Were they terrorists or freedom fighters?
By Netsbridge
@Netsbridge (3253)
United States
July 19, 2007 6:45pm CST
In their time the individuals listed below fought and resisted oppressive governments, being called terrorists, insurgents and agitators by those seeking to impose their ideas upon them. Some, later became head-of-states, respected members of societies and renowned people of valour. Likewise, North Americans in the 1770s who resisted British impositions (acts that eventually laid the foundation for "We the people ..."), were called "terrorists" and "insurgents" by the British.
Although terrorism is appropriately defined by some dictionaries, I believe the word "terorrist" is very, very subjective, and appears to be both a matter of viewpoint and a question of time.
Robin Hood
Braveheart
William of Orange
Bung Karno
Menachem Begin
Yasir Arafat - Abu Amar
Mao TseTung
Che Guevara
Mohandas Gandhi
Martin Luther King Jr
Malcolm X
Nelson Mandela
Were they terrorists or freedom fighters? Hmmm...
3 responses
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
1 Aug 07
after re reading your posta few times and cooling off, I have a few more peacefull and thought full comments to make. Braveheart (real name, william wallace) and men of his like could be considered freedom fighters. they attacked opressive governace, not civilains. there are a few names on the list I don't know. Mao tsetung was a VERY opressive leader himelf. Yasser arafat was with out a doubt in most of his life, a terrorist. He and his men went after inocent blood. period. He got soft in his old age but it hardly makes up for a lifetime of the things he did and oversaw. Malcom x, im sorry, nothing more than an over rated radical activist who had a very narrow view of things and saw prejudice (spelling?) everywhere he looked and gave rise to people like luis farakahn, who led what can only be defined as a hate group that actualy did more to regress the cause of black america rather than forward it.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
1 Aug 07
Nice to know that re-reading and the "cooling off" gave you some reason to see things somewhat differently. If I were you, I will employ this tactic often - may give you some new light to several other issues.
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
30 Jul 07
How could you even consider comparing people like Dr. king and Mr mandella to people like Bin laden or Zarquaui? Those men didnt strap bombs to themselves and blow inocent people up, especialy not their own people. These were men of peace who used peaceful methods of civil diobedience and marches as well as legislation and lobbying. A terrorist is defined in its most basic sense as one who intentionaly targets inocent people and kills them to gain a goal. And yes yasser arafat is in that catagory. the fathers of this country you spoke of attacked british military targets and soldiers. NOT civilian inocents. Your post is not only misguided and delusional, it is disrespectful to the memories of great people like Dr king and Mr mandella.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
31 Jul 07
Xfahctor, let me remain you that the Middle Easterners did not start migrating to western nations until after Westerners had migrated to their homelands and made promises that were never fulfilled (in the name of industrialization and/or progress).
Secondly, did you know that Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jenior were only eventually embraced because the alternatives from other civil rights groups were violent resistance? Without that threat, who knows exactly what would have happened? And how convenient that you only centered on those two figures! By the way, who mentioned Osama bin Laden (who incidentally happens to be in a ranch owned by George Bush in Texas, USA) and Zarqawi?
The question is, were the figures listed terrorists or freedom fighters?
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
1 Aug 07
"By the way, who mentioned Osama bin Laden"
I mentioned this men because they are TRUE terrorists. these are not men fighting for a freedom of a people, they were fighting for the right and power to govern under a strict code of law they deem fit for the restof the world. Osama may have been considered a freedom fighter in the 80's in afganistan when he was repelling the soviet invasion, a BRUTAL invasion that did not discriminate civilians from fighters. but he snapped and radicalized in 1990 after kuwait turned down his offer to repel the invading iraqi army, this giving birth to al quieda.
And bin laden is now WHERE?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!?!?! ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
1 Aug 07
Xfahctor - "I mentioned these men because they are true terrorists." Xfahctor, this is simply your view, corroborating my argument that the term "terrorist" is very, very subjective. Their people and/or followers may not consider them as such, just as the people in the time of Mao Tsetung or Yasir/Yasser Arafat or Che Guevara, etc. did not agree with the world that any of these mentioned figures was terrorist, insurgent, rabble rouser or rebel in bedsheets!
Yes, Osama bin Laden is in a ranch in Texas, USA, owned by George Bush! Now, there!
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
31 Jul 07
Ashamed of what, Xfahctor? The simple truth shall set you free! US national or US citizen or whatever has little meaning when it comes to Netsbridge. You see, Netsbridge is a voice for humanity!
