I heard an author talking about the issue of calling these crimes terrorism,
today. He pointed out that in the US, most of these crimes are committed by
young men with mental problems. They choose a rationale for their acts,
depending on what their political or racial or religious orientation is. Some
of the crimes are committed in the name of White Nationalism. Some are
committed in the name of Christianity, e.g. murdering abortion providers. Some
are committed in the name of Muslim extremism. Some people travel to other
countries to fight. And by the way, they don't just travel to Islamic
countries. There are all those young men who joined the Issraeli army, like the
son of the conservative New York Times op ed writer whose name, of course, I
can't remember. Why is that socially respectable while joining Al Qaeda was
not? But anyway, returning to crimes in the US. You have a young emotionally
disturbed man and he can pick a suitable cause and kill people in the name of
that cause. And when he does that, people are terrorized. But the media labels
him a terrorist only if he is a Muslim and he shouts something that sounds
Islamic, even when no organized terrorist group has claimed him. We are so
anxious to find Muslim terrorists among us that the FBI has a history over the
past 16 or so years, of finding vulnerable, mentally disturbed, poor, usually
men, and seducing them into committing a crime, suggesting the crime, giving
them money or weapons, guiding them, encouraging them, and then when they
follow the suggestions provided by the undercover agent, arresting them,
providing evidence of the crime, and seeing to it that they're found guilty. I
don't know if you've read about these cases, but I have. Democracy Now covered
some of them.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Evan Reese
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2018 6:25 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Pittsburgh synagogue shooting Suspect charged
with murder - BBC News
In this particular case, there's a reason why this shooting is called a hate
crime and not terrorism.
Usually, not always, (although I can't think of any examples off the top of my
head), but usually, when a Muslim perpetrates a violent act against civilians,
he is acting on behalf of an avowed terrorist group such as ISIS, or Al Qaeda,
among others. So, that makes it a terrorist act.
On the other hand, Bowers, so far as we know, is not acting on behalf of an
avowed terrorist group. He may in fact have acted to create terror, but he
hasn't said that. He did say, "Jews must die.", which is certainly enough to
constitute a hate crime.
So until some avowed terrorist group claims him, or he specifically says that
his intent was to cause terror, then it's not a terrorist act.
Even if, as seems likely, his act causes terror among some Jews, if that was
not the intent, then it's not a terrorist act.
We'll just have to see what happens.
Evan
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Loran Bailey (Redacted sender "rogerbailey81" for DMARC)
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2018 11:39 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; Mostafa
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Pittsburgh synagogue shooting Suspect charged
with murder - BBC News
Mostafa, I did not realize at first that this post was from you. As I was
reading it I was formulating my reply. Then I got to your commentary at the end
and I realized that what I was going to say was nearly a quote of you. I was
going to say this. Have you ever noticed that when a Muslim kills Jews it is
called terrorism and when a Christian kills Jews it is called a hate crime?
_________________________________________________________________
Isaac Asimov
“Don't you believe in flying saucers, they ask me? Don't you believe in
telepathy? — in ancient astronauts? — in the Bermuda triangle? — in life after
death?
No, I reply. No, no, no, no, and again no.
One person recently, goaded into desperation by the litany of unrelieved
negation, burst out "Don't you believe in anything?"
Yes", I said. "I believe in evidence. I believe in observation, measurement,
and reasoning, confirmed by independent observers. I'll believe anything, no
matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it. The wilder and
more ridiculous something is, however, the firmer and more solid the evidence
will have to be.”
― Isaac Asimov
On 10/28/2018 5:05 AM, Mostafa wrote:
Hello. The following text is the precise quote of BBC's headline on
the subject. "A man suspected of killing 11 people in a synagogue in
Pittsburgh has been charged with murder - in what is believed to be
the worst anti-Semitic attack in recent US history. Robert Bowers, 46,
is accused of opening fire at the Tree of Life synagogue during its
Sabbath service. He faces 29 criminal counts, including use of a
firearm to commit murder. Federal prosecutors say they will also file
hate crime charges, and the suspect could face the death penalty.
President Donald Trump described the attack as a "wicked act of mass
murder". Six people - including four police officers - were injured in
Saturday's attack. The suspect was also wounded in a shootout with
police. Hundreds of people - from the neighbourhood and also all
across Pittsburgh - later gathered for an interfaith vigil for the
victims of the attack in the synagogue in Squirrel Hill. Crowds sing
at a vigil in Pittsburgh Sophia Levin, a local resident and one of the
organisers, told the BBC. "People wanted to be together, not alone,
and the vigil would help heal the city." President Trump said he would
visit Pittsburgh soon. He also ordered US flags at government
buildings to be flown at half-mast until 31 October. The 29 charges
were announced in a statement issued by the US Attorney's Office of
the Western District of Pennsylvania: Eleven counts of obstruction of
exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death. Eleven counts of use
of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of
violence. Four counts of obstruction of exercise of religious beliefs
resulting in bodily injury to a public safety officer. Three counts of
use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of
violence. How did the shooting unfold? On Saturday morning,
worshippers had gathered at the synagogue for a baby naming ceremony
during the Sabbath. Squirrel Hill has one of the largest Jewish
populations in Pennsylvania and this would have been the synagogue's
busiest day of the week. Police said they received first calls about
an active shooter at 09:54 local time (13:54 GMT), and sent officers
to the scene a minute later. According to reports, Mr Bowers, a white
male, entered the building during the morning service armed with an
assault rifle and three handguns. The gunman had already shot dead 11
people and was leaving the synagogue after about 20 minutes when he
encountered Swat officers and exchanged fire with them, FBI agent
Robert Jones said. The attacker then moved back into the building to
try to hide from the police. He surrendered after a shootout, and is
now being treated in hospital for what has been described as multiple
gunshot wounds. The crime scene was "horrific", Pittsburgh's Public
Safety Director Wendell Hissrich told reporters. "One of the worst
I've seen, and I've [worked] on some plane crashes. It's very bad." Mr
Hissrich said no children were among the casualties. What do we know
about the gunman? US media said he had shouted "All Jews must die" as
he carried out the attack. Social media posts by someone with the name
Robert Bowers were also reported to be full of anti-Semitic comments.
FBI special agent Bob Jones told a press conference that Mr Bowers did
not appear to be known to authorities prior to the attack. He said
that any motive remains unknown but that authorities believe he was
acting alone. In the dwindling light, and with the cold autumn rain
falling, hundreds gathered in front of the 6th Presbyterian church
just a few streets away from the Tree of Life Synagogue. Holding their
candles, they sang the Jewish prayer of healing. The elders in the
community had wanted to wait a day before holding the vigil, but the
young people said no - they wanted an immediate chance to share their
grief and voice their hurt. Fifteen-year-old Sophia Levin declared
that she was a different Jew today to the one she was yesterday.
Anti-Semitism, she said, had been something she thought happened
elsewhere and in earlier times; but now she knew it was right here,
right now. Some of these young people have been involved in the
student gun control movement that sprang up after the Parkland
shooting earlier this year. One of them, Rebecca Glickman, told the
crowd that gun control was needed now more than ever. She told me that
an anti-Semite with a gun is more dangerous than an anti-Semite
without a gun, so that's a good place to start. What has been
President Trump's reaction? He called the shooting a "terrible,
terrible thing". "To see this happen again and again, for so many
years, it's just a shame," he told reporters. He described the gunman
as a "maniac" and suggested the US should "stiffen up our laws of the
death penalty". "These people should pay the ultimate price. This has
to stop," he said. Mr Trump added that the incident had "little to do"
with US gun laws. "If they had protection inside, maybe it could have
been a different situation." Former US President Barack Obama voiced a
different position on the ongoing gun law debate, tweeting: "We have
to stop making it so easy for those who want to harm the innocent to
get their hands on a gun." What about other reaction? Pennsylvania
Governor Tom Wolf said in a statement that the incident was an
"absolute tragedy" and that such acts of violence could not be
accepted as "normal". The president of the Jewish Federation of
Greater Pittsburgh, Jeff Finkelstein, said his "heart goes out to all
these families". "Now I'm just sad. This should not be happening. It
should not be happening in a synagogue. It should not be happening in
our neighbourhood here in Squirrel Hill," he said. Jonathan
Greenblatt, the head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish
non-governmental organisation that fights anti-Semitism, said he was
"devastated". "We believe this is the deadliest attack on the Jewish
community in the history of the United States," he said in a
statement. World leaders also condemned the attack, including Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said he was "heartbroken and
appalled", and German Chancellor Angela Merkel who said: "We all have
to stand up against anti-Semitism, everywhere." Extra police officers
have been deployed at synagogues and Jewish centres across the US
after the attack." End of BBC's entry. The following is my own comment
on the incident. Surely, what took place at the synagogue is immensely
heartrending, not just to Jews but anyone who has human factors. I
just noticed, that no one among those who spoke subsequent to the
shooting incident has used, mentioned or pointed the term terror or
terrorism. If the shooter was Muslim and of different skin colour, the
incident would immediately have been labeled with terror affiliation.
I won't comment on the gun debate again because it's in the US not
around here. They must have the right to govern themselves the way
they like, even if they chose to kill each other in the street. I just
ask those who are fair among Jewish communities to think of a way to
put pressure on the Zionist movement to end this invasion and
relentless brutality in Palestine. If people were so hurt because this
has happened at a synagogue, well, many Jews commit worse than this in
Palestine everyday. If you felt so bad now, you should have been more
commiserating to what Palestinians have to face on virtually a daily
basis. That is the end of my comment. Mustafa
