V for Vendetta and definition of terrorist

[treestar]

I finally got to see the movie last night. It bugged me that the people in the feature about making the film kept insisting V. was a "terrorist." I didn't see that he killed civilians. Anybody he killed deserved it (granted he was a bit of a vigilante, but there was no justice system in that version of Britain). The government in the film giving him that label made sense, of course they would use that label, but I didn't see what the movie-maker types thought so. Though in general I would say that those types are always so affectedly intellectual in those interviews.

[Bucky]

1. "Anybody he killed deserved it"

Yes, you were supposed to root for him; V being the hero and all. But it's a movie. In a movie you can blow up a building that represents a system you don't like and you don't have to worry about, say, nightwatchmen or janitors working inside after hours, or folks on the street walking home getting hit by flying rubble. On the one hand none of it has anything to do with reality because it's all from a comic book.

But we get up in arms, rightfully so, when Bush has the military do the same sort of shock and awe bullshit. V isn't a terrorist because the moviemakers showed him not to be so. But if anyone did this in real life in a non-democratic country, I'd call them a terrorist no matter how good their taste in music is.

[mdmc]

2. he was a terrorist, but you didn't see that reality in the movie

it was covert. The heroism of his actions was overt.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

3. That's because technically he was a terrorist. He was attepting

to strike fear into the hearts of people; namely the government. People we call terrorists today aren't really terrorists by the definition of the word. They aren't trying to cause fear. They're trying to blow shit up and kill people. Theres a very subtle difference that is lost on many people thesedays.

[treestar]

4. He was trying to strike terror in the government, though

as opposed to the people. The fireworks and the music were added to show the people they were to have hope.

[ghostsofgiants]

5. Terrorism is the use or threat of violence...

To obtain goals that are plottical, religious, or ideological in nature.

[TexasRazor]

6. Of course, he was a terrorist

"People should not be afraid of their governments...
Governments should be afraid of their people"

And I applaud him

[YankeyMCC]

7. The character certainly is a terrorist

Terrorism is a tactic the question is when is it accepted by the people as a justifiable act of resistance or war against a superior force?

That is why the phrase 'war against terror' or criminalizing being a 'terrorist' is pure BS. Any act of war or resistance can be labeled terrorism, when you label your opponent a terrorist that means you have no intention of seeking peaceful resolution. When states recognize each other as participants in a war that means they plan to eventually make peace and continue trade relations.

OSB is an example of a criminal, a horrific and terrible criminal, that uses terrorism. It's unacceptable because of the warped agenda and goals and the targets he chooses.

Certain American revolutionaries were labeled terrorists by some at times, people like Sam Adams and the other more fiery supporters who the British and the wealthier leaders of the American revolution were afraid would stir up something that would get out of control...the lower classes taking power. But the British in general did not label all American rebels terrorists because they knew they would want to live in peace again with their American cousins.

V was a terrorist but he was using terror for a valid and justifable cause. At least arguably so.