Terrorists torch five black Ferguson-area churches, nation yawns

[anon15383236]

@churba

Jesus, dude, step away from the internet and go the fuck outside. I’m not dropping a goddamned dime or dozens of hours on some dumb argument in a website comment section, because it doesn’t matter.

This from someone who just found the time to find and drop twelve links into a previous comment.

[anon15383236]

@Max_Blancke

The Boing Boing report is the first one I have seen that identified the perpetrators as white supremacist terrorists. But it is disappointing that you do not reveal more information about the identity of the firebugs. What organization do they belong to? Do you have their names?

some other fuckhead:

Can we stop calling everything terrorism? Arson, racially motivated hate crime or otherwise, in the early hours of the morning isn’t terrorism.

Violence meant to inspire terror in others is terrorism. And so, burning black churches all over the map in clear response to Black Lives Matter and other events is terrorism. Screw up and down, back and forth and sideways your nitpicking, racist definitions deployed in an effort to say otherwise.

ETA: And thank you so much, @doctorow, for using terminology that other media outlets are too afraid or ignorant to use.

[anon26940528]

@churba

otherwise flawed.

Because it would be. That’s how the real world works. Or is anecdotal evidence something that should ever be accepted as definitive?

@churba

Jesus, dude, step away from the internet and go the fuck outside.

No. Too bright.

@churba

I’m not dropping a goddamned dime or dozens of hours on some dumb argument in a website comment section, because it doesn’t matter.

And yet, here you are.

@churba

crack some champagne and enjoy it.

[Nonentity]

@sodiumlights

Arson, racially motivated hate crime or otherwise, in the early hours of the morning isn’t terrorism.

That’s odd… my dictionary doesn’t specify the time of day as being decisive in the definition of terrorism.

[armozel]

This is why we can’t have nice things. Why can’t people just stop being horrible little creatures to each other?

“I don’t like you because the way you look! So, I’m going to hurt you rabble rabble rabble!”
Seriously, that’s all it devolves into. Am I dense or something in this regard? I just don’t see the need to be violent toward others who aren’t violent towards me.

[Max_Blancke]

If we do not know who is doing this, how can we know for sure what their motives are? Given the symbolism, it would be prudent to investigate whether racism is a motive, but I think it is foolish to publish motives before a suspect is identified.

[anon15383236]

Ahem–THEY’RE BLACK CHURCHES!

“Given the symbolism,” what else could it be but racism?

[anon26940528]

@Max_Blancke

I think it is foolish to publish motives before a suspect is identified.

“What’s this gigantic cross doing burning in my yard? Fucking racists!”
“No honey, you don’t know who did it. Don’t you know it’s foolish to impute motives before we know who did it?”
“Oh. Right. Thanks. I’m being unfair. Hey look! There are pointy ghosts at the door! Where’s the Halloween candy?”

[Max_Blancke]

It could be someone that hates all religion. It could be someone in the neighborhood that hates Christianity. It could be someone who just likes to start fires, and used the churches to make it look like terrorism. It could be the landlord of one of the properties, who lit the fire for the insurance, and the others as a distraction. It could be a community agitator, who lit the fires for propaganda value. It could be Illinois Nazis. It could be some nut who is doing it for Jodie Foster or Elvis. Or, it could be white supremacists. I don’t know who did it. I hope they are caught and prosecuted.

[FunkDaddy]

That’s motivation. The act of targeting a specific demographic in such manner makes it a racist action regardless of motivation. The target was still chosen on the basis of race/association with race.

I’m sure some klan members chose to harass black people because they are motivated by a fundamental misperception of history regarding the events occurring between 1860 & 1866. They’re still committing racist acts.

[Abiatha_Swelter]

@anon15383236

Violence meant to inspire terror in others is terrorism. And so, burning black churches all over the map in clear response to Black Lives Matter and other events is terrorism.

Combined with systematic police brutality and it forms a pattern that would have been familiar to generations of immigrants from eastern Europe: the pogrom.

[Mister44]

It’s exactly like a Walgreens - pharmacy with some basic food and household items. And booze. They stopped selling tobacco recently, however.

[popobawa4u]

Calling me a git? This is subversion!

[OtherMichael]

Hey, good point!

There’s no reason to jump to conclusion that they are white supremacists. The perpetrators could be Chinese, or even Hispanics, who instead of indulging in white-promotion, are merely trying to get the black man down.

In light of other known black chuch arsonists, that’s pretty likely, right? White supremacists are the outliers for this sort of activity? There’s no rational way we could make such an outlandish statement based on probabilities, is there?

[Steve_L]

I’m not a lawyer, but since this occurred in the United States, the US Code’s definition of terrorism seems relevant. The definition of “Domestic terrorism”, as defined in Title 18, part 1, chapter 113b, section 2331 has three sections.

• “[activities that] involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or or any State.”
• “[activities that] appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.”
• “[activities that] occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.”

Points 1 and 3 are clear. Ferguson is within the United States, and arson is a crime according to US law. Point 2 is where the real question is. If the arsonists were trying to intimidate or coerce the population or the government of Ferguson that seems to satisfy that point. If they just got drunk and decided to burn something, it doesn’t. So this may be an incident of domestic terrorism.

[OtherMichael]

If we do not know who is doing this, how can we know for sure what their motives are? Given the symbolism, it would be prudent to investigate whether racism is a motive, but I think it is foolish to publish motives before a suspect is identified. Because, really, couldn’t the Jews have broken all their shop-windows themselves? I’m just saying we don’t actually know, that’s all. It’s too premature to jump to any conclusions. Let’s wait until we have some solid evidence backed up with verifiable facts. For instance, these aren’t just crisis actors, are they?

[OtherMichael]

@anon15383236

what else could it be but racism?

Anti-abortion activists who keep entering the wrong address into Waze?

[OtherMichael]

@Max_Blancke

It could be someone that hates all religion.

But coincidentally only burned down black religious institutions five times.

@Max_Blancke

It could be someone in the neighborhood that hates Christianity.

But coincidentally only burned down black Christian institutions five times.

@Max_Blancke

It could be someone who just likes to start fires, and used the churches to make it look like terrorism.

But coincidentally only started fires that burned down black religious buildings five times.

@Max_Blancke

It could be the landlord of one of the properties, who lit the fire for the insurance, and the others as a distraction.

But coincidentally only started fires that burned down black religious buildings all four times BUT IS TOTALLY NOT RACIST.

@Max_Blancke

It could be a community agitator, who lit the fires for propaganda value.

DA FUQ?

@Max_Blancke

It could be Illinois Nazis.

DA FUQ DA FUQ?

@Max_Blancke

It could be some nut who is doing it for Jodie Foster or Elvis.

DA FUQ DA FUQ DA FUQ?

@Max_Blancke

Or, it could be white supremacists.

Man, you are smoking LOCO WEED. That’s totally far out! What are the chances?!?!!?!?

@Max_Blancke

I don’t know who did it.

Man, you are smoking LOCO WEED. Or your momma dropped you on your head one too many times.

@Max_Blancke

I hope they are caught and prosecuted.

Aww, that’s sweet. You have a redeeming shred of plausible humanity buried in there!

[OtherMichael]

Don’t be so mercurial, you Hg.

[sodiumlights]

So if someone disagree with you, insult them and call them names. Got you.