Could CNN use a bit of decency, and stop calling ETA "separatists" and use the correct term (endorsed by the US Government and the EU ) for them which is no other than TERRORISTS.
This are the media that don't call ETA terrorist CNN BBC The New York Times The Washington Post The Wall Street Journal Reuters USA Today The Guardian The Independent Los Angeles Times Nouvel Observateur Herald Tribune Lib�ration Jerusalem Post
This others call them terrorist: The Times Corriere della Sera La Repubblica Fox News
Posts: 153 | Location: Madrid (Spain) | Registered: 10 June 2003
UNTRUE!!! This is the first and probably the last time anyone will see me standing up for the credibility of the mainstream US news, but CNN does indeed call ETA terrorists, in no uncertain terms. http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/03/11/eta.background/
If I were so inclined, I could probably go down your entire list and find at least one reference to ETA as a terrorist organization. ETA is indeed also a separatist organization, and it is perfectly acceptable to deem them as such.
People! It took me approximately three seconds to find these stories calling ETA "terrorists." Do your homework! The power of a petition lies not only in the number of signatures, but also in the absolute truth of its statements.
In this instance, why be angry at the media? Every mainstream outlet in America headlined this yesterday, and continues to do it today. Frankly, I am proud of my country's concern and compassion as displayed in our usually soft journalism. It shows that perhaps we are not the indifferent nation that the world thinks we are.
Also, I would just say that most educated people in the US already know about ETA, just as we know about the IRA. That they are dispicable terrorists organizations is accepted as a given.
Don't be mad at the media...redirect....
Here comes my politikin'---watch Bush. See if he is really serious about this Orwellian WAR ON TERRORISM. Whether ETA or Al Qaeda is responsible, it will be interesting to see whether Dubya pursues a hard line in a situation in which his own nationalistic political agenda will not directly benefit. Is he really a compassionate conservative?
Figure it out...then sign your petitions.
Posts: 14 | Location: Bloomington IN | Registered: 03 February 2004
I live in Athens, not far from Atlanta, the home of CNN. Their general slant is such that it's referred to locally as the "Communist News Network", or similar terms. Their refusal to call a terrorist a terrorist is quite consistent with their behavior.
What is also gauling to me is the CNN European feed which I watch on my numerous trips to Madrid. They put material out for European consumption that even they wouldn't sling around in the states. Most memorable was in November when I watched Jimmy Carter berate his own country secure in the knowledge that that interview would never be shown where the Jimmy Carter Center is based.....what a guy.
Thyglow
In Madrid All Things Are Possible...Except Skiiing Through The Revolving Door At The Ritz
One of the major problems in our War on Terrorism is that "terrorism" is not an adequately defined concept. In some cases, terrorism is easy to identify. We can certainly recognize terrorism in 9-11 and, now, 3-11, but when does a militant separatist group officially become a terrorist group? When it starts attacking civilians? So ETA wasn't a terrorist group until relatively recently? Well, most us would say, no, they have been terrorists since the mid to late 1960s when they began their killings of government officials. So, is a militant group that attacks government officials and institutions a terrorist group? If so, then can any 'revolutionary' army can be called a terrorist group at the whim of disconcerted world powers such as the Spanish or US government? What about state terrorism? Does having any army justify terrorist tactics? Are Israel's midnight raidings and bombings of Palestinian homes considered terrorist attacks? Why or why not?
Friends, what we have here is a complex, emotional issue, and the problems that I think we all have with the media are just small pieces of larger and more intricate puzzle. I think the frustration is legitimate, dont get me wrong. I am just trying to illustrate what I think are some deeper semantic and conceptual issues that we will have to sort out as a global community before we can make any progress in the quest to make the Earth a safer, happier place to live for all people.
Posts: 14 | Location: Bloomington IN | Registered: 03 February 2004
tough topic but for the record, the spanish govt. did send an official request to the BBC the other day asking them to stop referring to ETA as a "basque separatist group" and to begin calling them what they are... a "basque terrorist group".
I am still struck dumb by the entire course of events. I think it's only natural to cast about for someone or something to shout at. The media's an easy target, always. "Kill the messenger," and all that. But I'm with Tab on this one. My hat is off to his/her insightful, articulate read. I wish I could express myself so clearly so soon after this atrocity. Reb.
Posts: 385 | Location: a pueblo in Palencia, via Pittsburgh USA | Registered: 15 February 2003
The other real danger with allowing or forcing organizations (especially the government) to label groups terrorists is that it becomes a slippery slope towards the elimination of human rights as evidence by Guantanamo Bay, the arrest and incarceration without trial or charge of Jose Padilla, and the Patriot Act.
When you label someone or a group "terrorist" that gives the government almost carte blanche authority to deny people their civil rights, impose draconian security measures, and conduct illegal warfare all in the name of "ending" terrorism.
We end up with otherwise rational people supporting government actions which under any other situation would be considered appalling and immoral. We get "support our government in their fight against terrorism" calls thus allowing them to take away our rights, wage preemptive war on essentially defenseless countries, and create more hatred, radicalism, and in the end more violence and death.
Posts: 289 | Location: Madrid via DC via Mexico via ... | Registered: 01 August 2003
People, ARE YOU GOING TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND BROADEN YOUR MINDS ALREADY?
THIS IS 2004, SEPTEMBER 11TH. HAPPENED IN 2001. MADRID’S MARCH 11TH. COMES AFTER 36 YEARS OF SPAIN SUFFERING AN AWFUL CANCER CALLED ETA, WHOSE 1ST. KILLING TOOK PLACE IN 1968.
SO PLEASE, I BEG YOU TO INFORM YOURSELVES; AND PLEASE, GIVE US A LITTLE CREDIT, OK?
....OR, CONTINUE IGNORING THE MAIN FACTS AND START CALLING APPLES PEARS IF YOU WILL….WE CAN’T AFFORD THAT LUXURY.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT WE’RE DOING AND TALKING ABOUT HERE….AND IT’S TOO PAINFUL!!!
ETA HAS “FELT PROTECTED” BY HUGE INTERNATIONAL MISCONCEPTION LONG ENOUGH!!!
GUANTANAMO?! JUDGES HERE DON’T EVEN CONVICT TO LIFE SENTENCES THE TERRORITS FOUND GUILTY OF COMMITING SEVERAL MURDERS, FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE!
EXCUSE MY TEMPER, BUT I'M MOURNING 200 INNOCENTS TODAY. (massacred 10 mns. away from me (that's 2 mns. by Jer's standards...))
This IS how CNN refers to the coward criminals TODAY in an article called; what is ETA?:
“The underground group ETA…”
“…making the group one of the most feared organizations of its kind in Europe.”
“ETA stands for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, which means "Basque Homeland and Freedom" in the Basque language. The group was founded in 1959 with the aim of establishing a separate Marxist state in northern Spain and southwestern France.”
“For many years ETA members found a safe haven in France, a situation that began to change in the mid-1980s…”
“Most of the organization's attacks have targeted politicians, policemen, judges and soldiers, but dozens of civilians have also been killed. In 1987, 21 shoppers were killed in a bombing at a Barcelona supermarket,…”
“In 1995, ETA nearly succeeded in assassinating Jose Maria Aznar, then leader of the conservative Popular Party, now Spain's prime minister. Aznar survived a car bombing because of his vehicle's armor plating. In 1995, Spanish police also foiled an attempt to assassinate Spain's King Juan Carlos.”
“Active support for ETA among residents of the Basque region is small, and although no accurate figures are available, its membership is thought to number in the hundreds. While many Basques support independence, the majority of Basque residents have opposed ETA's use of violence.”
THIS IS IMPORTANT: “For many centuries the Basques of Spain enjoyed a strong degree of autonomy, but under the fascist regime of Francisco Franco, which lasted from 1939 to 1975, Basque culture, people and language were suppressed, as were regional differences in other similarly distinct parts of Spain. But that changed with Spain's transition to democracy after Franco's death. The Basque region now has a broad degree of autonomy, with its own parliament, police force and a system of Basque-run schools. Basque is now the region's official language.”
AND, THIS IS THE CLOSEST: “It has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.”
FINALLY, THANK YOU!
Posts: 627 | Location: Brussels | Registered: 16 December 2001
hey pim, i am with you here and it is hard to believe that there may still be any doubt in some countries minds that ETA are anything but terrorists.
rebrites, you miss the point, in this case, the media who calls them "basque separatists" instead of "basque terrorists" are 100% wrong.
so, the media IS to blame here.
call a spade a spade!!!
"underground group" is NOT a good way to refer to these murdering bastards.
for example, the french underground resistance in wwii fighting against the invasion by nazi germany.
calling them a "separatists", "underground" goup evokes sympathy and can dangerously imply that they are justified in what they do, nothing could be further from the truth. tne only thing ETA is resisting or has ever resisted is becoming human.
originally posted by Roland: [qb] The other real danger with allowing or forcing organizations (especially the government) to label groups terrorists is that it becomes a slippery slope towards the elimination of human rights as evidence by Guantanamo Bay, the arrest and incarceration without trial or charge of Jose Padilla, and the Patriot Act.
[/qb]
I'd say it was the terrorist groups themselves that force organizations (especially the government) to label them as terrorists, by COMMITTING terrorist acts!! What about the human rights of the people on the trains?
I prefer the term that students in the background of a CNN report used (chanted)...HIJOS DE PUTA!!!!! It will be interesting to see who was really behind it. If it was ETA, the government is going to launch an impressive raid of the Pais Vasco...if it was the morros, well, then let the 2nd Spanish inquisition begin!
Oderant dum Metuant
Posts: 109 | Location: Barcelona, Catalunya | Registered: 16 November 2002
I admit, that although that one is a very popular chant, it's certainly not one of my favourites...('�Qu� culpa tienen las pobres putas?')
But I liked many of the chants heard last night, such as: 'No esta lloviendo, Madrid esta llorando!', 'No estamos todos, faltan 200!', or '�Ibamos todos en ese tren!', etc.... I'm proud to say my best pal, Esperanza, started one that soon caught up: '�Otegui, cabron, subete al vagon!', also my mum started: '�Cadena perpetua, para lo terroristas!', but with less success.
....All and all, I'm also very proud to be a Spaniard today seeying the people's moving response during the last 60hrs., (it's quite strange, we're surely not the "flag-waving type", but yesterday I, and I'm sure hundreds of others, just had to wear one somewhere for the fist time in our lives, like it was the most natural thing); and feel inmense love and pity towards the good Basque people for what they have to endure.
I also feel we're blessed in a way (don't get me wrong!) that due to a 2-minute delay, the terrorists' plan didn't work out as they intended it, cauze blowing up the whole Atocha station we'd be talking about a lot more hundreds of casualties, and that a certain university was on strike that day, since otherwise the average age of the victims, that's already in the early twenties, would drop down even more... Of course nobody (but their families!) is counting the, at least three, unborn babies that were killed along with their mums, as casualties....
Posts: 627 | Location: Brussels | Registered: 16 December 2001
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