An interesting example of the challenge and promise of a global site where citizens communicate is that I posted that an Israeli soldier was kidnapped and some are asking me to change that to captured as an occupying force, they argue, cannot be kidnapped. Rather than changing the wording I want to use this platform to shine a light on these differences. In Israel this will definitely be felt as a kidnapping and to insist on capture will seem coldhearted and minizing human suffering. In Gaza, people are arguing in favor of the other wording, and to insist on kidnapping will seem to minimize the geopolitical feeling many Gazans have that this is a battlefield; they would see the other usage as minimizing human suffering. My goal lis not to choose a vocabulary but to help people understand each others perspectives so we can actually communicate - and of course to minimize human suffering wherever possible.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:17:05 +0000
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