In February we witnessed two senseless, but high-profile acts of criminal violence that would have been labeled terrorism if the victimizer were an Arab Muslim with a foreign-sounding name.
But the people who committed these acts of violence, however, were White. Isn’t it interesting that our political and certain members of the media never used the word “terrorism” in its discussions?
John Patrick Bedell, a 36-year-old man from California, walked up to two security guards outside the Pentagon Metro station in suburban Washington D.C. and started shooting. I guess he had a death wish, because you don’t come to the Pentagon with a gun-in-hand shooting and expect to live long. As expected he was shot and killed.
According to The Christian Science Monitor, (Note: not me or Liberals, President Obama or any other group some like to issue unfitting names towards) said Mr. Bedell appeared “to have been a right-wing extremist with virulent anti-government feelings” and also battled mental illness before his shooting rampage.
Now I’m not suggesting you have to be crazy to hold right-wing views, because I know some intelligent and level headed conservatives do exist. But this is what I’ve been warning you about for so long that some accused me of “using the race card” or the most ridiculous harboring “racial resentment”.
I’m just pointing out the unconscious racism, bias, prejudice or discrimination out to you so you can do something to correct it. My hand is extended, but you must psychologically unclench your fist in order to receive it.
But something else happen in February, because another anti-government extremist named Joseph Stack who happen to be White flew a plane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas that killing two people and injuring 13 others.
According to media reports, Mr. Stack had left behind a disjointed suicide letter in which he expressed his hatred of our American government and outlined grievances with the IRS, chillingly stating that “violence not only is the answer; it is the only answer.”
Now these attacks come at a time of an increasingly alarming growth in domestic extremist-group activism across the United States or should I say those who call themselves patriots.
A recently released law center report showed these so-called patriot groups were steeped in anti-government conspiracy theories and grew from 149 in 2008 to 512 in 2009. That’s a 244% increase that the Southern Poverty Law Center report judged to be an “astonishing” rise in the one-year period.
What is interesting is the timing. What significant socio-cultural psychological shift occurred in the U.S. in 2008 that would encourage this sort of activity?
I’ll let you ponder that one for a minute as I continue.
January 20, 2009 President Obama took the oath of office. Now according to the SPLC Report in addition to other reports from various organizations that monitor this sort of activity, the number of these groups that are domestic extremist paramilitary militias grew from 42 in 2008 to 127 in 2009.
But race has nothing to do with it. It’s the ploys of a liberal big government socialist take over.
Now imagine the response if this was committed by someone with a ‘funny-sounding name’ (which is also an insensitive phrase) or Heaven forbid they’re Black, Latino or Asian. The world as you know it would end.
Seriously, this is what I’ve tried to convey to you. It’s not just Democrats who get it, because there are some Republicans who has gave the same type of warning, but they’re cast as being too moderate for the party and essentially ran out of the party or demonized by the same media who fails to call it as it is.
I don’t mind the political discourse, but for far too long both sides have harbored such a distain for the other that discourse is virtually impossible and replaced with political talking points.
Others have chosen to simply call anyone who disagrees or even challenges their ideology with warnings of discrimination as being the racist. An absolutely ridiculous and telling statement of how uncomfortable and unprepared they truly are. You get defensive when you have no defense.
So you ask what proof I have for my accusations and social analysis.
Although I anticipate the response some individuals may choose in response to this, I doubt many if any will have the ethical courage to address the bigger issue of not only unconscious racism, but overt discrimination, political extremism, white privilege, religious bias in addition to areas of self-hatred and a support of unpatriotic activities and calling yourself patriots. You prove me right ever single time. Some are too ignorant of history, inconsiderate and culturally unaware to sincerely grasp what is really going on for the feeling of acceptance and a false sense of social maturity.
Because Theodore Kaczynski (Unabomber), Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma City bomber), Eric Rudolph (1996 Olympic Park bomber in Atlanta), James von Brunn (Holocaust Museum Shooter), Joseph Stack (IRS Attacker), John Patrick Bedell (Pentagon shooter), and shall I not include so many other instances that dates back each year for decades, including certain hooded and steel booted organizations. Should I dare say that all were white men motivated by their respective ideologies that drove them to violent attacks? But surprisingly, the term “terrorism” has never seemed to have been applied to any of them. I wonder why.
How persuasive is hate + fear + ignorance + a lack of socialization? Apparently very for some. But I’m the racist because I have no fear of talking candidly about race. But I harbor racial resentment towards Whites, because I point out unconscious racism amongst Whites. But you fail to consider all of my arguments that counter those accusations.
Just lay your misconceptions aside for a moment if you can. If I or any other Black, Latino, Arab or Asian harbor any level of animosity towards Whites how could I or they function in American society?
If you just shadowed a non-white person for a month, you’ll discover many of them fluidly interact with Whites without issue. Yes, there are racist among these groups too, but I speak of the majority. In fact I would say the majority of Whites don’t harbor any animosity towards other groups. But the problem is the silence.
Who is willing to speak up? Who is willing to say what must be said? Who is willing?
Oh let me stop before I get started.
So I will conclude by asking you this question. Why does terrorist not apply to other white extremists?
Note: This is where those who may try to comment in opposition will absolutely avoid the question and seek to find areas where they can discredit or cause confusion.
Work Cited & Additional References
Iftikhar, Arsalan (March 10, 2010). “Extremist of any color can commit terrorism” from CNN International Edition:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/09/iftikhar.white.terrorism/index.html?hpt=C2
Hanna, Jason (June 11, 2009). “Hate groups riled up, researchers say” from CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/06/11/hate.groups/index.html#cnnSTCText
Chen, Stephanie (February 26, 2009). “Growing hate groups blame Obama, economy” from CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/02/26/hate.groups.report/index.html#cnnSTCText
Preston, Mark (January 16, 2009). “White supremacist watched in lead up to Obama administration” from CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/16/obama.white.supremacists/index.html#cnnSTCText
Adams, Jonathan (March 10, 2010). “Jihad Jane and 7 others held in plot to kill Swedish cartoonist” from The Christian Science Monitor:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2010/0310/Jihad-Jane-and-7-others-held-in-plot-to-kill-Swedish-cartoonist
