OT: Civil Liberities During Crisis

[Will]

PvK said:
To me, "terrorist" is a word that has been so heavily abused by politicians and corporate media that it no longer has a clear and well-defined meaning.

In general though, I think it means someone who intentionally causes terror, usually to try to make a statement or induce some sort of effect.

PvK

"Terrorist", "terrorism", etc. has been very greatly abused lately... but I think your classification needs a bit more refining... mainly, "someone who uses violence to intentionally cause terror, usually to try to make a statement or induce some sort of effect." Because otherwise, Tom Ridge and the Bush Administration could be argued to be terrorists because of continually bumping national alerts to "orange" after quietly changing it back to "yellow", while never once brining the alert level below "yellow". Not saying that they are, only that it can be argued that way.