Today’s news of a senior commander’s arrest in France has brought ETA into the British press again, rasing as it always does the question of nomenclature.
It is standard for British media organisations to refer to ETA as ‘the Basque separatist group, ETA’, a title which seems perfectly logical to me but which clearly upsets some Spaniards. So this week’s poll considers the linguistics of terror and asks: how should the British press refer to ETA? Please feel free to use the comments section to explain why you picked what you picked.
UPDATED: Oops, forgot one of the choices.
So, what do the Spaniards think they should be referred as? (or will this prejudice the poll!)
Terrorist – “a person who uses violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims”
Seems like they are terrorists according to Oxford dictionary’s definition.
I know you’re going to say that the Spanish government is also a terrorist organization according to that definition (I’ve been reading your blog for a while).
So I guess, Basque Separatist group avoids the squabbling over what terrorist means and allows people to comment on the issue at hand.
I think that terrorists is a subjective term, so I would ask the term “set of murdering twats” to be included in the poll.
@bns – isn’t “set” rather subjective too?
By the way, I think you’re right. Terrorist is so subjective that despite the dictionary definition provided by UnHab, it’s practically meaningless.
“Murdering bastards” would be my vote.
Oh, all right then, Basque terrorist group. After all, they gave up freedom fighting years ago and now just live for the guns, drugs, girls and protection money. Modern day gangsters.
Hi. These options are no mutually exclusive. In my opinion “murdering, misguided freedom fighters” is what suits them best.
Freedom fighters?
Isn’t that taking a little too strong of hit off of the bong? Granted there is a question of independence here, but blowing up people in their sleep simply because they work for the “oppressor?” Isn’t that taking things a little too far?
Let’s look at people actually fighting for real causes around the world, do you really think that spoilt little Basque kids that shit themselves when caught fit into the mold of someone looking down an Isreali gunsite?