Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 14:15:45 -0400
From: Jerry Miller millerj[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]FRANKLINCOLL.EDU
Subject: Terrorism vs. sabotage
A colleague asked a good question today, one that I thought I knew the
answer to but now am not so sure. In connection with the derailing of the
Sunset Limited this week, an Amtrak official apparently said they were
trying to determine if it was an act of "terrorism or sabotage." My
colleague logically asked what the difference is between the two.
After launching into my usual explanation of the origin of the word
"sabotage"--the wooden shoe (sabot) into the gears of the machinery, ad
nauseum--I quickly discovered I wasn't sure about the fine line between the
two. My basic assumption was that sabotage came from within an organization
or unit and terrorism from without. Am I oversimplifying that?
We'd appreciate any comments/clarifications.
Jerry Miller
Pulliam School of Journalism
Franklin College (Ind.)