Re: OfB.biz: It's Official: SCO Declares IP Jihad on Linux

On Wednesday 7 May 2003 8:53 pm, Timothy R. Butler wrote:
> > > Hmm... I haven't heard that before. Where are they known as "just"
> > > wars? Even in my church, when they did a Church history course, they
> > > were presented uncomplimentary light.
> >
> > Well, in this country crusaders are generally considered 'noble', and in
> > history lessons they are presented neutrally. So this has and does
> > happen, if not in the US, and I think there's a parallel.
>
>   They aren't noble at least here in the midwest.

Fine, I believe you. The point stands, however, that a bias in opinion 
regarding Crusaders exists, definitely here in the UK and possibly wherever 
Dre is located right now. I'm glad that you live somewhere where popular 
opinion regarding the matter is a bit more sane.

> > >    Is this a loaded question or what? :-) First, before discussing my
> > > overall rationale, I would argue that it is quite hard to infer
> > > "religious intolerance" by the usage of one word in a subject of a
> > > title not discussing anything religious.
> >
> > Well, if you were (purely for example, and I'm aware this isn't a very
> > good one, but it's the best I can think of at the moment) to to say that
> > SCO is acting 'with the stupidity of a negro', then that would infer
> > racial hatred, even though the actual article has nothing to do with
> > Africans. I think it's the same kind of thing. The difference is that
> > 'stupidity of a negro' hasn't been used as a buzzword (or buzzphrase) by
> > the mainstream media and therefore isn't acceptable.
>
>   Well, the thing is, is that the example you give presents a set race that
> you would be attacking. From a purely literal standpoint, a Christian
> *could* fight a Jihad either as a holy war or as an attempt at
> self-improvement. While Jihad is definately Muslim, it isn't specifically
> making the connection that you do in your "buzzphrase."

I'm sorry but however you try to wriggle out of it, 'Jihad' implies Islamic, 
and so I think there is a direct attack here.

> > >   Now, at least in the current understanding however, much as you note,
> > > Jihad does have more of a negative connotation, and is thus more
> > > appropriate for a negative headline than crusade. It is also a term
> > > close to memory for most people atm, which makes it fit better as well.
> >
> > You hit the nail on the head here. Why does it have a negative
> > connotation? The answer is that it is continually used in this fashion,
> > in much the same way as the word 'awful' has completely reversed it's
> > meaning. Words are often given a negative connotation by the media as a
> > form of propaganda, making people more likely to reject a concept by
> > making the word itself objectionable. Personally, I think you're
> > contributing to this effect, whether you intend to or not.
>
>   I think it has a negative connotation, at least in the western world,
> because its only usage here is when someone, say UBL, declared that he was
> starting a Jihad against the U.S. or when Iraq asked all Muslims to fight
> in a Jihad against the U.S.

IIRC this was only said a couple of times by Islamic extremists. After that, 
the ensuing media frenzy popularised usage of the word far more than UBL 
could have done. Like I said, I remain unconvinced that this wasn't a 
deliberate attack on Far/Middle Eastern countries via their  most widespread 
religion. There's probably a hundred other words or phrases that could be 
picked up, although admittedly this is speculation; I haven't heard any good 
examples simply because they weren't picked up :)

> While there are lots of Muslims in the United
> States, most of them don't talk about how their "Jihad" for self improvment
> is going.

I'm not surprised. For the same reason that people hesitate to describe 
themselves as communists; the word itself has been demonised, the actual 
meaning is ignored or brushed over.

>   I think what you are seeing is the formation of an English world "Jihad"
> that means a war that the starter thinks is righteous but that is wrong or
> at least using the wrong means.

Funny then that the way in which the word has been formed seems to reflect its 
meaning.

> > >   Consider this: "SCO Declares Crusade against Linux" and "SCO Declares
> > > Jihad against Linux"... which gets the point across better?
> >
> > Both about the same, from where I'm sitting. If you find the latter more
> > effective then clearly you've succumbed to the kind of propaganda I was
> > just talking about.
>
>   I think, based on the dictionary definition, it is closer. I would also
> assert that it really doesn't matter what is most effective to *me* but to
> my reader.

s/you/your reader

Besides, I'm one of your readers, and I'm telling you, I don't find it 
effective :)

> > >   Coming through again "SCO Declares a Remedial Enterprise Undertaken
> > > with Zeal Against Linux" or "SCO Declares a Crusade of Belief Against
> > > Linux"?
> >
> > How about 'War'? I think you're deliberately giving silly examples in an
> > effort to make my position look ridiculous.
>
>   No, those are the dictionary definitions placed into the context of the
> title.

My mistake.

> > >   While most Christians aren't happy about this, certainly no one is
> > > going to say that someone "incorrectly" using that term is hateful of
> > > the Christian Church.
> >
> > Maybe so, but I don't think that happened through a desire to demonise
> > Christians. It's a similar example, but not the same, IMO.
>
>   Well, I have no desire to demonize Muslims either.

I have a good deal of respect for you, and I am absolutely certain that you 
don't. But you're happily following a trend which I strongly suspect was 
started with this intention.

>   One thing I would emphasize is that no one, save you and Andreas,
> complained about the issue. And, of course, that means no Muslims
> complained at all.

True, but then I don't think there's a particularly large number of Muslims on 
this list. And I doubt that any casually browsing your site would have been 
so bothered as to submit a complaint :).

Oh, Bob complained too, sort of. Good old Bob :).

-- 
dan

"Were i susceptible to having my mind changed, it would have changed my mind" 
- Matthew Parris

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