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
express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..Political strategists, branding gurus and image consultants could learn a... Read More
The number-one question people ask us is, "What possessed you... Read More
Death may not be dignified in any light but the... Read More
Sarbaines Oxley was probably the easiest way to destroy free... Read More
Recently a friend insisted that I read a book by... Read More
There is nothing-absolutely nothing-insofar as political power when it is... Read More
Despite their signature on the Biological Weapons Convention of 1975,... Read More
Quit paying the DEA to chase marijuana. We could save... Read More
Iran has threatened to raise America's fuel prices again. They... Read More
The more I study the dynamics of WWII the more... Read More
We know that in Maryland, which some call "Merry Land"... Read More
In order to win the presidency in America, candidates must... Read More
If we go hog wild towards the liberal agenda where... Read More
Rufus King: (Said to be the fifth most important person... Read More
The evacuation of Gaza is now completed, and the world... Read More
Today we wish to examine a fallacy, or error in... Read More
The price at the gas pump is certainly on everyone's... Read More
As I read the papers and watch the news day... Read More
Many have lost faith in the government and are completely... Read More
Land Mines have been one of the most evil left... Read More
The civil war in Iraq seems to be much more... Read More
We are slowing the transportation flows of our civilization by... Read More
America must implement a policy on Election Reform that is... Read More
We are currently seeing a build up in China of... Read More
1) IS HAVING A DEMOCRACY MORE EFFECTIVE IN ADDRESSING POLITICAL... Read More
tidy up service Arlington Heights ..Aspartame activists are constantly being attacked because all data are... Read More
IntroductionThe way one lyrist has written, "Hum logo ko samajh... Read More
Revitalization Downtown projects are all the rage in fact the... Read More
Using Harmonic Beams to Pre-Detonate Shoulder Launched Surface to Air... Read More
The official working week is being reduced to 35 hours... Read More
The plight of whistleblowers ? those employees who sound the... Read More
I watch the TV news and I get angry. I... Read More
The recent Jakarta summit of Asia and Africa brought remembrance... Read More
UNAUTHORIZED HACKINGThe term "computer hacking" traditionally describes the penetration into... Read More
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development issued a report... Read More
In order to win the presidency in America, candidates must... Read More
The NSA failed the American people and allowed the attack... Read More
Often we see protests at the sites of global leader... Read More
When you look at the news, immigrants are dying trying... Read More
There are many issues on the minds of US voters... Read More
A visitor to Moscow would be immediately struck by the... Read More
The CBR taxes the Pakistani source income of nonresident individuals... Read More
There are so many problems with our perceived perfect checks... Read More
The filibuster has been a tool available to U.S. Senators... Read More
The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees every American... Read More
Bill Cosby got it wrong. His many speeches regarding the... Read More
The Second World War was the continuation of World War... Read More
Visible remnants of the world's eldest democracy can be seen... Read More
The evacuation of Gaza is now completed, and the world... Read More
Conor MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored the... Read More
Political |