Based On Official U.S. Definitions of Terrorism, Joseph Andrew Stack Is A Terrorist
What a strange country we live in. It may be the only place where a suicidal pilot with political grievances, who specifically targeted federal offices and civilians, can slam an airplane into a building—like al-Qaeda did in NYC—and still not be labeled a terrorist. Now, to be fair, Joseph Andrew Stack doesn’t have some sort of exotic-sounding name and isn’t Arabic or African, so he must not satisfy the current political criteria, but if you go by the book, there’s no doubt about it, lone wolf or not.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the definitions floating around:
First up, the FBI version, since they’re the ones investigation this act of domestic terrorism:
Then there’s the Department of Defense’s take:
Or we could use the definition as defined in the law:
So to recap. Joseph Stack carried out a premeditated, politically motivated suicidal attack, using an airplane, against both the U.S. government and its civilians, to scare them and protest specific policies of said government, that he outlined in a manifesto posted online and ultimately intended to destroy the entire building. Am I missing something here?
Editor-in-Chief:
Lets try him downtown then.
I wonder what we will call these fine fellas-
CBN News has learned exclusively that five Muslim soldiers at Fort Jackson in South Carolina were arrested just before Christmas. It is unclear whether the men are still in custody. The five were part of the Arabic Translation program at the base.
The men are suspected of trying to poison the food supply at Fort Jackson.
Get your head straight America. Quick
@Bucky
You are wrong as he wasn't trying to coerce or intimidate anyone into anything – he was just pissed and unlike most of the other pissed off people had a plane.
It is no surprise he has not been labeled a terrorist – he is not one. Plus didn't we decide not to call anyone a terrorist anymore?
@JFKAY, have you read his online suicide note? he fits almost every description bucky provided. go read it and you will quickly realize how wrong you are. and who the fuck says "you are wrong" without making sure they're right first?
@J.F. Kay: So I suppose McVeigh wasn't a terrorist either, eh? I'd be all fine with putting this asshole in court in downtown where ever. Problem is, he's dead, Jim.
Ouch
Anyone consider his complaints valid?
I don't think he was a "terrorist". A terrorist is typically someone who uses violence or the threat of violence against civilians to coerce the government into political concessions. Like, for example, terrorists in the 1980's would hijack a plane and make demands. Joseph Stack wasn't making any demands, because he's dead and he's not working with anyone else. He left behind a manifesto and the attack gave it publicity, but there's no ongoing threat from him because he's already dead, so it's not terrorism.
The 9/11 attackers can really only be considered terrorists as far as they're part of a larger group that is threatening to make further attacks if their political demands aren't met.
@ Prince of Persia, I feel you, but I think this guy may have thought of himself as some kind of TeaBagging Martyr, sorta like a terrorist.
I don't know about martyr. I think he's just pissed off about getting taxed and laid off. He's more like the guy in that film, Falling Down.
prince, firstly your use of the "falling down" refernce is spot on, he's a lot like that guy. but i do have some issues with your post: so if the 9/11 attackers worked independently they would not be considered terrorists? i don't fully understand your logic but I hope you'll explain a little more. this guy was obviously trying to coerce and incite fear in the govt and/or civilians, he says so in the last paragraph of his manifesto. i kind of agree with Brian, only bc i feel HE thought he was going to be a martyr in this giant uprising. i also agree with my mom, this motherfucker obviously just needed to get his dick sucked.
@lee harvey
No need to curse or assume bud- I did read it and it seemed to me like he is a guy who fucked himself over with the IRS(bad move), blew a fuse (or all of them) and decided he was going to do something batshiat crazy. His letter has a let me tell you a real human story quality to it, except that he is a crazy human who won't take the blame for his situation. He also calls for all to revolt because of his tax problems. He was deeeelusional, I and probably most of you pay taxes as that keeps this thing we call America going, and we are not mad at America for paying up. I like streetlights, social safety nets, etc., it makes things better for all of us. He screwed up and wants to blame it on anybody he can – the greedy capitalists, the IRS and even his own accountant, then the pressure got to be too much and he came up with a plan, not a good plan, but a plan. I am still right about this.
@ heldover
You are comparing apples and oranges – McVeigh and those Elohim city dudes are/were terrorists with political motivation – this guy is an angry nutter. Don't go painting a picture.
Calling him a terrorist is as misguided as calling teens sending nekkid pictures to each other Child Pornographers. You can sort of fit it into the 'official' definition, but that don't make it really so. I stand by my call that he is crazy angry dude and not a terrorist.
@brian – did you used to work at Toy Tokyo?
haha sorry JFKay, i was whiskey drunk and being one those "holier than thou" asshole drunks. i really do apologize. i agree with almost all of your reply, he was certainly delusional who won't take blame for something he brought on himself. however, i'd still consider him a domestic terrorist. you make a lot of good points though, it's just something we probably won't agree on haha. and i'll be nicer from now on, i promise.
@lee
Thanks for that.
I still think it is unfair to label him a domestic terrorist because his problem with the gov was personal and real domestic terrorists problems with the gov are over ideology. It is awesome to not agree on everything – That is what makes America a great place to be and people fun to drink with.
agreed! can we also agree that "J.F. Kay and the Lee Harvey Griswalds" would have the best band t-shirts everrrrrr?
Until you just said it like that, I did not make the connection-Agreed
Are you two done sucking each other's dick?
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