Two hundred thirty-three years ago today, a crowd of between one hundred and one hundred fifty men boarded three ships -- the Beaver, the Dartmouth, and the Eleanor. Wearing disguises, these men proceeded to destroy the ship's cargo.
Today, this would be considered an act of terrorism.
The Department of Defense defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives." The FBI; "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." What's missing in these definitions is any mention to actual terror. Acts of civil disobedience, while illegal, are generally not terrifying. The Boston Tea Party's 233rd anniversary is celebrated today, not remembered as an act of terrorism...
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Tags: news | politics | terrorism | history | crime | protest | Boston Tea Party
Saturday, December 16, 2006
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