Anti-abortion head of Homeland Security committee: Colorado shooting was not ‘domestic terrorism’

[KamaAina]

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/anti-abortion-head-of-homeland-security-committee-colorado-shooting-was-not-domestic-terrorism/

Calling the attack on a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic more of a “mental illness” issue, the Republican chair of the House Homeland Security Committee refused to describe the assault that left three dead and eight wounded as “domestic terrorism.”

Speaking with Martha Raddatz on ABC’s This Week, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) — who is virulently anti-abortion — said he would leave the call on Robert Lewis Dear’s shooting rampage at the Colorado Springs health clinic to the Justice Department.

“It’s a tragedy. It’s, I think, a mental health crisis,” said McCaul, adding, “I don’t think it would fall under quite the definition of domestic terrorism, although I’ll leave that to the Justice Department to make that determination.”...

McCaul’s reluctance to label the attacks “domestic terrorism” puts him at odds with fellow anti-abortion conservatives. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, GOP presidential contender Ben Carson and the Republican mayor of Colorado Springs, John Suthers, all have called the assault on the health clinic “domestic terrorism.”

[spanone]

1. highly predictable. 'a mental health crisis'

what bullshit.

[Shandris]

14. Is it a contention that a mentally healthy person does this kind of activity?

I would submit that, by definition, most extremists and all terrorists do indeed have a mental health crisis.

It's okay to be upset at the excuse-flinging, but don't lash out at obvious reality because of it! Rather, take the offered opportunity to point out how this is true of all of them.

[longship]

2. McCaul later described as "Fun with fluffy bunnies."

[yeoman6987]

3. Well there you have it. The experts have spoken and gave reasons

We of course can think what we want thankfully.

[uppityperson]

4. He may be mentally ill but his purpose was to terrorize. Eom

[Phlem]

5. And the bull shittery begins.

He is a Domestic terrorist. Period.

Rep. Michael McCaul = bag of shit.

[SCantiGOP]

6. What you need to understand

Is that for some reason Muslims and other faiths are immune from mental health issues. Only shows up in (mainly) white, male fundamentalists, so the answer is more guns.

Wow, as I was typing I realized that there are about 1/3 of my fellow Americans who would agree with the answer being More Guns.

[2naSalit]

7. Too Late, Chump!

Too many prominent figures have already and more are likely to do so, come out and openly called it terrorism and proof of it is pretty widespread by now.

[Dawson Leery]

8. The US hard right is a greater threat than ISIS.

[Orrex]

9. Just yesterday, some on DU were insisting that it isn't terrorism

Strange bedfellows.

[mythology]

12. So if I follow your logic

Can I say that people calling calling it terrorism are bedfellows of Huckabee and Carson?

It's generally simplistic thinking to conflate things at that superficial of a level.

I think that it's probable that this was domestic terrorism, none of us have any real insight into his motives and if he was clinically insane or unmedicated at the time. There is plenty of time to know that without the often incorrect or incomplete initial reports.

[Zorra]

10. It's not terrorism when *lone wolf* RW conservatives do it!

Wait...RW religious hate propaganda compels unstable conservative to go out and mass murder innocent others.

Sounds like terrorism to me...

A lone wolf or lone-wolf terrorist (also called a "stray dog&quot [1] is someone who commits violent acts in support of some group, movement, or ideology, but who does so alone, outside of any command structure and without material assistance from any group. Although the lone wolf prepares and acts alone, he/she may be influenced or motivated by the ideology and beliefs of an external group.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_wolf_%28terrorism%29

End of story.

[IsItJustMe]

11. I have also noticed that our news media also has a hard time

calling this guy a terrorist.

I see them use words like drifter or mentally ill, but not terrorist. I honestly feel that our news media is intimidated by all the right wing hate mail they would get if they called a terd a terd.

[Hepburn]

13. Oh what horse shit from McCaul!

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

15. So if it is mental illness...

Are the Republicans in the house/senate ever going to do something about the epidemic of mental illness? Is this just another one of those situations where you throw your hands up and say "nothing can be done"? It's in God's hands... right? Must be nice getting paid to sit on ass.

[Dont call me Shirley]

16. Sorry, Michael this was an act of domestic terrorism spawned by the very own members of your party

Last edited Wed Dec 2, 2015, 03:54 PM - Edit history (1)

[KamaAina]

20. Hey! Leave me out of this, Shirley!

My true and actual name happens to be Mark. His is Michael.

[Dont call me Shirley]

21. Ooooh Ooooopps. I will correct. You could never be equated to that nutbaggery anyway, KamaAina.

[ck4829]

17. And maybe Michael McCaul doesn't fit the definition of "fit to serve as a Representative"

[Solly Mack]

18. They won't call it what it is because they support it.

They support the murder of doctors and the bombing of clinics. They support people like Dear, Rudolph, and Roeder.

They support the terrorization of women.

[flobee1]

19. Not mental illness and no longer lone wolf

Someone was arrested at the hospital trying to kill the survivors of the planned parenthood attack.
Its right wing
Its their base
Its religious radicals
Its terrorism