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Semantic quibbles (posted 6 April 2006)
Just a quick reminder, for those who have forgotten the logic of our language.
Killing a bunch of hostile soldiers in the field, in response to an attack they launched on your encampent, is not appropriately described as a massacre
. On the other hand, charging into village in the middle of the night and indiscriminately cutting down men and women, from infants to elders, is.
This is, admittedly, a minor point, more or less completely unrelated to the actual topic or thrust of the article in question. Reason being that I’m in no condition tonight to face that kind of a logical or moral trainwreck head-on.
Cf. also Hopelessly Midwestern (2006-04-05), for your train-wreck-facing needs.
Sheldon Richman replied:
Just great, Charles. Thanks.