Michael Yon: The Battle for Mosul: Reality Check
Posted on August 19, 2005, under Current Events.
Michael Yon gives us a lesson in the correct usage of the English language:
Calling homicide bombers martyrs is a language offense; words are every bit as powerful as bombs, often more so. Calling murderers “martyrs” is like calling a man “customer” because he stood in line before gunning down a store clerk. There’s no need to whisper. I hear the bombs every single day. Not some days, but every day. We’re talking about criminals who actually volunteer and plan to deliberately murder and maim innocent people. What reservoir of feelings or sensibilities do we fear to assault by simply calling it so? When murderers describe themselves as “martyrs” it should sound to sensible ears like a rapist saying, “she was asking for it.” In other words, like the empty rationalizations of a depraved criminal.
If you haven’t read his experiences while currently being an embedded journalist in Iraq, you really should check them out. I recently watched Tears of the Sun, and his blog entries with great photos are just as good.