It is what it is

Why Aren’t We Calling The Charleston Massacre ‘Right-Wing Terrorism?’

By Charles Topher

The face of terror just as surely as ISIS

ter·ror·ism

ˈterəˌrizəm/

noun

 1. the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

When Dylann Storm Roof confessed to killing nine peaceful parishioners in a South Carolina church, he said he was trying to start a “race war.” If that isn’t the very definition of terrorism, I don’t know what is.

Right-wing terrorism in America is a very real issue. One that, for some reason, people don’t want to look at. When something like the massacre in Charleston happens, our first instinct is to sweep it under the rug, claiming the poor boy had a mental illness or that he was a truly tortured soul.

Roof may have been a tortured soul, but his torture came from being raised in an environment of hate, intolerance and guns. With a tenth-grade education and what friends described as a “weird” personality, Dylann Roof set out to further his conservative cause, kill innocent black people, and incite a race war.

Roof is a small part of a huge problem in this country.

For years now the right has been breeding a culture of hate. As the Republican base dies off they need to replace it with new blood. The problem is, that new blood is from a gene pool tainted with bigotry, stupidity, ammosexuality and a serious lack of education or willingness to learn.

That’s not to say that right-wing terrorism is a new thing; from the Oklahoma City bombing to today there have been dozens of examples of violence and violent plots by the extreme right against not only the government but against the American people.

As was this piece of dog shit - Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber

Nowadays the extremists have cheerleaders like Fox News who turn their little “whoa is me the gub’mint is repressing me” pity parties into what they believe to be viable issues with rhetoric like “Christian persecution” and the “War on Christianity.” 

More than 70 percent of America identifies as Christian, but to keep the voting base going to the polls in fear for their beliefs, these ridiculous claims have become an all-too-familiar mantra.

Social media is also aiding the rise of the ultra-right-winger movement. If you’re an ignorant racist, you’re sure to find hundreds if not thousands of people just like you who will share links to bogus stories about your rights being taken away, your guns being taken away and your god being taken away. 

You can find and join local militias, arming themselves for the coming revolution and stocking their bunkers with canned peaches and ammunition for when President Obama declares martial law so he can be perpetual dictator of what used to be America.

The amount of hate you can be a part of is astounding, and still we call them “conservatives.” We call someone like Dylann Roof a “racist.” We call people like Jon Ritzheimer “intolerant” and “bigot.”

Why are we not calling them what they are, making a list, denying them travel rights on airplanes and surveilling them heavily? The next attack on American soil isn’t coming from a Muslim jihadist, it’s coming from a right-wing “revolutionary.” Most likely with help from his “patriot” friends.

The Republican party has hijacked American politics with money to keep the rich and powerful happy, and fear to keep the dimwitted voting sheep engaged. That plan is backfiring as people like Jerad and Amanda Miller and Dylann Roof commit horrific acts of violence in political statements that can only be called one thing: Terrorism.

Charles Topher is a lifetime lefty liberal from Lowell who has managed to migrate (legally) to the backwoods of Maine. He writes from a 1 acre progressive bubble where Nobama stickers on pickemup truck bumpers are common.