I keep hearing certain members of the media describing what happened in New York and Washington as a “terrible crime.” The use of the word “crime” for these terrorist acts is not appropriate. Crime presumes a “case” mentality. A crime, no matter how heinous, can be solved, its perpetrators arrested and the case closed.
What happened Sept. 11 was an “attack.” An attack implies war, which is a long-term action against an implacable enemy. A war cannot be solved; it must be won. It must be won over a period of time with sustained action against, not perpetrators, but an enemy.
We must be resolved to win this war or our way of life will be destroyed. Those fellow combatants who describe what happened as merely a crime do themselves and all of us a tremendous disservice.
Words do matter.
