[ladysycamore]

Originally posted by Nic Name
CNN reports:

A note written by the 15-year-old boy who crashed a Cessna into a Tampa office building Saturday indicated he supported Osama bin Laden and that the act was deliberate, authorities said Sunday. The note, which was found in the wreckage of the plane, "clearly stated that he had acted alone, without any help from anyone else," Tampa Police Chief Bennie Holder said. "He did, however, make statements expressing his sympathy for Osama bin Laden and the events which occurred September 11, 2001."

Undoubtedly, it was no accident that the target building was the Bank of America Building.

After learning that he had sympathetic feelings for bin Laden, I would agree with that statement. I keep hearing that he was so "troubled", but no one saw this coming. Too crazy...


In my opinion, this is an act of terrorism, even though the authorities are trying to characterize it as a "suicide" at this time.

Well, if I were to go by this definition:

Main Entry: ter·ror·ism
Pronunciation: 'ter-&r-"i-z&m
Function: noun
Date: 1795
: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion

then I'm not sure if I'd call it terrorism. BUT, if one is to go by the link that you provided, then maybe...

Is the American government, or the public, able to cope with cases of domestic terrorism, at this time?

IMO, the American Gov't. and the public has never been able to cope with cases of domestic terrorism well. The KKK, Neo-Nazi skinheads and all of those idiots are TERRORISTS, and they continue to exist. Hell, for that matter, I'd consider corrupt police as terrorists: they CERTAINLY have used terror to coerce (racial profiling, pulling over women and then attacking and sexually assaulting them, etc.).

Would the characterization be different if the suicide pilot were middle eastern, even if acting alone?

You and I both know that it would. The pilot wouldn't have been "troubled", he would have been a sick bastard, dirty towelhead, ignorant sandn**gger, and so forth. And God forbid had the pilot been 'black': "There they go again. Them black folk are always doing something stupid". Trust me: I've heard that more times than I can count. And let's not forget about the immediate and deliberate profiling that would occur afterwards. In THIS situation however, that won't happen, because heaven forbid, whites can not be profiled in such a manner (Is anyone watching the future Timothy McVeighs in this country? I doubt that the watch is not as hard and as focused as the watch is on people of color). Welcome to America.


It'll be interesting to see what will come from all of this over time.