ATT services down due to bombing in Nashville

Re:ATT services down due to bombing in Nashville by mytailorisrich on Saturday December 26, 2020 @08:20AM (#25543281)

There is a general definition that you will find in dictionaries and that is generally accepted. So I think there is a definition that everyone agrees on when there are not pushing an agenda.

Then there is the use of the term for rhetorical and political purposes... This is what obviously varies according to the interests of those using the term. Obviously the terrorists are always the 'other guys'.

Note that the definition I gave, which is nothing more than the Oxford dictionary one, includes a crucial word, "unlawful". This is very important to differentiate between warfare and terrorism. A sovereign state uses violence for political aims, this is warfare and it is 'lawful' (it may be unlawful under international law, though). This is why action by nation-states are usually not labelled 'terrorism'.

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Re:ATT services down due to bombing in Nashville by fjdjsmsm on Saturday December 26, 2020 @11:03AM (#25544194)

Arguing what things are based on their dictionary definition is often a mistake. The people that compile the dictionary are not experts in every field. They optimize for brevity, and their sources are not exhaustive. They are not trying to be encyclopedic and all encompassing.

Note, have have worked with people assembling a major dictionary. They are just regualr people with regular foibles.

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Re:ATT services down due to bombing in Nashville by capableweb on Saturday December 26, 2020 @08:58AM (#25543469)

I agree fully with you, again!

Just adding a bit more context as your previous comment seemed "sure" in that you're proclaiming "X is Y" while reality is not that black-and-white. Again, I agree with this and your previous comment.

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