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Domestic terrorism is real threat

Three people were killed and nine were injured in a shooting Friday in the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood, by a man identified as Robert L. Dear. While almost every news outlet covered the tragic event, not many called it what it is: domestic terrorism.

According to the United States Patriot Act, domestic terrorism is defined by three characteristics. The first is described as acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state laws. Secondly, they seem to intimidate or coerce the civilian population, influence government policy through intimidation or coercion or affect the conduct of a government through mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Finally, the act must happen primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

Dear allegedly walked into Planned Parenthood with a semi-automatic rifle and later told an investigator “no more baby parts.” This ticks off every requirement to be classified as domestic terrorism. However, people do not want to call it that, and this is not the first time something like this has happened.

Over the summer, many people, including the FBI, hesitated to call Charleston church shooter Dylan Roof a terrorist even though what he did, and his motivations behind the act, also meet the criteria for domestic terrorism. He had a manifesto and CNN reported that Roof wanted to start a race war.

It should go without saying that not every Muslim is a terrorist. Just the same, not every terrorist is a Muslim.

The public violence of Dear, fueled by his extreme Christian beliefs, should be called what it is: terrorism.

One out of every five Planned Parenthood facilities in the United States has been the target of violence and vandalism. Most of these attacks have been meant to fight abortion, even though that is only a small part of the services Planned Parenthood offers.

Since 9/11, Americans have been taught terrorism can only happen if certain people in the name of religion commit it, these people mainly being Muslims. While Syrian refugees are trying to flee terrorism and enter the United States, many Americans fear they will pose a terrorist threat of their own.

Instead of only focusing on the threat of incoming refugees, who go through extensive background checks, and demonizing Muslims who already live here, Americans should accept that the most imminent threat of terrorism comes from other non-Muslim Americans.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

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