Terrorist = Muslim?

Someone I know Facebooked (not an exact quote):
"The Fort Hood shooter shouted 'Allahu Akbar' before going on his shooting spree and they don't think it was terrorism?"

I think it's interesting that the word "terrorism" has come to mean "a religiously inspired act of violence by someone of Middle Eastern descent".

When it is a Christian - if it is called Terrorism at all, it is qualified as "Christian Terrorism" or "Religious Terrorism".
When it is Muslim, it's just plain "Terrorism" - the "Muslim" is understood.

At least it seems that way in America.

Do you think that's a reflection of the opinion of the general populace, an active effort of hegemonic control by the powers that be or a combination of both?

Or do you think I am completely off with this and that is not the case at all?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

You have put your finger on what is sustaining USAmerican wars. Our hypnosis insists that what we're fighting may be isolated to a foreign field somewhere. We're fighting the War on Madness: Wherever people get mad at us, we'll give them war. At least until we run out of money. We can always make more.

Hyphenated-terrorists from within the Homeland are not conceivably in the same league or category under this hypnosis.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

I disagree that the "Muslim" in "usual" terrorism is "understood". I think most newspapers have shied away from describing Islamic terrorism as Islamic terrorism for reasons of political correctness and fear - and soon, for fear of legal prosecution. It depends on the user, of course.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide all adverts.

In this case the guy was ordered to be deployed to Iraq and he was furious about it because he did not want to go there. This is according to some news reports . So it is a personal issue based on his personal life .

 

That's for the other thread, I think.

 

Not really, no. He posted widely on jihadi websites and prosetylized extensively. This was more about jihadism than his own personal problems.

 

The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.

The definition clearly says muslim....^...right?

 

Do you have a point?
My point was the connotation the word carries in current day America, despite the definition.

 

It makes no difference whether he shouts 'Allahu Akbar' or 'go ahead, make my day', or 'why did you leave me Shawna?!'. He was an angry madman, not a terrorist. Now, if he would have shouted "Osama, I'm carring out the actions that we planned last year!" ..

 

There aren't many other major terrorism campaigns going on in the world. The Islamic one is most prominent in our minds.

 

You dont have to be Muslim Irish or American or anything to be a terrorist all you have to be is on the opposite side of a charged debate that you disagree with. Other wise you are either nonpartisan or a Freedom Fighter.

 

This isn't about what a terrorist IS, it's about whether "terrorist" implies "Muslim" in the minds of Americans.

I have to wonder how many read the opening post.

 

My point was that we abandoned the rational definition of terrorism for one driven by fear and media exploitation.

:shrug:

 

Of course it does, they are the major terrorists in the world now.

 

I agree, but I don't think that was clear in your post.

 

No, I guess sometimes sarcasm and the internet are not good friends, neither is ADD and forum posting for that matter.

Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

 

So it is OK with you that if an Italian shoots up a McDonalds then people assume that some guy just went off his rocker and was taking out some grudge, but if he was a Muslim in the same, exact scenario people immediately refer to him and think of him as a terrorist?

 

Only if he did it for Idealogical or political reasons. People are rational and always look at things objectively.

Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

 

Christians and Jews are the biggest terrorists in the world now .
The Jews killed so many Palestinians and Lebanese .
The Americans killed so many Iraqis and Afghans .
The Muslims are the ones being killed .
Geek.....are you not following the world events ?!!!.

 

Does noone understand sarcasm?