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What does it take to be labeled 'militant'?

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Funnyguts Since: Sep, 2010
#1: Jan 29th 2011 at 6:34:24 PM

What's the requirement for people or groups to be considered militant? Do they have to advocate for or commit acts of violence, or do they simply have to propose ideas contrary to the beliefs of the mainstream and do so in a somewhat angry way? What makes people like Dworkin or Dawkins  *

count as militant, as I've often heard them referred to?

KCK Can I KCK it? from In your closet Since: Jul, 2010
Can I KCK it?
#2: Jan 29th 2011 at 6:37:33 PM

The definition of militant can be: 1. Fighting or warring. 2. Having a combative character; aggressive, especially in the service of a cause

So, yes.

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Aondeug Oh My from Our Dreams Since: Jun, 2009
Oh My
#3: Jan 29th 2011 at 6:38:08 PM

A militant is anyone who is aggressive especially in the name of a cause regardless of whether or not that aggressiveness becomes physical violence.

"Having a combative character; aggressive, especially in the service of a cause" -American Heritage Dictionary

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Funnyguts Since: Sep, 2010
#4: Jan 29th 2011 at 7:19:52 PM

Looking at the second definition, is aggression a necessary component for militancy, or can you count as militant for heavily pushing your cause despite being friendly and polite? If someone constantly proselytized to you about something  *

and wouldn't give up until you agreed with them, but did so with no anger, would that not count as militant? I'm leaning towards no.

BalloonFleet MASTER-DEBATER from Chicago, IL, USA Since: Jun, 2010
MASTER-DEBATER
#5: Jan 29th 2011 at 9:05:14 PM

[up]Malcolm X wasn't 'aggressive' he just advocated that black america fight back for self-determination using any means necessary. He was 'polite' and whatnot, but he was still a militant...

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Karmakin Moar and Moar and Moar Since: Aug, 2009
Moar and Moar and Moar
#6: Jan 29th 2011 at 9:37:17 PM

Everybody in social/political public sphere is militant in one way or another, even if their just militant about their lack of militancy. :p

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BobbyG vigilantly taxonomish from England Since: Jan, 2001
Funnyguts Since: Sep, 2010
#8: Jan 29th 2011 at 10:34:10 PM

While I'm most familiar with atheists and feminists being called militant, I wasn't really focusing on them so much as the word and how it should be applied.

BobbyG vigilantly taxonomish from England Since: Jan, 2001
vigilantly taxonomish
#9: Jan 29th 2011 at 10:41:05 PM

Truth be told I find the use of this word very inconsistent. I can understand Malcolm X being labelled "militant" in spite of being polite because he was part of a movement which did practice violence, so it's the literal sense of the word. But AFAIK, Dawkins isn't particularly aggressive, and he's not violent, so I don't know why he applies the term to himself.

I think it creates a bad impression. It makes him sound like some kind of terrorist or extremist something.

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Karmakin Moar and Moar and Moar Since: Aug, 2009
Moar and Moar and Moar
#10: Jan 29th 2011 at 11:13:40 PM

Well he doesn't really apply the term to himself, it's more that he's bemused that people stick it on him.

Personally, I think that "militant" should be about promoting violence in favor of a given ideology, but considering how the word is misused, I'd just say throw the damn thing out.

Democracy is the process in which we determine the government that we deserve
BobbyG vigilantly taxonomish from England Since: Jan, 2001
vigilantly taxonomish
#11: Jan 29th 2011 at 11:15:15 PM

In another topic, I remember somebody said he applied it to himself. Maybe I misremembered.

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Funnyguts Since: Sep, 2010
#12: Jan 29th 2011 at 11:44:39 PM

I said it in the first post up there. Check the hottip. I suppose the specific instance I'm thinking of he didn't call himself a militant atheist but rather gave a talk about militant atheism (in the write books and get annoyed sense, not the blow shit up sense) and why it's a good thing so I'd think he considers (considered? This was about five years ago) himself militant.

BobbyG vigilantly taxonomish from England Since: Jan, 2001
vigilantly taxonomish
#13: Jan 29th 2011 at 11:51:32 PM

Wow. I really do have a shit memory. [lol]

edited 29th Jan '11 11:51:43 PM by BobbyG

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JackMackerel from SOME OBSCURE MEDIA Since: Jul, 2010
#14: Jan 30th 2011 at 12:10:06 AM

I'd say it'd go farther than just active. Extremely active and radical, possibly.

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Herbarius Since: Nov, 2009
#15: Jan 30th 2011 at 12:29:56 AM

I would have said, the first of those two definitions is the literal meaning of the word "militant", while the second one would be when it's used in a more figurative sense.

edited 30th Jan '11 12:30:14 AM by Herbarius

neoYTPism Since: May, 2010
#16: Jan 30th 2011 at 8:44:29 AM

"Actively promoting an ideology that isn't compatible with Christianity." - Bobby G

This. The level of ridicule Dawkins dishes out to Christianity is probably comparable to the level of ridicule it's acceptable for adherents to more mainstream branches of Christianity to dish out to less popular branches of it like Mormonism. Popular opinion just holds a Double Standard in favour of its own religious beliefs, go figure.

edited 30th Jan '11 8:46:10 AM by neoYTPism

nightwyrm_zero Since: Apr, 2010
#17: Jan 30th 2011 at 2:04:28 PM

"Having a combative character; aggressive, especially in the service of a cause" -American Heritage Dictionary

What if someone's cause is pacifism? Can we have a militant pacifist?

edited 30th Jan '11 2:05:34 PM by nightwyrm_zero

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