I keep writing this and then deleting it. But I gotta say, after all...

I think the ethnicity of the perpetrator is not an issue.

Tim McVeigh was an American, and a terrorist.

I think I have been trained (by American media especially) to think of terrorism as being acts perpetrated by 'foreigners'.

Websters defines terrorism as:

"the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes."

This probably qualifies. And it is, bullshit. He could have written his letters and website and crawled in a hole and blown himself up with a grenade. But he chose to take as many as possible with him.

p.s. not picking on anyone's thoughts of the ethnicity of 'usual' terrorists.

At present the full text is available at Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0...39.html?page=2

I would argue that had this man been brown skinned and named Hassan, holding every other variable constant including his suicide note, this would be played in the media as a terrorist attack (even though, strictly speaking, it is not in that although he had political grievances, his act was not meant to influence the political process).

Cheers
Aj

Why can't people get it though their heads....pay your taxes. You cannot out run or out smart the IRS. That's why we have the saying...death and taxes! It just annoys me that people bring this on themselves and then blame everyone else and victimize innocent people. Its just another person who can't take responsibility for their own choices.

Rufus

I hear what you are saying, June. But my first thought was that it is a shame we are afraid of out own government.

Rufus

Actually, that's normal. It's considered evidence in an ongoing investigation. Until the investigation is closed and everything verified, they will likely clamp down on publication of stuff (it also is for protection of his family as well).

If the gov't came to you with a warrant and said that you had to remove it, is it being afraid or being respectful of the law? I suspect that NBC got that (and I wouldn't be surprised if Huff gets it too).

Linus, yes, it is considered to be "normal" procedure but I do not believe that every action an entity of authority takes is necessary. Please do not take my post as a offense about you or your analysis. I have a great deal of respect for your ability.

Oh no. I wouldn't take offense to a valid opinion or point of view. It is valid. When one looks at it, he's dead. It's not like they can prosecute him and there's nothing -- really -- in the note that might potentially do something bad or harm.

:)

Indeed. And the sad thing is, his wife and daughter are left to deal with this mess he has created.

It's interesting because I didn't want it to be one.

I think, however, your Governor wants a reason to point fingers and be able to enforce that "I told you so.."

Exactly. .............

This is true..

Reminds me of knowing I have more than one FBI file.... The third was started due to my seeing a woman divorcing a man that was being considered for a Special Agent post! I wondered who the hell those people lurking around were..... The second was after being arrested in an anti-Vietnam War protest. The first was for attendance at a Chavez rally. LOL.. what is really funny is that I got to read the files because of my partner's husband getting that FBI job!!!


Yup, one can end up having a file in quite a few instances. No, I don't condone this man's actions at all.

Remember Tricky Dicky? :nixon: