Call gun violence what it is: Domestic Terrorism

[annatee33]

The conversation needs to be changed from "Lone Gunman causes mass shooting" to "Domestic Terrorist inflicts mass murder". How is this any different than a suicide bomber in another country? The only difference is that guns are so easily available to anyone, we need to define this just like McVeigh, the only difference is you only need an assault weapon.

[Renew Deal]

1. What is the definition of terrorism?

[annatee33]

4. Terror and Murder

Terror that someone with an agenda decides to make a point by killing innocent people. At least that is the definition in 2013 to me.

[regjoe]

8. So what agenda

did Holmes, Lanza and the NM kid have?

[cali]

2. please don't. In most cases it is not. I understand that some of you want to call

everything you don't like 'terrorism', but it's weak as hell to do so.

[markpkessinger]

10. Agreed, thank you!

I don't think it is at all helpful to conflate terrorism with every other act of crime or violence on the planet.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. That's just what it is.

Armed wackos wreaking havoc all over the place.

[cthulu2016]

5. Why? It's better to call things what they are. The word games are tiresome.

[markpkessinger]

12. I agree...

... although I was labeled a "troll" the other day for suggesting that it wasn't helpful to conflate terrorism with every other act of violence or crime. (Worse still, a jury let it stand.)

[regjoe]

6. Where does most gun violence occur?

I don't think you would be hanging the terrorist label on the people you are trying to hang it on.

[hack89]

7. Why? So the government can expand their anti-terrorism powers?

more secret watch lists, military tribunals, warrantless wiretaps? Maybe we can pass a Patriot Act II.

[bongbong]

9. An apt description

Since the goal of terrorists is to inflict terror upon an innocent populace, it is fitting to call the actions of Delicate Flowers (gun nutz) terrorism. The Flowers scare Americans like school children by the millions who are now more apprehensive after Newtown. And beyond "apprehensive", a large number of them have been terrorized.

Thanks, NRA.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. The problem is, terrorism denotes violence in advancement of an agenda.

Adam Lanza had no agenda. Nor did James Holmes. So I'd be hesitant to call that terrorism.

For that matter, I don't think the Fort Hood shooting counts as terrorism, either, despite the fevered insistance from conservatives to call it that. Major Hassan was not affiliated with Al Queada or any other terrorist organization, nor did it appear that he was acting as a martyr for Islam (hence the fact he was not killed nor committed suicide). I honestly think he snapped after hearing too many stories from his patients about their traumatic experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.

You don't need the added, ill-fitting label of terrorism to address the situation of mass shootings in this country.

[Common Sense Party]

13. What is the religious, political or social goal of the 'terrorist'?

I think these shooters are either nutjobs or simply evil people. They have no further object other than killing people.

[RevStPatrick]

14. No.

Not unless it actually is terrorism.
If some poor depressed guy loses his job and kills his family and then himself, it is not terrorism.
If a gangbanger takes out the competition, it is not terrorism.
If a child finds daddy's gun and shoots the neighbor, it is not terrorism.

Fail!

[russspeakeasy]

15. 100 %

[Zoeisright]

16. Yes, it is.

Guns are everywhere, and the sane people I know are afraid of mass shootings and the stray gun going off, which can happen anywhere. Anybody who says otherwise is an idiot. Or a repuke.

[moondust]

17. Terrorism.

ter·ror·ism
[ter-uh-riz-uhm] noun
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/terrorism

Isn't that essentially what people like Ted Nugent and Alex Jones and the NRA are doing with their guns--trying to intimidate and coerce government officials and the public?

[libdem4life]

18. Terrorism ... as opposed to War ... or Criminal Behavior

Terrorists are non-state killers (or sometimes just states we don't choose to recognize.). Soldiers or law enforcement are trained and hired to act as state (protector/defender/for empire) killers ... at home or abroad.

It's the deliberate political confusing of these terms since the US left off consulting the Consitutional mandate to consult Congress to officially declare War. I believe that the Korean War was the last time war was "legally" waged on another country. Since then, the parsing of words, intentions and outcomes have rendered the usage to be equally faulty.

Technically, we are terrorists under our own law and the law of International Law when we assault and kill, in the guise of self-defense, other sovereigns without the even briefest of cover from our legally governing body...Congress. The "War on Terror" was a crude and cynical manipulation of terms, grammatically incorrect fronting and justifying of international policy, funding and ultimate folly...now considered "War Because We Can".

To me, an American teenager does not rise to the definition of a terrorist as much as a citizen who is so (fill in the blank) as to murder family, small children and self. I believe he is a criminal, by definition. The "Glory" and the method of murder has changed with the media coverage and mass weapons available without much regulation.

Most domestic criminals have mental issues, poor childhoods, head injuries, lack of proper instruction, but as our countrymen and women, they are our responsibility, in the end.