Crosses 
Euphemisms
A euphemism is the substitution of a more favourable term for another expression. For example, 'adult entertainment' is a euphemism for 'pornography' and 'rest room' is a euphemism for 'toilet', even though one doesn't go there to 'rest'. (In fact, the word 'toilet' is a euphemism itself for a dressing room which also contained the appropriate bathroom feature. 'Wash room' is a more accurate alternative term.)
There's a tradition in the theatre where people refrain from uttering the name 'Macbeth', since that is a name of ill-omen. Instead, they use the euphemism 'The Scottish Play' and by doing so, fall victim of bowing to superstition.
Innocuous sounding euphemisms can usefully avoid causing offence, but they can also be abused. Euphemisms can sanitize things or conceal realities, which however harsh, should be exposed. Hitler's euphemism for genocide was 'final solution' and from the outset of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq several notable examples appeared.
Saying a toilet is a place for resting is just silly, but using euphemisms to conceal the evils of war is obscene.
Attack and defence are opposites, but we often use the word 'defence' as a euphemism for war. Euphemisms can desensitize mass killing and prevent shareholders from pulling their support away from the arms industry, and enable politicians and voters sleep at night.
We say: | We mean: |
| military intervention | use of deadly force |
| armed services | people we pay to do our killing |
| boots on the ground | sons sent out to kill people |
| security contractors | higher paid killers |
| debriefing | interrogation |
| enhanced debriefing techniques | torture |
| liberating the oppressed | a convenient term to secure public support for invading nations that happen to have our oil under their sand |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom | liberating the oppressed (see above) before the Chinese get there. Make sure also that we all get a campaign medal, including cooks and pay clerks. |
| reconstruction | any means employed to generate and sustain cycles of violence, so that billions of our tax dollars can be handed to already bloated U.S. companies; a short-term business view that disregards the risk that cycles of mass violence might well lead to nuclear terrorism sooner rather than later |
| patriotic | gullible |
| unpatriotic | unafraid to follow one's conscience |
| a just war | invading a country that has a wicked ruler or a country which you think might attack you one day, even though the United Nations Charter specifically forbids such pre-emptive action (This rule was originally written at the behest of the United States) |
| war criminal | one who breaks international law, unless they happen to be a leader of a rich and powerful country |
| theatre | death zone |
| pacification | bombardment |
| Critical Incident Stress Management Unit | mental health workers who treat morgue staff |
| Health Alteration Committee | CIA's department of assassins, c.1960 |
| incontinent ordnance | a missile that goes off target, potentially killing civilians |
| soft targets | defenseless people to be killed; encouraging those who survive to retaliate, thereby prolonging 'reconstruction' (see above) |
| clean up | kill anyone who hasn't managed to run to safety |
| collateral damage | people killed |
| body count | the number of people killed |
| surgical strike | kill people |
| encounter | kill people |
| neutralise | kill people |
| engage | kill people |
| contact | kill people |
| regime change | kill many more people than the regime killed |
| stay the course | kill people |
| kill people | (term not used) |
... and so the list goes on. As Timothy Lynch says: "By corrupting language, the people who wield power are able to fool the others about their activities and evade responsibility and accountability." (http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6654)
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, there will be peace. Then we won't need these euphemisms.
