If you read a news story about “collateral damage” from drone strikes, you need to know that the article is about civilian deaths. Three days later, the Syrian Democratic Forces announced that they had fully seized control of Tabqa and the dam. Only the US military, with their reputation of obfuscation, could translate 'innocent people were killed' into 'damage was caused nearby'. As a public relations device, this term has helped mask the true toll of aggressive actions and given the impression that any harm inflicted was purely unintentional. “A known fact may be so unbearable that it is habitually pushed aside and not allowed to enter into logical processes, or on the other hand it may enter into every calculation and yet never be admitted as a fact, even in one’s own mind.” Kicked the bucket which is a euphemism for died. Dr. Dan 04:02, 17 July 2006 (UTC) The term is a recent US military euphemism, but … Blood everywhere. So, when an intended target is struck and damage or death is caused nearby, that damage is 'collateral'. Upon his magic map One way people do this is by use of euphemisms. As George Orwell explained in his famous essay Notes on Nationalism (1945): “The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them. Have said this to the dead: “If you don’t like us killing you On May 7th, multiple bombs reportedly dropped by the U.S.-led coalition struck the building where Muhammed and Salam had taken shelter, killing them and their 12-year-old grandson. A British Tory will defend self-determination in Europe and oppose it in India with no feeling of inconsistency. Same with Ft Bliss in El Paso. But for the Abdo family, the tragedy continued. And so the country lurches right A euphemism, say’s Webster’s, is “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant.”. Thus, when Loughlin and Giannulli communicated with Rick Singer, they didn’t admit the obvious—that their daughters were admitted to college because they were participating in a massive fraud. T he term “collateral damage” is a terrifying euphemism. As nearly as possible, no nationalist ever thinks, talks, or writes about anything except the superiority of his own power unit. The general has started talking funny Bandura notes: Language shapes the perception of events and the thought patterns on which people base many of their actions. In sum, “collateral” and “damage” are impersonal and imprecise words. And we also speak of “damages” when we sue someone. Michael Murry, “The Misfortuneteller,” copyright 2017. Jeremy Fyke & Kristen Lucas, “Euphemisms and Ethics: A Language-Centered Analysis of Penn State’s Sexual Abuse Scandal,” 114 Journal of Business Ethics 551 (June 2013). Creator of Bracing Views. Bodies blown to bits. And poppy farmers smoking hash and grass. The Iron Curtain like control by our McMedia-Wall Street-Security-Military-Industrial Complex on AmeriKa cannot and will not be exposed, let alone mentioned. But it’s only Human Shields when the enemy-du-jour has bases in populated areas.