Patriotism and Terrorism

[fickle_indeed]

It seems to me that the only difference in the concept of patriotism and terrorism is that the patriots are the ones who win. Patriots fight for somthing that they truly belive in and it seems to me that the ones that are labled today as terrorist are nothing but mere patriots, no matter how misguided that seems. Correct me if i'm wrong, just making an inference... thats somthing that has bothered me for awhile. That actually woke me up to the whole twist on words the goverment plays with. I wish they would at least be up front with you. The people as a whole would probally care less what they were doing right now as long as they were well fed, safe , and happy. Ahh the world today..

[Everyday Anarchy]

Sort of like the whole "War Hero" and "War Criminal" thing.
They both do the same things. But the ones who win are honorable War Heroes. Those who lose are evil War Criminals.

[Charles]

yer the media makes terorism out to be such a bad thing, but it has been used for good so many times the vietocong used it,the french resitance used it, its actualy a type of warfare, but stupid BUSH thinks that terorists are just muslim bad guys :lol:

and another thing am i the only one who thought it was funny that bush is having a war on "terorism" ,you may as well have a war on gueriler warfare, or nuclear warfare, how the hell can you have a WAR on a type of warefare its stupid :P

[KC]

It seems to me that the only difference in the concept of patriotism and terrorism is that the patriots are the ones who win. Patriots fight for somthing that they truly belive in and it seems to me that the ones that are labled today as terrorist are nothing but mere patriots, no matter how misguided that seems.

Patriotism is just love of your country. That doesn't mean that you support imperialist actions.

[redxj]

The Patriot is one who is morally bound, who serves his country and performs his duty to its fullest. The terrorist is one who attacks without remorse, in an attempt to disrupt a peaceful society and to kill to make his views heard or felt.

[Tormented by Treachery]

I disagree with both of the previous two posts:

Lazar, patriotism (at least in present-day US) calls for unquestioning support of the country and president, no matter what. If you are anything short of fervently pro-war, you are labelled a traitor. Just look no further than the moderate and democratic senators.

Redxj, by your definition, you include all revolutionaries. 'Peaceful' is not an objective view -- the blind American would perceive the US to be peaceful, but when you view the struggles for freedom in the country itself, it doesn't look so peaceful. However, if you say that these revolutionaries are disturbing the peaceful society, then you're saying that they kill without remorse, which is oftentimes false.

I would say that patriotism is the love of country despite any action it could take -- a feeling of nationalism that overcomes any atrocity present. Terrorism is the killing of unarmed, non-militant civilians in the name of a cause that often only is aimed at creating fear that in turn causes local submission to terrorists' wants.

[red team]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2006, 04:41 AM

It seems to me that the only difference in the concept of patriotism and terrorism is that the patriots are the ones who win. Patriots fight for somthing that they truly belive in and it seems to me that the ones that are labled today as terrorist are nothing but mere patriots, no matter how misguided that seems.

Patriotism is just love of your country. That doesn't mean that you support imperialist actions.
The working class have no "home" country, therefore patriotism is irrelevant. Communism if it does arrive has to be international in scope, so you're better off discarding patriotism as a remnant of a past brutal age of competing nation states as of now than to learn to discard it later. Internationalism should be the only philosophy of true Communists. Internationism must replace patriotism if Communism on a world scale is to arrive which is the only way it would work.

[KC]

The working class have no "home" country, therefore patriotism is irrelevant. Communism if it does arrive has to be international in scope, so you're better off discarding patriotism as a remnant of a past brutal age of competing nation states as of now than to learn to discard it later. Internationalism should be the only philosophy of true Communists. Internationism must replace patriotism if Communism on a world scale is to arrive which is the only way it would work.

I never said I supported patriotism or nationalism of any type.

[Zak]

A patriot is proud of his country, a terrorist promotes terror. It's pretty simple, this question could be answered with a dictionary. Now I would agree that a few administrations are using the word terrorist to label their enemies, but not everyone who is a terrorist has a political agenda, and as was said, not every patriot is violent.

[Goatse]

By the US Government's official definition of terrorism, they are terrorists themselves. They claim to be patriots. Therefore, they admit being patriotic is synonymous with terrorism.

Think of this: If you asked the terrorists who flew the planes into the WTC if they considered themselves patriots or terrorists... what would they say?

[benthehen100]

so then couldnt america be considered using some terrorism?

i think there needs to be a difference between a patriot and a terrorist.you may be patriotic if you hang a flag on your car, but your not a patriot.if you are out fighting and dying against a country you believe to be a threat, then you are a patriot.

and what of terrorists?

you may believe that bin laden has the right idea and you put a sticker of his face on your car.are you a terrorist?no you are in a way patriotic.and if you are a suicide bomber?are you not fighting and dying against a country you percieve to be a threat?


there is no difference

[fickle_indeed]

I'm not so sure i'm against the whole terrorist movement. These are guys that actually belive in somthing and are trying to get it done. I mean, i don't belive in their cause but i admire their balls. I wish everyone would try to get what they want done. Especially the people on revolutionaryleft.com Now is time for a revolution, brothers and sisters, while their is still time... In America. Beautiful country with beautiful potential if the people were merely guided into the right direction. Don't get me wrong however, i do not like when they attack innocent civilians, but in the islamic point of view they are justifably immoral people they are killing. People that go against their belifes and in radical islamic views, they must kill and destroy untill people belive the way they do.
Now, im not saying kill the innocent in the name of getting your way. Or to instill terror to get your way. But i do think we need to be patriotic and kill whoever gets in the way. wow i'm so going to be on the no fly list now....

[fickle_indeed]

Okay, my last post may seem way out of hand... sorry. Just a bit upset with my home country... i hope i don't offend anyone.

[leftist resistance]

I don't understand your previous post.

to me,patriotism is terrorism with a human face.how many patriots massacred civilians in the name of their country?we see that often with American "patriots".anyway,terrorist is just a convenient term for bush to label his enemies.

[!Injustice!]

Patriotism is just love of your country. That doesn't mean that you support imperialist actions

then wouldnt that be the same for the people who fite over there or support the "terrorists" over there

[Fight Them With Your Lives]

i agree with Benthehen100, its all the same game and its all the same shit it just has a different definition!!!! every person can be patriotic (even thou personaly i hate patriotism)!

Of course a country at war will say the oppisite about the country they are fighting take USA for example saying that pakistan and iraq and afganhistan all have terrorists (boosting surpport from the masses by being patriotic)while the fighters in iraq and afganhistan claim that they are defending there country and trying to remove imperalism from thier region(which makes them gain surpport from the masses in the region) its all the same game its just who says what and who thinks what and who is on what side of the fence!!! (even thou there should never be a fence)

[ice-picked]

terrorism and patriotism are the smae thing but not the same thing
the only diffrence between the two is press coverage and perceptoin of the masses