Detective J
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 17, 2016
- 30,742
- 56,070
Your premise asserts a strict, clear distinction between activism and terrorism, exemplified by what you term the "true activism" of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) under Yasser Arafat, while defining certain destructive and violent acts (like burning election posts or sponsoring thugs) as terrorism.
However, history and political science often demonstrate that the line between these two concepts is highly subjective and frequently blurred, especially when viewed from different perspectives. One person's "activist" or "freedom fighter" is often another's "terrorist."
Example : ANC under nelson mandela, was viewed a terrorist under apartheid goverment , but what they were actualy fighting for is freedom of south africa.
Even PLO under then yasser Arafat is itself an ambiguous example, often cited by opponents as engaging in terrorist tactics (like airline hijackings and attacks on civilians), while supporters defend these actions as necessary tactics in a liberation struggle against a powerful occupying force.
So terrorism is matter of perspective, there is a thin line, better be careful