American terrorism is back. But the media won’t call it that.
They may tiptoe around it. ""Church gunman says he acted out of ‘hatred for the liberal movement’" writes USA Today, but do they call 58-year old Jim Adkisson what he is, a terrorist? Nope.
How about CNN? "Shooting happened during childrens’ play," the headline admits. Yet no "t" word.
Had Jim Adkisson been a 30-year old Muslim, had he attacked a conservative Christian megachurch, do you have any doubt whatsoever that this would have been branded a terrorist attack? C’mon.
But this was a conservative American targeting a liberal American church, one with an historic record of opposing war, supporting government programs and, yes, even accepting gays. So is this terrorism, oh great New York Times? No, it’s a shooting.
Even WordPress’s own page linking to stories on this horror doesn’t call it terrorism. Most of the blogosphere is complicit in the silence. They will talk about "serial killers." They will even talk about "guns."
Terrorism? Nope. Just a few DFHs are telling the truth. The Blue Voice. Bob Cesca. Loring Wurbel. Nobody reads ’em. Nobody reads me either.
What was Adkisson’s motivation? It was to terrorize. It was to keep
people from living their daily lives, to make them afraid because of
who they were, because of their religion or their politics.
This is the definition of terrorism, and this particular page has many, many links to various forms of the definition. "Violence
against civilians to achieve political or ideological objectives by
creating fear."
Isn’t that what Jim Adkisson engaged in yesterday?
Then why isn’t it terrorism? Why isn’t he a
terrorist? Why is he charged with murder, and not terrorism? Why aren’t
his acquaintances being investigated, his family being harassed, his
computer being gone through for terrorist links?
Because he’s white. Because he’s conservative. Because his targets were liberals, women and children. They don’t count.
This story proves that the "War on Terrorism" of the
last 6 years has been a crock. It has been a war against Muslims,
nothing more. When you can’t call your own terrorists by that name,
you’re not fighting a war against terrorism.
You’re just fighting the other. Unless we fight all terrorists, we are just taking sides.
Yes, see the Bill O’Reily’s/Rush Limbaugh/Glen Beck’s of the world manufacture and brainwash these homegrown terrrst (terrorist) into somehow thinking we are not all the same country and all have the same red blood. Those shows promote separatism by any means, including racism, sexism, and if they dont use those two dividers, they will try to brand any other party but theirs as “not part of america” Shame on them, they will probably be lauding this terrorist as some hero. These terrorist acts fuels stateside extremist, and divides our country further. While we are bickering over who is liberal and who is conservative, the American “PEOPLE” are being looted by our tax system, defense contractors and middle eastern oil billionaires. How about band together and tackle a real issue like how much taxes are being stolen out of our pockets instead of shooting innocent people in churches.
Yes, see the Bill O’Reily’s/Rush Limbaugh/Glen Beck’s of the world manufacture and brainwash these homegrown terrrst (terrorist) into somehow thinking we are not all the same country and all have the same red blood. Those shows promote separatism by any means, including racism, sexism, and if they dont use those two dividers, they will try to brand any other party but theirs as “not part of america” Shame on them, they will probably be lauding this terrorist as some hero. These terrorist acts fuels stateside extremist, and divides our country further. While we are bickering over who is liberal and who is conservative, the American “PEOPLE” are being looted by our tax system, defense contractors and middle eastern oil billionaires. How about band together and tackle a real issue like how much taxes are being stolen out of our pockets instead of shooting innocent people in churches.
Hi, Dana, thanks for the trackback. I would like to be optimistic enough to think that sects from Wahhabism to evangelical Christianity are getting a little better about policing their own. There is a definite feeling here in Colorado Springs of late that the evango-mega-churches are aiming at a kinder gentler image, and the Pridefest event a couple weeks ago turned out thousands with no counter-protests. Maybe media and common observers alike will start naming rightist terror as terror. Then again, maybe it’s my Zoloft making me look for a silver lining.
Hi, Dana, thanks for the trackback. I would like to be optimistic enough to think that sects from Wahhabism to evangelical Christianity are getting a little better about policing their own. There is a definite feeling here in Colorado Springs of late that the evango-mega-churches are aiming at a kinder gentler image, and the Pridefest event a couple weeks ago turned out thousands with no counter-protests. Maybe media and common observers alike will start naming rightist terror as terror. Then again, maybe it’s my Zoloft making me look for a silver lining.
Hi, Dana, thanks for the trackback. I would like to be optimistic enough to think that sects from Wahhabism to evangelical Christianity are getting a little better about policing their own. There is a definite feeling here in Colorado Springs of late that the evango-mega-churches are aiming at a kinder gentler image, and the Pridefest event a couple weeks ago turned out thousands with no counter-protests. Maybe media and common observers alike will start naming rightist terror as terror. Then again, maybe it’s my Zoloft making me look for a silver lining.
Hi, Dana, thanks for the trackback. I would like to be optimistic enough to think that sects from Wahhabism to evangelical Christianity are getting a little better about policing their own. There is a definite feeling here in Colorado Springs of late that the evango-mega-churches are aiming at a kinder gentler image, and the Pridefest event a couple weeks ago turned out thousands with no counter-protests. Maybe media and common observers alike will start naming rightist terror as terror. Then again, maybe it’s my Zoloft making me look for a silver lining.
Dana,
You’ve earned my respects when you wrote these bold lines.
Never mind if you are not read by enough people. The count doesn’t matter. Truth do.
Not that I am a big fan of the ‘contemporary conventional terrorism’ but I do get irritated on a daily basis on the funny bias that the popular Western media so blatantly, yet self-ignorantly carry.
I wish I can drive and walk you around in my cities where you can see the same world as you have there – just in different attires and may be a bit poorer but those are the only differences.
Thanks again.
Dana,
You’ve earned my respects when you wrote these bold lines.
Never mind if you are not read by enough people. The count doesn’t matter. Truth do.
Not that I am a big fan of the ‘contemporary conventional terrorism’ but I do get irritated on a daily basis on the funny bias that the popular Western media so blatantly, yet self-ignorantly carry.
I wish I can drive and walk you around in my cities where you can see the same world as you have there – just in different attires and may be a bit poorer but those are the only differences.
Thanks again.
i love they bold way you talk. Amen to what you said. thanks for writing what I am thinking.
Thanks
Jay Stevens
Cyber Monday
i love they bold way you talk. Amen to what you said. thanks for writing what I am thinking.
Thanks
Jay Stevens
Cyber Monday
i love they bold way you talk. Amen to what you said. thanks for writing what I am thinking.
Thanks
Jay Stevens
Cyber Monday
i love they bold way you talk. Amen to what you said. thanks for writing what I am thinking.
Thanks
Jay Stevens
Cyber Monday
If we are concerned about political violence, we should not use the same type of rhetoric as those we accuse of condoning or white-washing violence. We need a new way of talking and resolving political differences in this country. Work on that a while. The trouble will not end until we learn to speak from love, not contempt.
If we are concerned about political violence, we should not use the same type of rhetoric as those we accuse of condoning or white-washing violence. We need a new way of talking and resolving political differences in this country. Work on that a while. The trouble will not end until we learn to speak from love, not contempt.