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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBoston Bombing Is a Tragedy, But Let's Not Rush to Blame Muslims or People of Arab Descent
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/boston-bombing-tragedy-lets-not-rush-blame-muslims-or-people-arab-descentAs the bloody and shocking images of the Boston Marathon bombing on Monday spread, so too did the fear of Islamic terrorism as media rumors and news leaks, from the NY Post and CBS-TV, alleged that a Saudi national was under guard at a Boston hospital.
Almost immediately predictable hysterical right-wing voices jumped into the debate -- and surprisingly were featured on liberal Salon.com -- including the anti-Muslim media hound Pam Geller, who immediately blamed a Jihadi for the bombing. Right wing blogger Jennifer Rubin sarcastically called it a "local crime story" in reference to the totally inaccurate right wing trope that the liberal media didn't cover Kermit Gosnell, the abortionist on trial in Philadelphia for murder and malpractice. Salon also featured conspiracist Alex Jones, who went totally in the other direction called the Boston explosion a government conspiracy.
Even if it is confirmed that the horrendous attack on the people of Boston and their heralded Marathon, was committed by a person or persons of Muslim descent, it should not cast aspersions and drum up fear and hatred on the millions of peaceful and law abiding muslims living in America. After the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the same Islamophobic accusations were made. The bomber was a white American, a man who hated the federal government and took up an armed struggle on his own: Timothy McVeigh.
But as the LA Times reported then, such media finger pointing leads to real violence against innocent people who are racially profiledjudged guilty by the color of their skin or clothes that they wear. Americans are supposed to better than this in the 21st century, but some of the media organizations with big megaphones are not.
Jennicut
(25,415 posts)not. These RWers don' t care about these people, only if it can lead to neo con hate fest. Most conservatives detest New England, even the ones that live here.
cali
(114,904 posts)jessie04
(1,528 posts).
liberal N proud
(60,336 posts)And that is something that our society fails miserably at because they will not call it terrorism if a US citizen perpetrated the act. Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist!
cali
(114,904 posts)to label domestic terrorism, terrorism. He pretty much is always referred to as a terrorist.
from wiki:
Timothy James "Tim" McVeigh (April 23, 1968 June 11, 2001) was an American terrorist who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. Commonly referred to as the Oklahoma City Bombing, the attack killed 168 people and injured over 800.[3] It was the deadliest act of terrorism within the United States prior to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.[3] The bombing remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in United States history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_McVeigh
madokie
(51,076 posts)was before 911 the first thing the officials were saying about it was it was the work of middle eastern factions and if you happened to be from the middle east or you looked like you were from the middle east and you were anywhere near okc you were rounded up immediately. It was insane. I was embarrassed by the law enforcement community by their actions.
ETA: by happen stance an ok highway patrol arrested McVeigh shortly after the bombing for no tag on his car. It was a while before they connected him to the bombing.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)if it turns out North Korea was behind this? I expect the devices that didn't go off will provide some evidence that can be successfully used to pin this on some guilty party quite conclusively.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)This is an instance where I think we should wait for the facts before beginning to lay blame.