Pointing Fingers at…
Today, a “friend” on one of my social networks took a victory lap correctly picking that the bombers in Boston would be Muslim. This person said it was a 95% chance they were Muslim and said that “this racist would be right”. I politely corrected this person and reminded them that calling oneself a racist was inappropriate because they may be anti-Muslim which, by the definition posted at Dictionary.com, would make this person a Bigot, not a racist. But that’s just semantics. Their point was made.
Reading between the lines, like some Americans, I think they are very concerned about Islam; specifically extremist Islamists.
Now technically my bigoted social network “friend” would be right in that, according to current reports, the suspects in the Boston bombing incident are of the Muslim faith. Booya!
However, there are NO current connections being made by any credible sources that the attack is related to their faith.
So before my “bigoted” friend declares victory and takes that extremist lap around their “bigoted” coffee table, I should advise them to consider waiting for law enforcement and credible news media to sort this all out because it’s way too early to figure out what exactly is going on and what is the truth.
Furthermore, like most Americans, let me say that I share feelings of extreme anger and frustration. I am super mad too!
So to my fellow Americans, let me say that your feelings are 100% acknowledged and your anger is 100% noted and respected. I mean when things like this happen, it feels like it’s always some foreigner or Muslim guy doesn’t it?
But, after thinking more slowly and carefully investing time to investigate the facts about terrorism, I have found that terror tactics in the USA are NOT exclusive to one group or another.
I mean, check out this lovely list of the disenfranchised and mentally ill….
- Adam Lanza, Newtown Massacre
- Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, Columbine High School Massacre
- James Eagan Holmes, The Dark Knight Movie Massacre in Colorado
- Jared Lee Loughner, Gabby Giffords Shooting and massacre in Arizona
- Tim McVeigh, Oklahoma City Bomber
- Eric Rudolph, Olympic Park Bomber
- Ted Kaczynski, Unabomber
and there’s more…
…all homegrown terrorists; none of them Muslim! Fact!
Look my fellow Americans, many terror tactics are used by crazy extremist people to shock and kill. It’s upsetting to everyone! Around the world, terror is a tactic used by the disenfranchised and mentally ill. It’s a horrible reality of the modern world.
Clearly, the actual facts are that many other countries suffer the same and frankly, much worse. It’s just that, in the USA especially at times like this, it may feel like it’s only in the USA because that’s home and no one likes their home disturbed. We take pride in our home. Now it may feel like it’s all done by Muslims from some country where the people are brown and have weird names but it’s not. It’s everywhere.
So should we attack Islam? Russia? Chechnya? Pan Arabia?
Or should we attack Oklahoma, Colorado, Christianity, or Montana?
It’s a hard day indeed…
