In America, why is terrorism a term reserved specifically for Muslims?

[kpete]

planned parenthood shooting
Call the Planned Parenthood Shooting what it is 0
BY JULIAN DRURY ON NOVEMBER 29, 2015 MEDIA, NEWS

...............

It seems that whenever a white (non-Muslim) shooter is involved in any political shooting, the mainstream media refrains from calling such an act “Domestic Terrorism.” ................
...................

While being arrested, the gunman was reported as saying “no more baby parts.” A reference to a series of videos by an anti-abortion advocacy group. The videos alleged that Planned Parenthood was illegally selling body parts from fetuses for profit. These allegations were debunked and the videos relied on deceptive editing, but the right-wing, including some 2016 presidential candidates, kept on selling the lie.

Despite that the incident is clearly a case of terrorism, America will not collectively call it such. Imagine for a moment, the shooter was Muslim and he walked into the clinic and committed the same act. How fast would the media heads label it terrorism, in such a scenario? Even if Planned Parenthood seems like an off target for an Islamist, the split second we identify the shooter as Muslim, isn’t it likely we will start calling it terrorism quickly?

Here we have a shooter with a clear political motivation, he hates Planned Parenthood, and possibly President Obama. His politics led him to kill three people, which by definition would constitute as terrorism. Despite the facts, America seems to hesitate in calling an act like this “terrorism.” There are other examples as well.

.........

It seems irrational to avoid such a conversation, but America avoids it swimmingly. What happened in Colorado is only another episode of a failed conversation. We must examine this bias, and come to terms with why we avoid labeling people like the Colorado shooter as a “terrorist.” If his name was Ahmed or Abdullah, we’d probably be having a much more vocal discussion about the evils of terrorism.


MORE:
http://quietmike.org/2015/11/29/call-the-planned-parenthood-shooting-what-it-is/

[PeaceNikki]

1. It's insane how people even here on DU are trying to say it's not terrorism. It is.

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/7/anti-abortion-extremists-are-domestic-terrorists.html

Targeted threats are forms of terrorism that are meant to scare providers into stopping the provision of abortion services.

[etherealtruth]

2. Of course it is .... I am at a loss as to why so many are so invested in denying this n/t

[PeaceNikki]

4. Because he is "one of them" - a white Christian man.

S

[oberliner]

3. Huckabee: Planned Parenthood shooting is 'domestic terrorism'

Washington (CNN)Mike Huckabee called the Friday shootings at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado an act of "domestic terrorism."

The former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential contender who's known for his social conservatism admonished the alleged shooter in an interview with CNN's Brianna Keilar Sunday on "State of the Union."

"What he did is domestic terrorism, and what he did is absolutely abominable, especially to us in the pro-life movement, because there's nothing about any of us that would condone or in any way look the other way on something like this," Huckabee said.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/29/politics/mike-huckabee-planned-parenthood-domestic-terrorism/index.html

Even Mike Huckabee is calling this what it is.

[TheSarcastinator]

9. no, he isn't

it was CHRISTIAN domestic terrorism. Be honest.

[oberliner]

11. Yes, he is

Insisting that he use the word "Christian" is akin to what the right wingers do when they insist that Obama use the word "Muslim" in a similar context.

[Wounded Bear]

19. I applaud Mr Huckabee for calling it "domestic terrorism" but....

he lied later in his statement.

"What he did is domestic terrorism, and what he did is absolutely abominable, especially to us in the pro-life movement, because there's nothing about any of us that would condone or in any way look the other way on something like this," Huckabee said.

Bolded text is bullshit of the highest order. "Christians" have been looking the other way at this shit for years. Hell, large swaths of them have been cheering people like Dear on. Get real, gov.

[oberliner]

22. Is that similar to when Muslim leaders say that Islam does not in any way condone violence?

Or do you feel that is not an apt comparison?

[napkinz]

5. ...

[kpete]

6. thank you

napkinz

and peace
kp

[napkinz]

13. you're welcome kpete

[napkinz]

14. two more memes ...

[oberliner]

12. On DU, it seems like "Christian shooter = entire religion guilty"

Kind of the flip side of what is being satirized in that cartoon.

[PeaceNikki]

17. It seems some posters are FAR more concerned about Christian persecution than victims.

As long as we're 'observing' and all...

[oberliner]

21. There is no Christian persecution going on here

The victims are of the highest concern - well beyond that of anyone else.

But just as many DUers rightly noted that ridiculous rhetoric against Muslims that took place in the wake of recent terror attacks committed by members of that religion, so, too, ought we note similar sorts of rhetoric in this instance.

[linuxman]

7. Nice strawman.

McVeigh
Kanzynski
Dear
Roof.
Etc...

Because every single person in the country didn't sign some notarized paper to call them terrorists doesn't mean they aren't terrorists, much less that the vast majority of them don't think it is terrorism.

Yet another "nobody ever calls white people terrorists" post fail.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. In reality, anti-abortion terrorism is a single issue subset of Christian terrorism. This is how it

is spoken of by those who are not involved in religion. The OP is a person who has promoted Pope Francis, who says abortion is a horrific symptom of our throwaway culture, murder of babies. That is not where I come from.
Francis:
“the innocent victim of abortion, children who die of hunger or from bombings, immigrants who drown in the search for a better tomorrow, the elderly or the sick who are considered a burden, the victims of terrorism, wars, violence and drug trafficking, the environment devastated by man’s predatory relationship with nature – at stake in all of this is the gift of God, of which we are noble stewards but not masters. It is wrong, then, to look the other way or to remain silent. Ever present within each of them is life as gift and responsibility. The future freedom and dignity of our societies depends on how we face these challenges."

So Francis says saving fetuses from being aborted is just as pressing as feeding the hungry, abortion is the same as bombing children. If one believes him, then one might make all manner of choices to save babies from being murdered or bombed. It's just like the refugees Francis says. And DU cheers for that.
I do not join in your cheers for the anti abortion activist. I object to those cheers, in fact.

[kpete]

10. Bluenorthwest

huh?

[Bluenorthwest]

18. You post nice things about Francis, and Francis says abortion is murder of babies.

Can't really have it both ways. Francis is the world's leading anti abortion activist, and you along with many others on DU have offered him legitimacy and excuses for that and for his anti gay activism.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027202014
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027195864#post24

In your threads I have been attacked for favoring Choice and Equality over Francis, and in your threads I have felt most unwelcome for favoring reproductive choice over a clerical bigot.

[Bluenorthwest]

20. Also I am sorry to be so blunt, but I used to defend clincs when I was younger and I'm tired

of this routine where liberals promote the leading anti-choice and anti-gay activist in the entire world because they like 'other things' he says. It makes no sense.

[Facility Inspector]

15. It isn't

but thanks for playing.

[Iggo]

16. 'Cuz that ain't "fightin' 'em over there" or "keepin' us safe".

And because, you know, white people.

[MisterP]

23. also hippies, I'd add; back in 1980 Reagone called everything "terrorism," including peaceful

strikes in foreign countries (because Moscow had engineered them, natch--he said there'd be no war or terrorism without the USSR)

[napkinz]

24. ...