When did 'suicide bomber' change to 'homicide bomber'?

If a homicide bomber only kills himself is he then a suicide bomber?

If an Israeli tank commander fires a shell into a house and kills a palestinian child does he become a 'homicide tank commander'?

CNN still use suicide bomber.

Killing is killing, whatever they call it. :(

Oh boy - another "FOXism" to play with

Aha! So it was Ari Fleischer who first did the semantic sidestep!

In the wake of White House spokesman Ari Fleischer renaming Middle East suicide bombers as "homicide bombers," which was soon adopted by Fox News Channel, Pittsburgh's WTAE has also switched to the new nomenclature. Mostly.

News director Bob Longo said "suicide bomber" will remain in network packages received via satellite, but anything written locally will use the term "homicide bomber," which he believes is "more timely, relevant and accurate."

Longo said with so many bombings in such a short period of time, all designed to kill people, he felt it was a change worth noting. He acknowledged "homicide bomber" could be viewed as a pro-Israel political statement, but said "suicide bomber" could be interpreted as the opposite.

"We're by no means making a political statement," Longo said. "We're making a more accurate representation of what's happening. These people aren't strapping explosives to their body in the privacy of their own home, they're doing it in densely populated settings with the intent to murder and maim."

Representatives of KDKA, WPGH and WPXI said their stations will stick with "suicide bomber."

"If I was thinking of changing to 'homicide bomber,' I'd be inclined to go with just 'bomber.' 'Homicide bomber' seems redundant," said WPXI news director Pat Maday. "I'm certainly mindful of why some people prefer that term. We can't forget in the use of 'suicide bomber' that this person who is committing suicide is often killing a great many people in the process."

Maday said a change in terminology could confuse some viewers.

"People know what 'suicide bomber' means in the context of this stuff. To begin to change terms can very easily confuse a story that's already difficult for people to understand beyond the violence."

What about a Regicide Bomber, who only kills Kings or Queens?

I prefer homicide bomber because it denotes the purpose of the bomber, and that is to murder someone. I don't give a rat's back side what happens to the bomber.

That term isn't new though, I've heard it since late last year. But I agree, FOX loves to use this term instead of suicide bomber. But as I said Donut, these News shows can call it anything they want, but in the end, it's killing. :(

Well, "suicide bomber" is a way stronger term : it describes rather well the determination of these people.

"Homicide bomber" sounds like just another bomb planter, it doesnt show at all the real horror of these acts.

They don't decide by themselves you know. They are brainwashed and conditionned. I don't think they're the real ones to blame.

<font color='white'> What does it matter what they call it?

Homicide bomber describes there actions more properly, IMO. Suicide usally means the killing of ones self. These people (I use the term losley) have a definite mission to murder others.

Murder='Homicide'. But then again, they kill them self as well, so like I said it doesnt really matter what you call it.

But anyway, its rather fun watching people get worked up over Fox, so carry on. [img]smile.gif[/img]

How about we call them Morons?

Hey wasnt there a discuison on this a while ago? When it was first being used? </font>

[ 04-25-2003, 06:18 AM: Message edited by: Iron_Ranger ]

I wouldn't get so worked up if Fox wasn't presenting itself as a 'legitimate' news channel.

Is someone who detonates a car bomb from a distance a homicide bomber?

You keep calling them morons and they'll keep killing people. Cause and effect, things don't happen in a vacuum you know.