# Cowards? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 16, 2001, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowards/81979 "2001-09-16T16:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowards/81979/1 "2001-09-16T16:15:07Z")
I’ve noticed that Presidents and other officials and commentators often describe suicide bombers as “cowards”, which the dictionary says is “ignoble fear in the face of danger or pain”. I hardly think that this describes these people. Those who choose certain death for a cause, however misguided, are the antithesis of cowards. There are dozens of better adjectives which might be used; fanatic or ruthless, for example. So why do they insist on using this word incorrectly? ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowards/81979/2 "2001-09-16T16:27:26Z")
I don’t think that the usage is wrong. It’s not the ACTUAL terrorists/hijackers that are the cowards - it’s the people that send them in, that have such strong ‘beliefs’, but are unwilling to use a direct, open attack, and tend to stay hidden whiile others die for ‘their’ cause. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowards/81979/3 "2001-09-16T16:32:16Z")
I think **lawoot** is correct. The suicide bombers are certainly not cowards, but the guys who support them are. Notice how Osama bin Laden is always running and hiding. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowards/81979/4 "2001-09-16T16:32:58Z")
It is cowardly to attack the unarmed and unsuspecting, whether or not you die in the process and whether or not that death is of your own volition. Bravery is facing the people you feel are your enemies. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowards/81979/5 "2001-09-16T18:40:27Z")
> [@](#): > > The suicide bombers are certainly not cowards, but the guys who support them are. A definition that broad could also be applied to any head of state or military officer who does not lead the troops into battle. Coward is probably just being used as an expletive that’s suitable for public broadcast; no particular meaning is implied. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cowards/81979/6 "2001-09-16T19:37:00Z")
I’ll close this thread because it isn’t exactly a general question, and besides it’s already being discussed in another forum. Any further discussion is directed to the other thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=87329](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=87329) bibliophage moderator GQ