5 ms·

While I agree that's what it is, I don't get upset that it's not plastered as such in headlines. I think the first time most Americans heard much or cared abou

While I agree that's what it is, I don't get upset that it's not plastered as such in headlines. I think the first time most Americans heard much or cared about terrorism was 9/11. The word has -very- strong emotional attachment - hatred, fear, anger, sadness, etc. In the interest of not causing nationwide panic, I can understand why they're just calling it vandalism. Others may say we -should- be panicking, and I can't necessarily disagree, only explaining one possible reason media is hesitant to use that word.

friesandties 4y ago
What’s really scary is that Mylar balloon clusters, like the ones at party stores or grocery stores, released at strategic spots at the same time, would take it all down. You can’t possibly guard against that or a few drones with cheap space blankets. Real nightmare fuel.
rolph 4y ago
usually with terrorism there is an claim of responsibility, and an expression of aggrieviation. to my knowledge, no public display of responsible whos, and whys, have occured
- CharlesW 4y ago
  > usually with terrorism there is an claim of responsibility "In the past two decades, fewer than half of all terrorist attacks have been either claimed by their perpetrators or convincingly attributed by governments to specific terrorist groups." https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/02/01/why-do-terrorists-claim-credit-for-some-attacks-but-not-others https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/02/01/why-do-t... (http://archive.today/mL4OE http://archive.today/mL4OE)
  - rolph 4y ago
    these are not always public, and are often not passed on to public when direct contact to actual is made. --also the definition of terroism has been applied with a broader brush over the recent years [perhaps 10 years?]
    - CharlesW 4y ago
      > also the definition of terroism has been applied with a broader brush over the recent years [perhaps 10 years?] What's your source for this? Events classified as "terrorist incidents" per year in the U.S. regularly exceeded 100 in the 1970s, but haven't exceeded 65 in 10 years ending 2017.¹ ¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_United_States
__derek__ 4y ago
> I think the first time most Americans heard much or cared about terrorism was 9/11. Not at all. During my lifetime, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the Unabomber's arrest were all prominent enough for me to remember when they happened. I still remember hearing my grandmother express concern about the Michigan Militia when she saw a belligerent guy wearing camo pants.
- Arrath 4y ago
  I'll add to that, the Atlanta Olympics bombing.
  - __derek__ 4y ago
    Good example, but for whatever reason I don't remember that as vividly.
- dylan604 4y ago
  Don't forget The Weather Underground back in the late 60s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_Underground https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_Underground
  - __derek__ 4y ago
    Oh, I'm not that old.
    - dylan604 4y ago
      Neither am I, so I'm really confused on your point. Are you saying you know nothing about anything that happened before your time?
      - __derek__ 4y ago
        Oh, I thought I made that clear: > all prominent enough for me to remember when they happened I listed pre-9/11 examples of terrorism that I remember happening.
jimbob45 4y ago
“Terrorism” is just the 21st century rebranding of the 20th century’s “anarchism”. People used “anarchism” and “anarchist” frequently during the 20th century.
- asveikau 4y ago
  Anarchism has an actual political meaning, with lots of literature. Terrorism isn't a consistent ideological position. People don't openly advocate for what they self describe as terrorist states, terrorist literature and philosophy, terrorist thinkers and political party. There's no terrorist bookstore, but here in SF I can go down to Haight St and find an anarchist bookstore ... On the other hand I think terrorist is an appropriate description for a Timothy McVeigh or a Kaczynski. I would say those are more violent than most 19th-20th century political anarchists.
- Maursault 4y ago
  > People used “anarchism” and “anarchist” frequently during the 20th century. Though anarchism was pretty much dead by the end of WWII, I think now they're just called Republicans.

friesandties 4y ago

What’s really scary is that Mylar balloon clusters, like the ones at party stores or grocery stores, released at strategic spots at the same time, would take it all down. You can’t possibly guard against that or a few drones with cheap space blankets. Real nightmare fuel.

rolph 4y ago

usually with terrorism there is an claim of responsibility, and an expression of aggrieviation. to my knowledge, no public display of responsible whos, and whys, have occured

CharlesW 4y ago
> usually with terrorism there is an claim of responsibility "In the past two decades, fewer than half of all terrorist attacks have been either claimed by their perpetrators or convincingly attributed by governments to specific terrorist groups." https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/02/01/why-do-terrorists-claim-credit-for-some-attacks-but-not-others https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/02/01/why-do-t... (http://archive.today/mL4OE http://archive.today/mL4OE)
- rolph 4y ago
  these are not always public, and are often not passed on to public when direct contact to actual is made. --also the definition of terroism has been applied with a broader brush over the recent years [perhaps 10 years?]
  - CharlesW 4y ago
    > also the definition of terroism has been applied with a broader brush over the recent years [perhaps 10 years?] What's your source for this? Events classified as "terrorist incidents" per year in the U.S. regularly exceeded 100 in the 1970s, but haven't exceeded 65 in 10 years ending 2017.¹ ¹ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_United_States

__derek__ 4y ago

> I think the first time most Americans heard much or cared about terrorism was 9/11. Not at all. During my lifetime, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the Unabomber's arrest were all prominent enough for me to remember when they happened. I still remember hearing my grandmother express concern about the Michigan Militia when she saw a belligerent guy wearing camo pants.

Arrath 4y ago
I'll add to that, the Atlanta Olympics bombing.
- __derek__ 4y ago
  Good example, but for whatever reason I don't remember that as vividly.
dylan604 4y ago
Don't forget The Weather Underground back in the late 60s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_Underground https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_Underground
- __derek__ 4y ago
  Oh, I'm not that old.
  - dylan604 4y ago
    Neither am I, so I'm really confused on your point. Are you saying you know nothing about anything that happened before your time?
    - __derek__ 4y ago
      Oh, I thought I made that clear: > all prominent enough for me to remember when they happened I listed pre-9/11 examples of terrorism that I remember happening.

jimbob45 4y ago

“Terrorism” is just the 21st century rebranding of the 20th century’s “anarchism”. People used “anarchism” and “anarchist” frequently during the 20th century.

asveikau 4y ago
Anarchism has an actual political meaning, with lots of literature. Terrorism isn't a consistent ideological position. People don't openly advocate for what they self describe as terrorist states, terrorist literature and philosophy, terrorist thinkers and political party. There's no terrorist bookstore, but here in SF I can go down to Haight St and find an anarchist bookstore ... On the other hand I think terrorist is an appropriate description for a Timothy McVeigh or a Kaczynski. I would say those are more violent than most 19th-20th century political anarchists.
Maursault 4y ago
> People used “anarchism” and “anarchist” frequently during the 20th century. Though anarchism was pretty much dead by the end of WWII, I think now they're just called Republicans.