On Thu, 21 Jul 2005 16:42:03 UTC, Ross
wrote:

: Without extremists, there is no terrorism.

Isn't that because /we/ define terrorists as extremists? The
terrorists themselves may think that what they are doing is quite
reasonable. It would be so much easier if they went around in capes
and black masks carrying spherical bombs with long fizzing fuses...

Ian
--

On 22 Jul 2005 12:08:14 GMT, Ian Johnston wrote in
cCUlhtvFIYkV-pn2-Njxhc0urG6Qh@localhost, seen in uk.railway:
On Thu, 21 Jul 2005 16:42:03 UTC, Ross
wrote:

: Without extremists, there is no terrorism.

Isn't that because /we/ define terrorists as extremists? The
terrorists themselves may think that what they are doing is quite
reasonable.

Yes. After all, it's the difference between terrorists and freedom
fighters - it depends on which side you're looking at it from.

I think we *can* class the terrorists (and I'm not just talking about
Al Qaeda) as extremists because they are outside the mainstream of
their own espoused system, they have to distort ("interpret") the
teachings of the system they espouse to justify their actions and
their actions do harm (physical, political or other) to their own
people more than to their enemy.


It would be so much easier if they went around in capes
and black masks carrying spherical bombs with long fizzing fuses...

And wearing name badges showing the organisation to which they
belonged:-

[Al-Qaeda]
[Hi! I'm name]
[Let me help you to paradise]

Sorry, that's probably a bit sick.

--
Ross, Lincoln, UK

We're *not* afraid
http://www.werenotafraid.com

In message
Ross wrote:

[snip]

And wearing name badges showing the organisation to which they
belonged:-

[Al-Qaeda]
[Hi! I'm name]
[Let me help you to paradise]

Sorry, that's probably a bit sick.


Very sick, I like it.

--
Graeme Wall
This address is not read, substitute trains for rail.
Transport Miscellany at http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/index.html

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 14:01:34 +0100 someone who may be Ross
wrote this:-

Yes. After all, it's the difference between terrorists and freedom
fighters - it depends on which side you're looking at it from.

Indeed. Some of the older members of my family were treated with
great respect for their acclivities, which included blowing people
and things up, shooting people, stabbing them and killing people
with their bare hands. Most of their activities were less
spectacular though, including the railwaymen who smuggled things
around the country, the police officers who hid people by locking
them in the cells, the people who appeared to be Quislings but were
not and those who conveyed messages. They were on the winning side
and so thanked.

[Al-Qaeda]
[Hi! I'm name]
[Let me help you to paradise]

Sorry, that's probably a bit sick.

But still an excellent example of robust humour.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.