We must see that we are currently entangled in a problem of semantics, and not "just semantics." If we don't know what we mean by a word (like "terrorism"), we will never be able to take appropriate steps against it. Language is only words but more than words, and only by stepping back and asking what this rather new and very frightening word really means will we manage to take hold of it.

Words do seem to significantly affect how we think ...