Much of our personal and cultural perspective on the world is colored by the language in which our concepts and ideas are couched. Changing that language can therefore alter our attitudes about what we hear and see.
"Responsibility," for example, is a word with positive reverberations. It reeks of reliability, accountability, and self-control. It carries connotations of honesty, dependability, and courage.
So why have the media adopted the buzz phrase "claims responsibility" for the violent outrages committed by terrorists who cover their faces in cowardly anonymity, hide themselves behind innocent civilian populations, plot behind closed doors, and, in general, act totally irresponsibly?
If the media changes their terminology to "admits guilt" the concept itself changes dramatically. "Guilt" is a suitably pejorative notion to apply to murder. An admission of guilt clearly conveys the message that the perpetrators know wrong from right and have willingly made their hideous choice.
Regardless of the politics, culture, or religion involved in any dispute, no matter how complicated or divisive, there is the rational approach to resolution and there is the emotionally selfish, vicious, and vindictive response.
Terrorist groups of all persuasions have defined themselves as criminal by their heinous indifference to that most fragile quality: human life. Let's expose them for what they are and call a spade a spade.
Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the effects of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://drvirginiabola.blogspot.com
same day cleaning service Des Plaines ..If someone wanted to farm future clones they would need... Read More
The United States has never done a full study on... Read More
Recently in Maine, I talked with a gentleman and we... Read More
The newest pebble reactors are easy to build and manage... Read More
Aren't you glad you purchased Alaska? You got a bargain,... Read More
Today we have a new franchise report from the Federal... Read More
Legislation is getting legs to further curtail your use of... Read More
Rufus King: (Said to be the fifth most important person... Read More
It is widely known in the Homosexual Male Populations that... Read More
Please read through this quick thought and discussion as if... Read More
For many years now, I have been the proud holder... Read More
Why did the California energy crisis happen? Who is to... Read More
Those of us hundreds of miles from ground zero sat... Read More
Many believe Al-Qaida already has nukes in the United States... Read More
Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has... Read More
If recent speeches by US officials on Iran's plans to... Read More
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Was created on July 30th 2002, by... Read More
An article in Information Week in January 14, 2002 discussed... Read More
Perhaps a silent revolution is taking place, this time more... Read More
The UAV, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is hear to stay and... Read More
"Fahrenheit 9/11" auteur Michael Moore recently fueled the epidemic of... Read More
Originally published in 1958, "The Ugly American" (Lederer & Burdick)... Read More
How can any human being today, anywhere in this world,... Read More
Those who are above the law or act as such... Read More
The City of Portland is going after any small business,... Read More
home cleaning services Mundelein ..Is Ohio Manufacturing Sector really unable to compete in the... Read More
Osama bin Laden probably needs to get a pay raise,... Read More
Recently in Professional Builder a cover article discussed how the... Read More
Wealth Distribution is often discussed at length in periodicals such... Read More
Many had made mention of the problems of business opportunities... Read More
Tax Evasion has been used to criminalize many, Nixon did... Read More
In the most rewarding new industries, there is often a... Read More
In Police Magazine I read a great article about transient... Read More
Unions are angry at the high salary of the executives... Read More
All to often law makers and regulators create rules and... Read More
As a result of the conflict analysis exercise and a... Read More
We have seen an increase in Snowbirds from Northern States... Read More
We are destroying our freedoms and slowing innovation, due to... Read More
I am not an African-American. Don't call me an African... Read More
Peace in the Middle East - whoa that is a... Read More
I heard on the news this week how America continues... Read More
IT'S NO LONGER NEWS THAT CHINA IS BECOMING A MAJOR... Read More
Everyone knows the United States Government often falls down in... Read More
Yes, Bush is two-faced. The two sides of the faces... Read More
I. The FactsJust days before a much-awaited donor conference, the... Read More
The United States is losing its industrial capacity quite rapidly.... Read More
The City of Portland is going after any small business,... Read More
The clause (c) of Electronic Crime Act 2004 has been... Read More
30 years ago, California, later followed by other states, decided... Read More
The predominant discussion in the Indianapolis media over the proposed... Read More
Political |