Iraq War blogger Michael Yon makes a very good point about the misuse of words like "martyr":

In an effort to be culturally sensitive and almost compulsively polite, we've mangled the meanings of words like: "martyr," and "suicide" to such a degree that we're using them to label mass murderers. While American and foreign media collectively increase the suffering of babes through their current fashion of cynicism, others seem to have a case of "parents' guilt." Unable to give the Iraqi suffering the undivided and ameliorative attention it requires, reporters instead rush at any sign of distress and hyper-focus on the negative. In the process, they create more problems than originally existed, shoveling out body counts and masquerading them as reports.

Calling homicide bombers martyrs is a language offense; words are every bit as powerful as bombs, often more so. Calling murderers “martyrs” is like calling a man "customer" because he stood in line before gunning down a store clerk. There's no need to whisper. I hear the bombs every single day. Not some days, but every day. We're talking about criminals who actually volunteer and plan to deliberately murder and maim innocent people. What reservoir of feelings or sensibilities do we fear to assault by simply calling it so? When murderers describe themselves as "martyrs" it should sound to sensible ears like a rapist saying, “she was asking for it.” In other words, like the empty rationalizations of a depraved criminal.

The word martyr is derived from the word "to witness." It is used to describe a person who is killed because of a belief or principle. Given the choice to recant, martyrs chose instead to face their murderers and stand in witness to their beliefs. True martyrs do not kill themselves, but stand their ground and fight in the face of death to demonstrate the power of their convictions, sometimes dying as a result, but preferably surviving.

The only martyrs I know about in Iraq are the fathers and brothers who see a better future coming, and so they act on their beliefs and assemble outside police stations whenever recruitment notices are posted. They line up in ever increasing numbers, knowing that insurgents can also read these notices. The men stand in longer and longer lines, making ever bigger targets of themselves. Some volunteer to to earn a living. This, too, is honorable. But others take these risks because they believe that a better future is possible only if Iraqi men of principle stand up for their own values, for their country, for their families. Theses are the true martyrs, the true heroes of Iraq and of Islam. I meet these martyrs frequently. They are brave men, worthy of respect.

Fifteen-year-old Abdel Kareem Mohammed Abu Habel sits in an Israeli prison after he tried and failed to martyr himself last year. Would he do it again? Without a doubt, he says.

Abdel Kareem Mohammed Abu Habel agrees with Israeli critics who say that next week's disengagement from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank will do nothing to stop Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israel.

Sitting in his jail cell in the Sharon Detention Center in central Israel, he also said he would never accept peace with the Jewish state, even if Israel eventually pulled back to its pre-1967 borders, behind the so-called Green Line. He doesn't even know what the Green Line is.

The only peace he wants "is to get back all our lands," meaning the entire state of Israel.

"We don't want the Jews on this world," he said.

A week after he was released, Abdel made plans for martyrdom. He purchased the components -- explosives, belt, detonator -- to make a suicide belt, using money he had earned by making gold bracelets for sale. It cost about 1,000 Israeli shekels -- approximately $250.

Three friends helped him make a video of himself holding an M-16, with the Hamas flag behind him and saying some final words that he has since forgotten. Then, he donned the belt and went to a checkpoint manned by Israeli soldiers not far from his home.

"Jabiliya," the refugee camp from which young Abdul hails (a place portrayed as part of the overall picture of his despair) has a long history as a wannabe "sister city" of Berkeley, California. City officials sought the sister city designation, but opted for a ballot measure, which -- fortunately -- was defeated at the polls. A similar attempt by activists in Madison, Wisconsin, to designate Rafah as a "sister city" is ongoing.

Here's a picture of the place (Jabiliya):

Berkeley hasn't looked that way for a while... (Well, a number of the graying Jabiliya activists did turn out to demonstrate against the public display of a terror-bombed Israeli bus, and displayed signs of "martyrs" but that's another story. I guess.)

I'm a bit cynical, but I wonder about the connection between the morphing of "murderer" into "martyr" and these sorts of ongoing propaganda campaigns. I mean, why would make a "sister city" out of a place which is governed by Hamas? (Via Stefan Sharkansky.)

Here's how the Al Mezan Human Rights Center (responsible for coordinating the Madison-Rafah sister-city deal) uses the word "martyr":

Rafah largely depends on relief organizations, such as the Al Mezan Human Rights Center, which would be responsible for coordinating the sister-city arrangement if passed by the Madison City Council.

But opponents of the arrangement argue that money given to Al Mezan might end up in the hands of terrorists.

"As long as Al-Mezan is part of this project, there is no way to ensure that funds raised in Madison will not be used to support terror," said Steven Morrison, executive director of the Madison Jewish Council.

This claim, spearheaded by Madison's Jewish community, stems from Al Mezan's refusal to sign President Bush's Executive Order 12334, which certifies that no funds they receive from U.S. nonprofit organizations have ever been used or ever will be used to support terrorism.

Issam Younis, director of Al Mezan, responded to opponents' accusations by criticizing the U.S. Agency for International Development's anti-terror resolution. However, he welcomed all other donations from the United States.

A recent Palestinian Non-governmental Organizations (PNGO) news release says: "We call upon non-governmental organizations in Palestine to refuse to accept assistance and funds provided directly or indirectly by the U.S. government."

It continues, "The PNGO General Assembly regards that the position taken by the administration of the United States constitutes a severe prejudice in favor of Israeli aggression and harms American credibility to serve as a peace process sponsor."

The release concludes, "Eternal glory to our martyrs -- Freedom for our prisoners and detainees!"

Despite the organization's praise of martyrdom -- frequently associated with suicide bombers -- Younis insists that "Al Mezan dedicates its work for the respect of human rights in the occupied territories on the basis of the internationally accepted standards."

Moreover, he hopes the sister-city arrangement will help foster a closer bond between Rafah and Madison.

"The Madison committee and Al Mezan are entirely committed to the development of deeper understanding between the two communities and the accomplishment of humanitarian betterment," Younis said. "We are non-political and non-partisan, endorsing no political movements or formulas, and are committed to non-violence."

The partnership will raise awareness of the city's struggle "with poverty and occupation," said Deputy Mayor Sha'at. "This will help people of Madison understand our culture and standard of living in Rafah -- the most deprived city in Palestine."

Israel is an offshore US military base and weapons testing ground. It is a westernized colony for white supremacists seeking ways to discreetly dispose of its nigger population. It is an American franchise for the new global economy, a consumer outlet, an ad for Disney-World-gone-native, a terrorist training camp for Jewish fundamentalists, the most well-funded terrorist organization outside the mainland United States, a strategic foothold in the Middle East for oil-thirsty, power-hungry neo-cons.

It is suicide's most willing accomplice.

I suppose that once the leap is made from terrorist murderers to "martyrs," it's a small step to calling them (and their supporters) "peace activists." (Maybe even "antiwar activists.")

Language can be almost as depressing as politics.