Suicide, Homicide or Martyrdom?

[truthpusher]

Depending on where you get your news, you will find that attacks that include the willful destruction of the bomber reported differently. Fox News for example calls them acts by "Homicide Bombers" the MSM (Fox not included) calls them acts by "Suicide Bombers" and I have seen some Islamic websites call these acts "Martyrdom Missions". What term is most accurate?

[Jesus H. Christ]

1. Homicide bombing is what the US troops do.

Suicide bombing would probably be the most accurate term, since martyrdom doesn't imply suicide bombing.

[TyeDye75]

2. I voted for suicide because its the best description

of what they actually do. The other two are based on emotions from both sides.

Fox wants to use the word homocide because its sounds more horrific and the Muslim sites use the word matyr because its sounds more glorious.

Suicide is exactly what it says on the tin.... someone killing themslevs.

[tjwmason]

8. I agree

The unique nature of the suicide bomber is the intention to kill him/herself. Homocide means killing people, suicide means killing self.

I've never understood why Fox and the FReepers are so obssessive about calling them homocide. As you say it sounds more horrific, yet in many ways a bomber who merely intends to kill others is perhaps less horrific than one who will purposefully destroy himself.

A martyr is one who dies for his/her faith. As a Catholic I have a great problem putting somebody who targets a bus full of school girls alongside some of the greatest Saints of 2000 years. Especially as they didn't try to take out a few Romans with them.

[stray cat]

3. I voted suicide - but the real purpose of them is homicide.

There are easier ways to kill yourself if that were the real purpose

[Jacobin]

4. Why not just call it "war". That's what it is.

[NoPasaran]

10. Exactly

This is a tactic being used in a war.

[blurp]

29. War? How about insanity?

Anyone that intensionally blows themselves up to kill others is insane.

[DireStrike]

5. Martyr and Homicide are spin

Martyr implies something about the person, homicide calls unnecessary attention to the nature of the act (ALL bombings are homicide! unless you miss.)

Suicide bomber is a simple and accurate description, and it's long been used in mainstream conversation. "Suicide mission" is common.

[truthpusher]

6. How can anybody see Fox using the 'Homicide' term and not...

...call them fringe - they are as inaccurate in my opinion as the Islamic websites calling it a Martyrdom mission.

[xultar]

7. It doesn't matter what we call it, it matters what they call it that is

why they do it.

Calling the bombers a homicide bomber gives * the reason to butcher.

If it is called a suicide bomber it isn't a positive or a negative it is simply a statement of fact.

[ComerPerro]

9. "homocide bombers" is such a stupid term

Let's say they plant a bomb somewhere and it detonates fifteen minutes later, killing twenty seven people but not themselves. Was that not a homocide?

[truthpusher]

15. Obviously the people at Fox are Morons.

[MissBrooks]

11. If they only killed themselves...

They would be Suicide Bombers.

But - they take so many with them - I call them Homicidal Maniacs. But, that's just me.

[donheld]

14. These are not "Homicidal Maniacs"

They are willing to die for the sake of their country, faith, whatever. That's why our country is such a mess. Too few in the USA are willing to even take a stand, let alone die for a good cause.

[MissBrooks]

16. You think we should die for our cause

But then you mock soldiers who die for theirs?

[truthpusher]

18. who's mocking?

[infusionman]

20. It's a good bet...

That these homicide bombers aren't even Iraqi citizens, but people from Syria or Iran trying to upset the elections.

They have no business being there hence they are murderers.

They aren't there to die for their country, they are there to terrorize!

[Nihil]

22. It's also a "good bet" ...

That the real homicide bombers aren't Iraqi citizens, but people from
Kentucky or Idaho trying to upset the elections.

They have no business being there hence they are murderers.

They aren't there to die for their country, they are there to terrorize!

The fact that they wear a uniform is mere cosmetic detail.
The fact that they commit homicide from a few miles away (missiles) or
a few thousand feet up (bombs) is what makes them homicide bombers
rather than suicide bombers.

There again, it's a good bet that you won't even understand the irony
contained here as it has not passed the "Fox" test.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

23. Depends on what they do.

If they attack occupiers, then, yes, it's acceptable. However, if they're driving vehicles into marketplaces and murdering innocent people, then, they are "homicidal maniacs".

[RUDUing2]

12. cant chose..I think all three are equally accurate. It just depends on

your own viewpoint/interpetation...

[Bluebear]

13. FOX's "homicide" is inaccurate and pure fringe

Anyone who throws a bomb and runs away would be committing a homicide. The suicide bomber designation merely reports (accurately) that the killer died in the incident. There is no "glorification" in that designation except to the fringe media.

[ConsAreLiars]

17. Tim McVeigh and John McCain were homicide bombers

Ghandi and King and Goodman and Allende were martyrs.

The suicide bombers include not only the current crop but also the Kamikaze pilots of WWII.

Cons (of all nations) always lie.

[infusionman]

19. I said Homicide bombing

Because they are murdering our troops. Case in point is what happened the other day.

[DireStrike]

21. But don't you think homicide is redundant?

And therefore calling extra(undue) attention to something that is implied already?

Clearly the people at Fox put at least a little stock into that idea. You're welcome to disagree of course.

[Cuban_Liberal]

24. The suicide is incidental.

The purpose of the bombings is homicide.

[DemBones DemBones]

26. But homicide is the purpose of all bombings -- these are

distinguished by the fact that the bomber deliberately blows himself (or herself) up in order to kill others.

I don't call them martyrs because by definition, martyrs are killed by other people for their beliefs.

Hmm. . . that makes the suicide bombers' victims martyrs, doesn't it?

[laruemtt]

25. i think in their eyes

it's all three - the "trifecta" for those who are not the world's "superpower."

[Stinky The Clown]

27. All three terms are true

It can be argued that all three terms are true simultaneously. A fervent believer decides to do the deed. He sees himself as a martyr and it could easily be argued that is what he is. So he goes and does, knowing full well he will destroy himself in the process. By anyone's definition, that's suicide. If he is "successful" he will have killed others even as he kills himself. That willful act makes it murder, or as it is called, homicide.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. While I am at least as strongly opposed to this sort of action as I am to our invasion of Iraq, I can allow that these people feel desperate.

[blurp]

28. How about "mentally ill"?

Anyone that intensionally blows themselves up to kill other people is insane.