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February 21, 2006

One More Time: The Importance Of Precise Definitions

AJStrata hits on a topic that bugs the hell out of me, too: imprecise definition of terms. Whether it's "buckshot/birdshot" or "wiretapping/electronic intercepts", it drives me up the wall when crucial meaning is diluted by sloppy writing.

I don't have much of an opinion yet on the port management story, but I agree with AJ that a little prior knowledge might help before one posts an outraged screed.

[...] Incorrect statements that derive from lazy writing, or worse a paraniod prejudice of all things Arab. The inaccuracies are always inflammatory. And the undercurrent is all irrational fear based on nothing concrete.

I see phrases like this (emphasis mine):

the sale of control over several American sea ports

It simply confuses ‘operations’ with ‘control’, the latter still in the hands of the Port Authorities and the Coast Guard. Or comments like these, which all misinform the public and smear a group of people without any solid proof a threat (except nationality of the people):

“It’s particularly troubling that the United States would turn over its port security not only to a foreign company, but a state-owned one,” said western New York’s Rep. Tom Reynolds

As AJ succinctly notes, port security is rather a different entity than port operations, which in any event are already in the hands of a foreign (British) company.

It's unfortunate that the opponents of the Left have absolutely zero leeway on accuracy and integrity (not that there should be). It's so hard to gain an inch of ground against the combined efforts of the MSM/academia/Howard Dean Democrats that the kind of conclusion-jumping noted by AJ diffuses, at best, progress made in other areas. At worst, it hands the lib/Left a handy cudgel that can do real damage.

My point here is not whether the deal is a good one or not--it's just that terms like "control" and "operations" and "security" need to be precisely defined by anyone who wants their opinion taken seriously.

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Comments

Posted by: AJStrata at February 21, 2006 03:47 PM

Posted by: Jeff at February 23, 2006 01:31 PM

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