Terrorism is terrorism, regardless of skin color of perpetrator

Webster’s Dictionary defines terrorism as “the systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and to bring about a particular political objective.” It has been practiced by political organizations with both rightist and leftist objectives, by nationalistic and religious groups, by revolutionaries, and even by state institutions such as armies, intelligence services, and police. It has also been used by individuals who for whatever reason, believe they have a grievance with the state or with other individuals or groups.

Anyone who commits a violent act or the threat of violence against civilians or the government or any group to achieve their political or personal goals is a terrorist. Terrorism is used to intimidate and put fear in the populous, many of whom are innocent bystanders, but quickly become victims of the horror of these senseless acts of violence.

Terrorism is terrorism is terrorism, whether the color of your skin is brown, white, black, or whatever. It is violence on steroids, which can come out of nowhere in many different forms. Over the past eighteen years, since the horrific attacks on the American Trade Center and the United States Pentagon by Osama Bin Laden, the word terrorism has become a part of the American lexicon and language. It has spawned reactions that have been seen as necessary by many and reactionary by others.

America has reacted by putting processes in place at Airports, government buildings, and other sites that are supposed to give Americans a sense of safety, but it is hard to provide that safety in a country like America, where there are over 300 million guns in the hands of the citizenry—almost one gun for every American. If someone wants to create terror with a gun, it’s easy if they have the will and they have access to a weapon. It happens every day in America, and we all have become desensitized to the carnage that is seen every minute, every hour, and every day in this country.

In the “black community,” there are terroristic acts being committed on innocent individuals and civilians every day. These communities are being terrorized by young hoodlums who murder innocent men, women, and children with impunity. It’s not called terrorism, but that’s exactly what it is. People are cowered in their homes because they don’t know where the next burst of gunfire is coming from.

Violence has become a way of life for many of these people, and they are left to wonder when the madness is going to end. It is terrorism in the true sense of the word. People in these communities are terrorized and traumatized by these acts of violence, both contrived and random. Terroristic acts are being perpetrated on them by people who look like them.

Today, Americans and others around the world are dealing with a new phenomenon, and it is called “White Nationalism.” It’s the new movement that is really an old movement based on hate, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and racial angst. It has manifested itself in the form of a violent act against nine parishioners of the Mother Emanuel Church, who were murdered by a self-proclaimed white nationalist Dylan Roof, who is yet to show any remorse for his despicable crime. It was a terroristic against a group of people who he clearly was full of rage against. It has manifested itself in the form of a violent act against Jews in a Synagogue in Philadelphia by a self-described white nationalist who parroted the words of the President of the United States. This was also a terroristic act. And most recently, it has manifested itself in the form of the massacre of fifty people in a Mosque in New Zealand by a self-proclaimed white nationalist, who also parroted the words of the President of the United States. It was a terroristic attack on Muslims, who themselves have been the perpetrators of past terroristic acts, and who are now widely seen as the “terrorists.” No, the president is not responsible for the violent acts committed by deranged individuals, but his rhetoric is not helpful.

The problem in America today is that violence by these white nationalists is not called what it is by the president or other politicians in this country. The President of the United States has refused to call these acts of violence by white men, terrorism. And by his rhetoric and refusal to use the T word, he is being seen by many people in this country and around the world as not taking these acts of violence as serious acts of terrorism that are a growing menace to society. He should speak up and call it what it is, regardless of the color of the perpetrator’s skin. That is what George Bush and Barack Obama did and that is what this president should do.

There is no doubt in the minds of many that If any of these violent acts had been committed by anyone of color, this president would have been the first person to scream terrorism from the roof top of the White House, and therein lies the problem. When people of color commit horrific acts of violence, it is called terrorism, and rightly so. But when these horrific acts of violence are committed by individuals who happen to be white, it is called an act of mental instability, and that’s not right. They may be mentally unstable, but it is still terrorism.

Terrorism is terrorism is terrorism, regardless of what color you are. Whether it is the daily carnage seen in black communities all over this country, or whether it is the carnage seen in the middle east by suicide bombers, or whether it is the carnage left by white nationalists in America and abroad, it is still terrorism, and should be dealt with as a scourge on society, no matter who it is or where they come from or what they look like. Americans know terrorism when they see it, and they know that there is no difference in the goals sought and achieved by these individuals, which are fear and intimidation. And that’s my take. smithpren@aol.com