I have just read an article in the Independent where the UN admits that Haitian civilians were murdered by UN 'peacekeepers' in a gunfight gone wrong last July. Only they don't admit to murder, they admit to 'collateral victims'. This kind of Newspeak is particularly prevalent in the military where it seems the idea is to dehumanise war and make it sound ok. These are the people who brought us 'Ethnic Cleansing' a particularly sickening phrase, as well as 'friendly fire' and 'collateral damage'. This kind of reinvention of English would be laughable had not the media picked it up and now we can see this everywhere. It seeps into our language like some kind of toxic waste. Well I say, no more! Since when do we let a sector of our society, which I am sorry to say is generally not the smartest bunch, dictate how we should speak, think or feel? Let's say what it really is. Murder of civilians, genocide, killing your own soldiers... this is what is really going on.
San Nakji for President!
8 comments:
As long as there is politics, there will be "newspeak." And it doesn't matter who or what wing holds the power.
You are right there!
I think 'friendly fire' is used because it is getting shot by your own side accidentally, not deliberately.
it's hardly friendly though...
I think war is always about dehumanizing victims.
That is the only way we can really kill someone and wake up in the morning.
And it is part of the reason I am a pacifist.
Good on you Friar! Pacifism is the way of the future!
I agree with Tim. But, I will defend our military. There are many good and brave men and women who serve. They are very smart and very talented. It's the leaders of them the cause the harm. Most troops just follow orders that are handed down to them. It's their jobs. We should be blaming the higher ups that order people to do such heinous things.
Except that you don't have to be a soldier....
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