I’ve long struggled with adequately and accurately portraying the differences in philosophy- and the hypocrisy- which allows Americans to categorize all Muslims as terrorists, while refusing to categorize the Conservative White Christian males who commit terrorist acts in the same manner. I think I’ve done a reasonably good job of it- “hypocrisy” seems a good and accurate descriptor- but I ran across something online that I think nails it.
Juan Cole is the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan and a knowledgeable commentator on the Middle East. Rather than subjecting y’all to yet more of my musings on the disconnect at work in our collective discourse on this subject, I thought I’d share Professor Cole’s thoughts. I think he’s spot on.
White terrorists are called “gunmen.” What does that even mean? A person with a gun? Wouldn’t that be, like, everyone in the US? Other terrorists are called, like, “terrorists.”
White terrorists are “troubled loners.” Other terrorists are always suspected of being part of a global plot, even when they are obviously troubled loners.
Doing a study on the danger of white terrorists at the Department of Homeland Security will get you sidelined by angry white Congressmen. Doing studies on other kinds of terrorists is a guaranteed promotion.
The family of a white terrorist is interviewed, weeping as they wonder where he went wrong. The families of other terrorists are almost never interviewed.
White terrorists are part of a “fringe.” Other terrorists are apparently mainstream.
White terrorists are random events, like tornadoes. Other terrorists are long-running conspiracies.
White terrorists are never called “white.” But other terrorists are given ethnic affiliations.
Nobody thinks white terrorists are typical of white people. But other terrorists are considered paragons of their societies.
White terrorists are alcoholics, addicts or mentally ill. Other terrorists are apparently clean-living and perfectly sane.
There is nothing you can do about white terrorists. Gun control won’t stop them. No policy you could make, no government program, could possibly have an impact on them. But hundreds of billions of dollars must be spent on police and on the Department of Defense, and on TSA, which must virtually strip search 60 million people a year, to deal with other terrorists.
Discuss…and be sure to show your work, ‘kay?? Cheers….
