When Did We Start Using The Term "Civilians" Instead Of "Victims" Or "Innocent Bystanders"....

[global1]

when describing deaths in a shooting like this one in Colorado Springs?

Was the shooter in the military so we call his victims - civilians?

What is going on with this seemingly new way of characterizing victims in a shooting?

[Lindsay]

1. When our first concern

is supposed to be the well-being of the Heroic Police.

[onecaliberal]

2. They are victims of terrorism. Everyone needs to read Shock Doctrine if you have t already.

It's all part of the plan.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Since I got to the United States in 1984

at the very least.

[malthaussen]

4. I never have

But your point is well-taken. The militarization of society proceeds apace. I suppose, if one were cynical, one might suggest that "civilian" and "victim" have become synonymous.

-- Mal

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. I believe they used the term to distinguish between

the police officers and the other people in the building. The dictionary definition of "civilian" is "a person not in the armed services or the police force." https://www.google.com/search?q=civilian&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 So it isn't really a new definition at all, although apparently a distinction is sometimes made under the laws of war.

A civilian under the laws of war (also known as international humanitarian law) is a person who is not of his or her country's military and who is not a combatant. In general, the term is also used to refer to persons who are not law enforcement officers, firefighters, or criminals. However, under the laws of war, the term includes law enforcement officers and firefighters in the civilian category because their occupations does not include combat training.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian

[Buzz Clik]

8. +1

[Bluenorthwest]

6. When the victims are police, fire or military as well as those who are not, those who are not are

called civilians. The police shot, they were police. Also victims but not civilians, who were also victims, but not police. 'Bystanders' is not a word that applies to persons who were targeted by the criminal, a bystander is a person who has no part in an event but is involved by forces other than themselves. If a shooter comes to kill all the employees, those employees are not bystanders but targeted victims.

This is what 'civilian' means: a person not in the armed services or the police force.

This shooting had victims who were both police officers and civilians, I am not sure if any of the victims were just bystanders and not employees targeted for being employees.

[Buzz Clik]

9. Good explanation. Why is this necessary?

[Bluenorthwest]

10. People who don't really bother to know the language get upset about what they think words mean

when those words are used to tell those who do know the language what happened.

[Buzz Clik]

7. Discussion board semantics. My favorite!

Civilians in this case, and every case, is used to distinguish those in uniform from those not in uniform.

Period.