Gee I feel slighted by DHS

[evmori]

Timothy McVeigh wasn't a terrorist! He was a disillusioned, angry man. There is a difference.

[Vicki]

Ed, the dictionary defines a terrorist as, "one who engages in acts of terrorism." It then defines terrorism as, "The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons."

 

According to reports at the time, he did it "as revenge or to inspire revolt against what he considered a tyrannical federal government." (Quote from Wikipedia, not always 100% reliable but this jibes with what I remember.) Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist.

 

Vicki

(This message has been edited by Vicki)

[OldGreyEagle]

I agree that Timothey McVeigh was a terrorist, as was the Unabomber, and perhaps a few others. Including of course the guy who bombed the Pentagon and commented later one of his regrets was that he didn't do more damage, or words to the effect of that. Can't remember right now who he is or who is in his ring of friends.

 

I should have some distinctive moniker, I will have to work on it

 

 

[erickelly65]

Did you mean William Ayers of the Weather Underground?

[evmori]

OK technically he's a terrorist. And technically NOW and PETA are also terrorists!

[Gunny2862]

So,

does that mean the ACLU and their extensive Legal team are also terrorists?

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

William Ayers, thats the guy, an admitted bomber of Federal buildings. I knew I would recognize his name. It was in the news recently, seems some guy he knows was running for office and the questin was would association with an admitted terrorist hurt this guys chances. Lost track of things unfortunately

[Vicki]

Gunny, last I checked the ACLU wasn't using "unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence" so I assume your question was posed tongue in cheek.

 

Ed, it's all a matter of degree. Technically, yes, but I certainly wouldn't compare PETA or NOW (or any similar organization on the right hand side of the spectrum, but I can't think of any by name right now) to Timothy McVeigh, which you seem to be doing. Actually, in terms of death and destruction, we haven't had any domestic terrorists on the order of Timothy McVeigh.

 

But yes, a terrorist is a terrorist no matter where they are on the ideological spectrum.

 

Vicki

[Gunny2862]

well,...

It WAS TIQ, but, the quotations made me think that the Server showing up with the Writ, Subpoena, or Notice of Suit is, however legal, still the threat or use of force..., is it not?

Wouldn't MOST people feel as though they were under attack when served?

[Vicki]

Gunny, I've had the dubious honor of being the corporate agent responsible for accepting various things from process servers (e.g., a writ of garnishment, notice of audit, or subpoena). It never once occurred to me to think of them as terrorists.

 

Something about the legal part of the definition.

 

Vicki

[evmori]

I've always said the ACLU is neither civil or American.

[skeptic]

Our most challenging problem with Terrorism is dealing with our national "Gang" issues. Call them "gangbangers", or whatever; but they are "Terrorists" as far as I am concerned. And, in most of the larger cities they have links to the drug cartels and so on. We live in fear of another "911", yet we seem almost willing to accept the gangs. Makes little sense to me. Then, I am old and set in my ways; and I think simple respect for others, and common sense should be enough.

[SR540Beaver]

skeptic,

 

A gang would fall more in line with the definition of a pirate which uses terror for monetary gain. "Terrorists" use terror for political purposes.

 

Ed,

 

Timothy McVeigh's driving factor was political. He isn't technically a terrorist, he is a full fledged terrorist who like many terrorists, woefully miscalculated the effects of his actions and paid the ultimate price for it. Also, the ACLU serves a worthy purpose as they work to make sure our constitutional rights are guaranteed across the board to all people.

[John-in-KC]

You mean William Ayers, friend, neighbor, fund raiser and fellow board member of Barack Obama?

 

I listened to "On Point" from NPR this morning. There was some George Washington University Law Professor claiming that because the CIA officers listened to Justice Department advice, they were guilty of war crimes not for what they did necessarily, but because they associated with bureaucrats who should have known better.

 

If it works for them, it works for him too.

[scoutldr]

"The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons."

 

Hmmmm...if it weren't for terrorists in 1776, we'd all be writing with a funny accent like Eamonn. Oh...gotta go...time for afternoon tea.