What do you call a man who attacks his own country?
What do you call a man who attempts to burn and destroy hundreds of ships?
What do you call a man who attempts to kidnap people with the hopes of a later prisoner exchange or ransom?
What do you call a man who in historians words "terrorized" an entire coastal region?
While we are at it, lets read more about what historians had to say about this man.
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The place must have awakened many strange associations; but they were of no friendly import. With thirty-one volunteers, he sailed in two row boats for the English side of the firth, with intent to burn the shipping (upwards of two hundred sail) in the harbour of Whitehaven.
Hmm daring to be sure, a real TERROR to those in his way.
Climbing up by the shoulders of one of his men, he crept through one of the embrasures, and was promptly followed by all his company. Making fast the door of the guard-room, he spiked every gun on the fort, thirty-six in number,
a menace for sure, if not far worse
and he was compelled with his small party to retreat, after having set fire to three ships, one of which only was totally destroyed. This achievement cannot be denied the praise of singular daring; yet there is something so unnatural in making war upon one's native land, and especially one's native city, improving all the knowledge and the associations of early years for the purposes of destruction, that every generous mind revolts at the idea, and cannot award the praise which, it may be admitted, would otherwise be due to the undertaking
Wow, this man is without a doubt a traitor or worse..
Early in the forenoon, he landed with a part of his crew at St Mary's Isle, on the Galloway coast, the beautiful residence of the earl of Selkirk, whom he hoped to have surprised, and carried off a prisoner to America, that he might serve as a hostage for the security of such of the colonists as should fall into the hands of the British.
Kidnapping, kidnapping? why that is justification for war we are now told, my god what a beast this man is.. but there is still more
The very next day, in the bay of Carrick Fergus, he fell in with the Drake, a king's ship of twenty guns, and after a desperate resistance, in which the English captain and his first lieutenant were both killed, made her his prize, with which, and another large ship, he returned to Brest, after an absence of twenty-eight days. In this short period, besides destroying a number of valuable ships, he had thrown the coasts both of Scotland and Ireland into the deepest consternation. This cruise, short as it was, occasioned the British government immense sums of money for the fortification of harbours, and it was the ostensible cause of embodying the Irish volunteers, a measure of which we have yet only a few of the consequences.
Killing soldiers? Terrorizing see ports, requiring the government to use valuable resources in money and men just to counter, surely this man is a TER, a TERRO, a TERRORIST!!!
Well actually in the US we have another name for him. We call him the father of our navy. We teach our children of him, we all quote him, for he is John Paul Jones.
Isn't it ironic that one of the nations greatest warriors is with regard to all definitions of the word terrorist, a terrorist.
I write this diary simply to remind americans that perspective is needed, not labels. I also write this as I have found many americans simply unaware of much of our history and deeds. I watched Chris Matthews yell back at a guest a few weeks back, that during our revolution we never attack over there, and as you see, that simply isn't true, we for the lack of a better word, terrorized them back home.
Now I am not making excuses for this group or that group,nor am I pro this or that, my intention is just to remind ourselves that one man's hero is anothers terrorist.
History is written by the winners after all.