When All Revolutionaries Are Terrorists

As I was growing up the term most widely used to describe what we today call "Terrorists" was the term "Revolutionary." The term "Terrorist" has slowly crept into the Western vocabulary as a convenient way to characterize all acts by revolutionaries. Today there is no difference drawn in the media between violent acts against government and violent acts against the people. The attack on the USS Cole is characterized as another terrorist act, like that of 9/11 - and there must surely be a difference.

This is because the notion of revolution had become acceptable and this challenges conservative centralized government. In many circles, especially those here in Silicon Valley, revolution is today viewed as necessary to the continued evolution of good societies. It had become recognized that revolution has clear benefits. The term became associated with situations that were judged on their merits. Some revolutions were good, some were bad - some executed well, others poorly.

But no such margin exists when the term "Terrorist" is used to label all revolutionary acts - because, clearly, terrorism is bad and it cannot be rewarded. By blanketing all revolutionary acts with the term we deny dissent any justice. This reflects the "by all means necessary" attitude toward opposition of modern politics. But by removing the ambiguity and the possibility of just resolution we leave open the only path possible for the disenfranchised - escalation.