Etzioni: a better class of terrorist?
Here is a note from Professor Etzioni, responding to my post yesterday. That’s my headline, by the way, characterizing what I think he says here. Yes, violence that doesn’t kill people is better than violence that does. But it is still violence. And mistakes do get made-the word doesn’t get passed, or someone who is ...
Here is a note from Professor Etzioni, responding to my post yesterday. That's my headline, by the way, characterizing what I think he says here. Yes, violence that doesn't kill people is better than violence that does. But it is still violence. And mistakes do get made-the word doesn't get passed, or someone who is asleep in the building is forgotten.
Here is a note from Professor Etzioni, responding to my post yesterday. That’s my headline, by the way, characterizing what I think he says here. Yes, violence that doesn’t kill people is better than violence that does. But it is still violence. And mistakes do get made-the word doesn’t get passed, or someone who is asleep in the building is forgotten.
But let him speak for himself:
I am sorry to see that Mr. Ricks does not find much value in my distinction between attacking people to kill them and blowing up empty buildings after the occupants have been given time to leave.
For me there is no more important distinction. The most elementary right we all command is the right to live (broadly understood as including freedom from maiming, torture, and starvation). In effect, all other rights are contingent on this right being respected. Dead people do not vote, make speeches, or assemble. Hence, I am anxious to do all that can be done to find solutions to conflicts that do not entail killing anyone.
At the same time, when faced with an occupation — in the British case, one that was sending Jews who survived the Holocaust back to Europe in 1945 and 1946 — symbolic protest acts seem fully justified. The fact that these can be very effective was just evidenced by the recent raid on the flotilla sailing to Gaza. Those activists did not fire rockets into Israel or bomb anyone, but they had much more of an effect by making headlines.”
Amitai Etzioni
Amitai Etzioni is University Professor and professor of international relations at The George Washington University.
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