The term 'terrorist' is very much alive

I hate doing this, but I must respond to Walt Zlotow's letter of February 1, 2009. Apparently there are people in this country who feel that because we have had a change in leadership, we can erase the term "terrorist" from our vocabulary. According to Webster's Dictionary, it means: the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. As for "terror," the fourth listed definition is; violent or destructive acts (such as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands. Sound familiar?

In this great new world, what term should we use for those who: bomb buses full of school children, shoot rockets into civilian neighborhoods without warning, strap bombs to small children and have them stand next to "targets" to be detonated or plant roadside bombs? Many of these activities were happening before 9/11. They continue today.

Another popular desire is to close Gitmo. What do we do with the terrorists, oh sorry, detainees? Send them to the continental U. S.? Recently there was a report of newly released detainees rejoining al-Qaida. Now they can go back to killing our brave soldiers. Whoever set them free should be brought up on charges of treason. We need to wake up again. These (insert new term for terrorists here) do not want to negotiate. They want anyone who doesn't think like them dead. That is why there were two World Trade Center bombings (1993 and 2001) before we started the "illegal war" the lefties like to harp on. They want Israel wiped off the map along with anyone who supports them (that would be us and our allies). We can either stand up to them or roll over and play dead. I'm not good at rolling over, are you?

Terry Tallian

Wood Dale