War declared on resistance (L.A. Times restrains its writers' words)

[baby_bear]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/06/1068013331454.html

<snip>
November 7, 2003

The Los Angeles Times has ordered its journalists to stop describing anti-American forces in Iraq as resistance fighters, saying the term romanticises them and evokes World War II-era heroism.

An email circulated this week asked staff to instead use the terms insurgents or guerillas.

An assistant managing editor, Melissa McCoy, said on Wednesday that the memo followed a discussion among top editors at the paper and was not sparked by reader complaints.

McCoy said she considered the term resistance fighters an accurate description of Iraqis battling US troops, but said it also evoked World War II - specifically the French Resistance or Jews who fought against Nazis in the Warsaw ghetto.

</snip>

It goes on to mention that the Washington Post does not have a problem with the use of the term "resistance fighters."

I find this really odd. I don't think anyone misunderstands that the term "resistance fighters" refers to people who would prefer that the American occupation of Iraq end, now. What is it about "please leave" that the LA Times isn't getting?

s_m

[everythingsxen]

1. Well thats great..

They should write that one in to the next incarnation of the Patriot Act.

"Dear journalists,
Please do not refer to the resistance fighters in Iraq as resitance fighters. Everyone knows they are terrorists. Resistance implies that some people in Iraq don't want us there, it is confusing people. Thank you. **FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN YOUR IMMEDIATE ARREST**"

[Newsjock]

2. This is far more important than just the L.A. Times

Many smaller papers across the country (including mine) subscribe to the Los Angeles Times - Washington Post News Service, which supplies stories from the two newspapers.

This little case of language policing will seep into papers from coast to coast -- often under the tutelage of editors who won't know any better.

[jmcgowanjm]

14. Hey, Newsjock, I haven't seen you before here.

In what part of DU do you hang?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6116-2003Nov5.html

[Noordam]

3. :kick:

:kick:

[Noordam]

4. :kick:

:kick:

[RainDog]

5. guerilla is the correct term

Bush doesn't want to use that term because of all that it implies about guerilla warfare.

They denied that term often. Guerilla warfare invokes lessons of war which include the idea that the occupying forces can never win because the guerillas simply need to outlast them, rather than create a functioning govt.

The French Resistance came into being after the Germans occupied France. They were not part of the Vichy govt (the govt in power at the time the resistance gained their own power), unlike many of those fighting in the Sunni Triangle are.

And, yes, I think Resistance romanticizes a group which is part of Saddam's old govt.

I hate Bush for getting us into this mess, but I certainly don't romanticize Saddam and his followers.

[Lost4words]

6. I suspect the Iraqi people call them HEROS!

Sadam was never a threat to you RainDog, wakeup!

[Jack The Tab]

18. I agree..

The term Guerilla fighters seems to be more appropriate...

now when newspapers start refering to the guerilla fighters as terrorists at the behest of our own regime, then it's time to start complaining.

[DrBB]

7. Original story on this spoke of WH pressure

...having been brought to bear, and that's why the memo.

That's the real news--one of the few times I've seen this kind of thing actually confirmed--or at least, strongly suggested--within the mainstream press, as opposed to just all us internet whackos conspiracy-theorizing out here. Dunno if it's mentioned in this version of the story--have to go read it now....

[Elidor]

11. Do you have a link for that? I missed it

[iam]

8. How about

"Resistance Guerillas".

[iam]

9. Some Info

re·sis·tance ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-zstns)
n.
Resistance - An underground organization engaged in a struggle for national liberation in a country under military or totalitarian occupation.

and

guer·ril·la or gue·ril·la ( P ) Pronunciation Key (g-rl)
n.
A member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy, as by surprise raids.


Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Nuff said.

[cmd]

10. MSNBC calls them terrorists

Liberal media???????????????

[GinaMaria]

12. Resistance fighters

to me suggest people who are resisting US forces. I don't think it's a positive or negative term. It sounds neutral to me. They are putting up some sort of resistance.

Is neutral a problem now?

[truthspeaker]

20. neutral=bias

quote: "I don't think it's a positive or negative term. It sounds neutral to me. They are putting up some sort of resistance.

Is neutral a problem now?"

Of course neutral is a problem. Neutral and objective is liberal bias in Newspeak.

[Flaming Meaux]

13. 'Search and Destroy' is now 'Sweep and Clear'...

got it?

[Tellurian]

15. Are We Talking CENSORSHIP HERE?

Why aren't reporters screaming about this?

[jmcgowanjm]

16. Nothing is harder than making someone understand

who's paycheck depends on their not understanding.

"People whose lives are barren and
insecure seem to show a greater willingness
to obey than people who are self-sufficient
and self-confident. To the frustrated, freedom
from responsibility is more attractive than
freedom from restraint. They are eager to
barter their independence for relief of the
burdens of willing, deciding and being responsible
for inevitable failure. They willingly abdicate the
directing of their lives to those who want to plan,
command and shoulder all responsibility."
                                                                                
~Eric Hoffer “The True Believer”

http://tbrnews.org/Archives/a695.htm
http://www.urbansurvival.com/week.htm

[The Magistrate]

19. Always A Treat To See Words From Mr. Hoffer, Sir

[MnFats]

17. NOW I understand why the right-wing radio nuts were going...

...batshit yesterday.
I just caught a little of a couple of locals playing off each other with righteous indignation.
"Terrorists! They should call them terrorists!"
"Or, how about 'the enemy.' Just call them 'the enemy!'"

oh, lordy but those people are hung up on semantics. but this gives them a new chance to flagellate the LA Times....


I notice, though, that ONLY Fox is still useing (perhaps only occasionally, as I can't stand more than about five minutes at a time) to use 'homicide bombers' as ari flescher suggested lo, these many months ago. FOX still using it even though even the Bush administration has dropped it......("Any other ways you'd like us to demonstrate our fealty, Mr. President?")


Fats...(hey, not that fat. Just a few pounds, OK?) also a newsie.

[ElementaryPenguin]

21. L.A. Times owned by Tribune Co. - Herr Rumsfeld sits on Board of Directors

Does that explain it?

[baby_bear]

22. Rumsfeld resigned from the board

...when he became secretary of defense.

s_m