“You keep saying that word.”

[aadler]

 
I’ve said this before, but the offense against which I said it continues to occur, so it’s worth saying again:

When gangsters, or terrorists, or unaffiliated criminals, or lone individuals, kill someone? That’s not an execution. An execution is a legal act, carried out by a government. It may be a bad government, engaged in doing bad things, operating under bad laws, the execution itself may be a farce … but it’s still a legal act.

When you kill someone without legality? that’s a murder.

The ISIS-pledging pair in San Bernardino didn’t execute anyone. They murdered 14 people.

Doubtless shouting “Allahu akbar” all the while. Because that’s what you expect from adherents of the Religion of Peace.

Comments

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

I hate the misuse of language that way myself. In no way, shape, or form were those people executed. They were brutally murdered.


Gabrielle

[aadler]

Well, I’m enough of a priggish pedant to call for correct usage even when personal passions aren’t involved (as they very much are here). In this case, calling it by its true name would, I think, potentiate addressing the problem itself in the proper terms. That would be my hope, at any rate.

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

I heartily concur. Words have meaning.


Gabrielle

[snogged.livejournal.com]

I don't care for the misuse of language either.

[aadler]

I’m more crabby about some things that others. This one is a particular peeve.

[draconin.livejournal.com]

Firstly, I agree 100% - it was murder and I also condemn it utterly as would any reasonable person.

However... if we're going to make a point of misuse of language then I think you need to be careful of yours too. You say "Because that’s what you expect from adherents of the Religion of Peace." Islam as a basic religion is, from what I understand, indeed a religion of peace, just as is Christianity. 99.99% of thos who follow it, just as for Christianity, are nice people who would never dream of hurting anyone. Unfortunately it has been distorted and twisted by zealots and maniacs in the same way that Christianity has been - for example in the KKK, or those frothing bigots who appear on TV condemning gays as sinners who will burn in hell or who refuse to countenance sex education but then abuse or even kill those who need an an abortion.

I don't think it's fair to condemn the religion as a whole when it is only a tiny minority that are causing all the problems. It's unfortunate that this tiny minority have adopted such bloodthirsty and abhorrent tactics and that they are attracting such media attention but please remember that they ARE a minority.

If you've not yet seen it, I'd like to draw your attention to this great speech by Waleed Aly.

[aadler]

There are a few significant areas where we fail to agree.

Muslims are people, and most people are concerned primarily with getting on with their lives and doing the best they can for themselves. So, unsurprisingly, most Muslims — since, yes, they fall under the ‘people’ category — live unassuming, decent lives.

Their religion, however, is another matter. Islam the religious-political-social system is totalitarian, psychopathic, and evil. Those ‘good’ Muslims haven’t had their religion hijacked by extremists; the religion is extreme, and the good ones are that way to the extent that they ignore the explicit command to do whatever they can to kill, conquer, and/or enslave the unbelievers. The KKK (in whatever diminished form it still exists) offered/offers a perverted form of Christianity while focusing its main message on racial superiority; the murderers and rapists of ISIS are following the foundational tenets and active commandments of Islam.

Furthermore, the ‘tiny minority causing the problems’ is funded, supported, cheered and admired (and, all too often, imitated) by far too many of the ‘peaceful’ majority. And the genuine moderates who do exist have to be damn careful not to disagree too publicly with the ‘extremist minority’, or hordes of volunteers from that minority will line up to KILL them.

Islamic doctrine designates all non-Muslim nations and peoples as belonging to the Dar al-Harb, the House of War: in that it is their duty — a positive obligation — to make war on us until we have been converted or brought under submission. The problem is not the extremists, the problem is the religion.

Calling it the Religion of Peace is a bad joke when you’re NOT being sarcastic.