President Obama made a short speech to the nation, and made two important statements in that speech -- "On days like this there are no Republicans or Democrats, we are Americans united in concern for our fellow citizens" and "Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice". I could not agree more with both statements, and I sincerely hope the person (or persons) who did this are soon apprehended and severely punished.
But what I really wanted to discuss was a question from a journalist(?) at the first news briefing Boston officials held. That person asked, "Is this a terrorist act?" I think what she was trying to ask was did foreign (perhaps islamic) people do this as a political act, but even that is a silly question. It doesn't matter at all whether the criminal(s) who did this was from the islamic fundamentalists, from home-grown right-wingers, or some other individual or group. It was a terrorist act!
Anyone who places one or more bombs to go off among a group of innocent and unsuspecting citizens is committing a terrorist act, and the reason for doing it doesn't really matter at all. It should be investigated as a terrorist act, charged as a terrorist act, and convicted as a terrorist act -- and those who would excuse it because it might come from someone of a similar political persuasion are as depraved as the perpetrator(s).
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I have no idea who did this terrible thing, but it looks like some of the far-right-wing are afraid it might have come from home-grown terrorists. Ultra-right-wing radio host Alex Jones has already accused the FBI of planning and carrying out the bombings, so they can blame it on the teabaggers. It's a ludicrous and rather insane idea, but it shows he is already trying to provide some cover just in case it was done by his fellow right-wingers.
The problem is, or seems to be, the definition of a terrorist act. Was the shooting at Newtown a terrorist act? How about the shooting at the mall in Arizona that left several dead and Gabrielle Giffords wounded?
ReplyDeleteI, myself, would define a terrorist act as any attack that is done with a political agenda, such as an act designed to get civilians to put pressure on their government or to punish civilians. I recognize that this is not a complete definition, nor, maybe, accurate.
This was indeed a heinous, terrible act and should be investigated as such. And punished as such. Hell, I would reinstate the death penalty for this act.
A-freaking-men. The moronic media dances around semantics while people bleed and die; and until the Magic White House has spoken the "t" word we all are supposed to stutter?
ReplyDeleteI wish they would throw away the "T" word as it makes the doers look bigger and important and shows others how to get noticed. They are CRIMINALS pure and simple. They should be hunted down and strung up by their balls when found guilty. Every time the 'T' word is used the media creates some sort of hero.
ReplyDeletebenni, I personally do see the mass shooters as terrorists. I don't view them any differently because they used a gun instead of a bomb (and every terrorist thinks they have a reason -- whether "political" or not).
ReplyDeleteSL, You are right. Why should we have to wait for the White House (or anyone else) to define a tragedy for us?
I agree with you LL. But as long as the word is used, it shouldn't be reserved for those who are not Americans.