• bamboo@lemm.ee
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    10 days ago

    Terrorism is any act that uses violence or fear of violence for a political goal. This is what militaries do, if you threaten them they use violence to suppress or kill you. Some of them are more successful than others, but fundamentally whether it’s a group of rebels or the military of a nation state, they use violence to force everyone within their controlled territory to submit to their authority.

    • ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world
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      10 days ago

      That isn’t the definition of terrorism. There isn’t one globally agreed upon definition but national and international law and even attempts by the UN to make a definition generally exclude state militaries. (The UN attempts at a definition always broke down over the status of organized militias in the context of national liberation and self-determination struggles.)

      The main exception is undercover agents. Like if a CIA agent pretends to be a civilian and does a terrorist attack, that’s considered terrorism.

      Militaries can be awful and violent and commit war crimes and even do the exact same things as terrorists. But it isn’t considered terrorism; it’s considered war. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definition_of_terrorism

      • bamboo@lemm.ee
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        10 days ago

        Yes of course the UN definition is going to be carefully crafted to make the violence committed by its member states “legal” and the actions committed by anyone else “illegal”.

    • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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      10 days ago

      By that argument, a “no shirt, no shoes, no service” policy is terrorism. “$1000 fine for littering” is terrorism. “Keep off the grass” is terrorism.

      • bamboo@lemm.ee
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        10 days ago

        I mean, if enforced with violence, sure. Usually that’s the job of the police, which are terrorist organizations. Some companies may also hire private mercenaries instead of using the state police, which serve the same function.

        • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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          10 days ago

          Uh huh.

          I have zero doubt that you would call 911 should the “need” arise. So you’re a terrorist as well. As am I. There is literally zero distinction between you, me, and Mohamed Atta.

          A puppy would qualify as a terrorist. A house cat. A sheep. A blackberry bush. An amoeba qualifies as a terrorist under this insane definition.

          • bamboo@lemm.ee
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            9 days ago

            Congratulations, you’ve realized terrorist is a meaningless word. Governments throw it around to tell us who to hate but ultimately it means nothing.

            • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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              9 days ago

              Or, and hear me out on this: terrorist doesn’t mean “fucking anything ever”. The term actually only refers to those who use or threaten unlawful violence in an attempt to achieve an effect that could only be lawfully acquired through executive, legislative, judicial, or democratic processes.

              • bamboo@lemm.ee
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                9 days ago

                Who controls what is lawful though? Hint: just another terrorist organization

                  • bamboo@lemm.ee
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                    9 days ago

                    If you genuinely believe that the US is a true democracy for and by the people, I have a bridge to sell you. Get a group of people together and declare independence and see how far you get before the police or military come after you.