerous.
But I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective of destroying our free society.
And I can show you why you will fail.
In the days that follow, look at our airports, look at our sea ports and look at our railway stations and, even after your cowardly attack, you will see that people from the rest of Britain, people from around the world, will arrive in London to become Londoners and to fulfill their dreams and their potential.
They choose to come to London, as so many have come before, because they come to be free; they come to live the life they choose, they come to be able to be themselves.
They flee you because you tell them how they should live. They don't want that.
And nothing you do, however many of us you kill, will stop that flight to our city where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail." ( Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, 07/07/05)
Fine words. Words matter.
Words like `we', words like `us'...words like `you', words like `them'.
Words like `Islamic', words like `Christian'.
Words like `Fundamentalist', words like `Terrorist' .
Definitions matter. Distinctions matter.
We each have a responsibility, a duty, to define our terms so well - to define our terms in such terms - that only the most fucktard of psychopaths could reject our definitions.
And, thereafter, to apply our terms appropriately and consistently.
It is beyond shame - it is at best an act of cowardice and at worst an act of support for murderers - when the BBC directs that the word `bombers' be applied instead of the word `terrorists', as it has done.
Be clear on what is meant by `terrorism'. ( Read it all to appreciate its operational import)
"terrorism is the intentional use of, or threat to use violence against civilians or against civilian targets, in order to attain political aims."
Whatever `motivations' are advanced, whatever goals are aspired to, whatever grievances are cited `in justification' or `explanation'...are all irrelevant on such a definition of terrorism.
It is a mighty fine definition.
It does not negate nor argue against the legitimacy of any grievances felt by any community, however small, however large, regardlesss of creed, ethnicity, sexual-orientation, political aspiration or any other variable you care to mention; it does not prejudge the social, communal or global desirability - or otherwise - of the achievement of the aspired-to goals of any given individual, group, race or religion; it, rightly, treats such grievances and aspirations as irrelevant.
If we are engaged in a global `war on terrorism' - and you had better believe, like in your bones we, all non-terrorists, are - we must be united and clear in what we are truly at war with.
Because, from that, it should become clearer to us all what we are not - and do not wish to be - at war with in error.
I'll return to `Fundamentalism' on other day.
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