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Defining Terrorism

© Jessica Powers

In recent days, the word "terrorism" has been batted about like a baseball. Its common use belies the fact that it is a fighting word. As a word that is ill-defined, it can easily be used as propaganda and is, indeed, used as propaganda. We are now waging a war on "terrorism," an admittedly shadowy war with vague opponents whose identities are suspect or unknown.

I agree that the men and/or women who were behind the recent attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon should be punished for the atrocities. I agree that their actions can be defined as "terrorism" because they were directed at civilians, rather than military infrastructure or troops.

Still. What is a "terrorist"? If we are waging war on "terrorism," what standards do we use to judge whether a group is terrorist or a legitimate group fighting for freedom or majority rule? Won't there always be "terrorists," and if so, when will this war end?

In 1977, the Rhodesian government arrested an American nun, Sister Janice McLaughlin, and accused her of being a "Communist" and "supporter of terrorism." They based their accusations on her diary, in which she expressed support for the African men and women who were fighting a guerrilla war against the white led regime.

In reality, Sister McLaughlin's arrest was prompted by the research she had conducted over the previous few months, which exposed the government's propaganda. The book, slated to be published the same week she was arrested, argued that the government lied when it accused the terrorists of kidnapping, Communism, and other atrocities. In addition, it outlined specific atrocities that the government had committed.

The civil war in the 1970's was partly a war of language. To the European settlers, now known as "Rhodesians," the country was called "Rhodesia," named after Cecil Rhodes, the Englishman who brought large areas of Africa under British rule. To the Africans fighting for democracy and majority rule, the country was "Zimbabwe," a word that reflected their heritage. To the Rhodesian government, the guerrilla soldiers were "terrorists." To those who supported their goals, they were "liberation soldiers" or "the boys."

For Sister McLaughlin, the war on words was clear. At her trial, she refused to call the guerrilla soldiers "terrorists," even though to call them anything else was an act of treason by law. She chose to remove herself from the government's propaganda, even though it meant she might spend years in jail. (She didn't. The U.N. intervened and she was ultimately released.)

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