"Uhh, Tom, you'll have to do better than that. These guys (OKC bombing) were part of a militia, and they bombed specifically to make a political point via threatening the public's sense of safety. Sounds like terrorism to me. The only difference between the two attacks seems to be the color of the folks' skin and the faith that they followed. What makes one a "criminal attack," and the other a "terrorist attack"?"
The OKC bombing duo of McVeigh and Nichols were not terrorists. They were criminals. While Nichols may have belonged to a Militia (Michigan I believe), the militia denounced what they had done. The militia did not use the OKC bombing as a threat of further action. No web site was put up showing what they had done and that they intended to do it again. No press conference or web site taking responsibility and threatening further action if certain conditions were not met. Kidnapping people and cutting off someones head and then saying that it will continue until certain conditions have been met is terror. Killing someone in rage or for money or so many other reasons is a crime, not terrorism. Blowing up a building and claiming it was done by xxxxx group, and taking credit for it, stating if xxxxx set of conditions are not met more buildings will be blown up and more people will die is terrorism. This was a heinous criminal act perpetrated by 2 individuals, not an organized group. Terror is not just the criminal act of destruction and death. It is the threat of further action against innocent civilians, at any time or any place. Blowing up a building and then not taking credit for it, and not threatening further action by any group behind it, does not equal terror to me. It equals a crime. "(It's also worth noting that since law enforcement agencies were wasting time chasing "middle Eastern men," they were diverting resources from catching the real culprits, McVeigh and Nichols. So, I submit, this profiling of terrorists makes the country less, not more, secure.)" Uhh really, are you sure that a potential terrorist attack was not thwarted by this misguided manhunt? Tom Thompson Como Park _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
