spinbadz own

Spinbadz Own is trying to fathom the apparent discrepancy, in mainstream discourse, between routinely:

a) Placing the phrase "war on terror" (and its primary, "terrorism") in quotation marks and/or
b) Preceding the above described with the qualification 'so-called'

whilst denying similar treatment to the expression "anti-war". These days "anti-war" is routinely used to describe people who protest against:

c) American combatant action, American detention of prisoners, American combatants and pro-Bush American politicians and their supporters, but who never protest against
d) Anti-American combatant action, anti-American detention and murder of prisoners, or anti-American combatant figureheads and their supporters.

Therefore it seems to us that, beyond a few syllogistic or semantic exceptions, the present lot of "anti-war" protesters are not really anti-war protesters pure and simple, but rather:

e) Anti-American, anti-(Bush) Republican and/or anti-capitalist, or else
f) Pacifists who unconsciously or consciously choose to focus only on apparent American combat action- usually in Iraq.

Moreover, the so-called "anti-war" protesters also seem to ignore the fact that:

g) the vast (vast, vast) majority of deaths in Iraq and other theatres of current conflict are being perpetrated by the people fighting against the Americans.

The people fighting against the Americans have deliberately attacked civilian targets in London, New York, Bali, Jakarta, Madrid, Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. Many of them are committed to warring ("jihad"), anywhere on the globe, until Islamist world hegemony is achieved.

So "anti-war" protesters, one would think, ought to be devoting at least part of their efforts to protesting against the jihadists. But they aren't, which leads us to believe that said protesters:

g) Are accurately described as "anti-war" protestors (with quotes) or as so-called anti-war protesters, and not as anti-war protesters (without quotes).

Are we wrong? If so, please help explain the apparent discrepancy. Please write to us at spinbadz@yahoo.com.au.

Most enlightening answers will be "published" here.

In the meantime, here are a couple of samples throwing light on the various correct uses of quotation marks.


1) Denoting a phrase or description that may be regarded as unusual or unnatural, or which has meaning in a particular context, or which has meaning in accordance only with a particular understanding of the word or description:

(The) BBC report(s) that 40 per cent of Turks support the practice of "honour killing", by which Muslim women can be killed for transgressions as minor as going out on a date. Thirty seven per cent favour having an adulterous woman killed, with 21 per cent believing that her nose or ears could be cut off.

2) As with 1):

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee asked the Pentagon ... to remove CNN reporters embedded with U.S. combat troops, saying the network's broadcast of a video showing insurgent snipers targeting U.S. soldiers was tantamount to airing an enemy propaganda film ....

CNN producer David Doss wrote in a Web log Thursday the network televised the footage in an effort to present the "unvarnished truth" about the Iraq war.

3) Denoting the exact words someone has said:

"The Zionist regime is counterfeit and illegitimate and cannot survive," (Ahmadi-Nejad) said, "The big powers have created this fraud regime and allowed it to commit all kind of crimes to guarantee their interests."

4) As with 3):

A videotape shows a Reuters cameraman encouraging rioters to throw large chunks of rock at Israeli vehicles in Bil'in.

(The accused) is heard shouting: "Throw, throw!" and later "Throw towards the little window!"

5) Where a quote is shown within a quote, a distinct form of quotation mark is used:

"We shall win," (Ahmadi-Nejad said) ... and added: "One day I will be asked whether I have been in touch with someone who told me we would win, and I will respond: 'Yes, I have been in touch with God'."

6) Usage of the type shown in 1) can also be combined with quotations denoting the exact words said:

Ahmadinejad also rejected as "illegal" a Security Council demand that Tehran suspend its own uranium enrichment activities, state-run television reported Monday.

"They [U.S.] use the council for threats and intimidation."