And you dare to call me a terrorist while you look down your gun
When I think of all the deeds that you have done
You have plundered many nations, divided many lands
You have terrorized their peoples, you ruled with an iron hand
And you brought this reign of terror to my land

-My Name Is Joe McDonnell, Irish Rebel Song

What does it mean for the most violent empire in human history to call someone a terrorist? In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration declared a “war on terror” as the U.S. massacred 3 million people. More Palestinian children have been killed since 10/7/2023 than have been killed in all military aggression worldwide in the last four years, and again the people of the world are told that this is necessary to “defend Israel from terrorism.” And as the U.S. empire intensifies its repression of activists and organizations that fight for the liberation of Palestine (notably Samidoun, the political prisoners network), we remember that the “terrorist” label has been a handy tool of repression for decades against any political activist who dares to stand against U.S. imperialism. 

The “terrorist” label is a handy propaganda tool for a couple of reasons. First, it associates anti-imperialist activism, no matter how lawful, with revolutionary violence. Then, it associates revolutionary violence with random and reactionary violence, like school shootings or white supremacist attacks, in the minds of the masses. It divorces violence from ideology, preys on understandable fears, and distracts us from seeing the political line and purpose behind uprisings.

Secondly, the “terrorist” label creates an excuse for the empire to act with impunity. The Patriot Act, passed in 2001, gave law enforcement broad powers to surveil people without their knowledge and imprison suspects indefinitely without trial. If someone is labeled as a terrorist, they can be tortured and have their civil liberties violated in ways that most citizens in the imperial core would find unacceptable, but if it’s being done to a “terrorist”, many people can be persuaded to look the other way. 

And third- this where you come in- the “terrorist” label isolates the target from support. Even other activists often don’t want to associate with someone who’s been marked as a terrorist, for fear that they will be targeted too. It’s part of the chilling effect of repression campaigns, to make an example out of a few courageous people, and scare the masses out of following in their footsteps. And on a grander scale, the masses of the world, when they dare to resist the boot of imperialism, have their leaders called terrorists and assassinated, have the military wings of their movements called terrorist cells, have their children locked up for throwing rocks at tanks. 

When those who take the bravest risks are targeted for repression, we have to defend them. Behind Enemy Lines has started our Anti-Repression Campaign to “defend and give courage to the brave, buck up the people who want to do more, and isolate the cowards and opportunists.” Get in touch to take this campaign out to the masses. And if someone tells you, “well, ____ is a terrorist organization!” get comfortable with responding, “how dare you?”