On this day 9 years ago A huge car bomb exploded at a government building in Oklahoma City killing at least 80 people including 17 children attending a nursery there. There are at least 100 people injured and the death toll is expected to rise.
In an emotional speech, President Bill Clinton vowed “swift, certain and severe” punishment for those behind the atrocity.
“The United States will not tolerate and I will not allow the people of this country to be intimidated by evil cowards,” he said at a White House press conference this evening.
The building housed a children’s nursery on the second floor as well as social security, customs, agriculture and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
The State Department would not discuss the possibility of this being a terrorist attack but the FBI and Oklahoma police put out an alert for three men believed to be of Middle Eastern origin driving a brown Chevrolet pick-up truck.
Not a terrorist attack by Crazy Americans or Fanatical Christians according to the American Government and media.
See the contrast how the entire muslim population is labelled as bomb makers and terrorists while the westerners who commit acts of genocide and murder are called one offs and isolated incidents and the entire western society and its culture is not blamed even with serial killers and school killers like columbine high running around!
. That is what you call hypocrisy by the West!
the clear difference is that McVeigh didn't commit this heinous terrorist act in the name of God or on behalf of people who share his religion. Further, mainstream christian in no way empathized with the reasons he had for commiting his crime, by saying that "perhaps the US should rethink it's policies"
Is this that difficult for you to understand, even through the radical islamic bias haze?
I agree, with the lone (but important) exception that they don't claim to act in the name of God or for th eglory of God, or on behalf of people who share their religion.
I'm sure you'd agree Fraudia, that this is what american's find the most unbelievable.
This Oklahoma bombing is a terrorist act linked to cult christian group in waco which was based in religion even being linked with religion or not is not the main point.
the hypocrisy of west is clear you label one set of people terrorists and fanatics and blame entire population of muslims and islam on other hand when another bombings takes place by people who happen to be westerners it labelled as isolated incident you do not blame the whole culture or ideology of capitalism for these problems what a clear case of hypocrisy and generalisation of people bordering on ignorance and racism!
Just because McVeigh did not emphasise his religious justification in no way makes his terrorist outrage any less shocking, does it? There are plenty of home grown terrorists in America…
Among a terrifying arsenal of guns, bullets and bombs, the FBI found a chemical cyanide bomb
Now right-wing militia groups in the USA have 250,000 members and sympathisers. God knows how many of these people who hate and are taught to hate the US government, have cyanide bombs or even worse in their massive weapons arsenals?
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*Originally posted by ak47: *
This Oklahoma bombing is a terrorist act linked to cult christian group in waco which was based in religion even being linked with religion or not is not the main point.
the hypocrisy of west is clear you label one set of people terrorists and fanatics and blame entire population of muslims and islam on other hand when another bombings takes place by people who happen to be westerners it labelled as isolated incident you do not blame the whole culture or ideology of capitalism for these problems what a clear case of hypocrisy and generalisation of people bordering on ignorance and racism!
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To the contrary, the Oklahoma bombing case points out clearly and concisely a huge difference in how we view and react to terrorists in our midst versus how Arab and Muslim cultures seem to view them. In America, you do not hear the young, educated, average joe, middle class, etc. excusing or mitigating terrorist acts by saying we must understand the root causes of what drove McVeigh to murder innocents. We do not wring our hands wondering what policies we must change to pacify the McVeigh type nut jobs. We do not "understand" the motivations of the killer. We don't ask what nationaility, race, religion, ethnicity, etc. were the victims before we condemn the action. We expect that they will be arrested and put to death like the dogs they are.
The same attitudes would be refreshing and welcome if we heard them from the Arab and Muslim masses when the terrorists are Arab and/or Muslim and the victims are American and/or Jews. Heck, forget about the Arab and Muslim masses, the same attitudes would be refreshing and welcome if expressed in GS a little more frequently.
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*Originally posted by Stu: *
I'm sure you'd agree Fraudia, that this is what american's find the most unbelievable.
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Stu
from what I know many of the racist/skinhead/neo-nazi type militias also use religion to justify their stance and actions.
this is also not the first time in history where religion has been twisted by some to carry out their inhumane activities against others so I dont find it unbelievable, its sad, bad and disturbing but there is enough of it in humankind's past for people to know that much lameness has taken place in the name of god or supposedly for the glory of god thorughout our recorded history.
Unbelievable would be if martians who had been hibernating in major volcanos appear tomorrow at tea time and turn all residents of burkina faso and burundi into parrots..that would be unbelievable.
Re religious nuts: In America the biggest extreme right-wing religious movement is called Christian Identity.. some really insane s— there. I don’t recall if McVeigh was a follower though? I’m pretty sure Nichols was.
I’ve gotta second MV’s comments on the reactions. :k:
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from what I know many of the racist/skinhead/neo-nazi type militias also use religion to justify their stance and actions
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and since when to mainstream/moderate christians empathize with these wackos and say "perhaps the US should re-think it's policies?
and, btw, the implausible yet amusing parrot scenario you laid out is no more bizarre than some of the stories in christianity, judaism and Islam. One unfortunate truth is that fundamentalists take them as factual events instead of thinking for themselves.
so american brutal policies are now justified because terrorists hate them? just because some people fight back it does not mean that wrong is right. america is still the worst voilator of human rights, and when people fight back we get that we must reject terrorism at all costs. yes, we must reject terrorism, and including american terrorism. infact, american terrorism must be stopped by all people, not just muslims. if i were a vietnamese, i sure would have resentment against americans. come out of your pathetic bubble worlds of mtv and cnn, and look at how american foriegn policies have spread terror and hatred since ww2. if american people will not take responsibility for the actions of their own government and stop its terror march then so be it, we, the muslims will stop it inshallah.
*and since when to mainstream/moderate christians empathize with these wackos and say "perhaps the US should re-think it's policies? *
Stu, i dont know, look back at the history and see how things went unchecked and how mainstream/moderate whites could not care less.
just for kicks read the history of teh klan and wide support it enjoyed, and the support from all parts of society it still enjoys lesser now,a nd less visible, but it exists because it has its sympathizers.
talk to people now and see how they think that some of these groups "have a point" .. I know people like that...maybe thats cuz I was in small town Kansas for sometime.
looking back at history, there were enough atrocities in the name of religion.
Now as far as people saying perhaps Us should rethink its policies, does not autmoatically mean they are pals with extremists. In my view extremists are horrible people, however, US policy is not well balanced either. I think Us should rethink its policies, but have no empathy for the extremists.
*and, btw, the implausible yet amusing parrot scenario you laid out is no more bizarre than some of the stories in christianity, judaism and Islam. One unfortunate truth is that fundamentalists take them as factual events instead of thinking for themselves. *
sure... immaculate conception, parting of river nile, obtaining ten commandments, trip to heaven. they all seem bizarre and impossible if you look at it from a logic-only perspective. anyways, this is not a religious discussion so why bother.
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if american people will not take responsibility for the actions of their own government and stop its terror march then so be it, we, the muslims will stop it inshallah.
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ThandyMazaq: Oh really, I think now would be a good time to start a chant of SCOREBOARD, SCOREBOARD, SCOREBOARD. Last time I checked, there were no countries anywhere near the US in any criteria: economical, technological, military or otherwise. How are muslims faring of late? How, exactly, are muslims stopping the US, and how is God helping?
Fraudia: do you really want or need to follow the tactics of the Islamists
on these boards and bring up the US' (many) historical sins in an attempt to make a point?
My point is that 99% of americans have no sympathy whatsoever with McVeigh and abhor the terrorist acts he committed, whereas a majority of muslims worldwide place more blame for the attacks committed by muslims on the US policies than with suicide bombers who are targeting civilians.
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What do the right-wing militia groups stand for then? Why would some of their members be building cyanide bombs, that could kill so, so many people?
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Much like yourself, McVeighs "domestic terrorist" group and others like it have a beef with the federal gov't and its policies, albeit domestic instead of foreign ones. They are anarchist types that don't like authority figures of any type.
*McVeighs "domestic terrorist" group and others like it have a beef with the federal gov't and its policies, albeit domestic instead of foreign ones. They are anarchist types that don't like authority figures of any type. *
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But are they not armed to the teeth, comparable to terrorists the world over? I mean these people are so determined that they build cyanide bombs, that can probably kill many thousands, if not worse.
But are they not armed to the teeth, comparable to terrorists the world over? I mean these people are so determined that they build cyanide bombs, that can probably kill many thousands, if not worse.
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Right now there are those pushing for an American MI5 . You have many in the Bush administration backing your assessment Malik.
The difference between American terrorists and so many others* is that in America the nutcases don't have the benefit of legitimate institutions supporting them or their ideology. There are no national news outlets in America that excuse the terrorists' actions, none who rail against the terrorists opponents for being too harsh/not understanding enough/whatever. There are a few politicians who pander to them, but those politicians are quickly shut up and shunned by their peers. People don't riot when a racist is killed by authorities. No one lobbies the UN on their behalf. ... ad nauseam.
*..and no I'm not singling out Muslim ones, look to africa, asia and, once upon a time, europe for more.
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But are they not armed to the teeth, comparable to terrorists the world over? I mean these people are so determined that they build cyanide bombs, that can probably kill many thousands, if not worse.
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I'm sure some of them are, but they aren't going around blowing up buildings and train stations. If they were, rest assured that the gov't would be hunting them down and imprisoning or killing them like they did w/McVeigh, and like theyre doing with Al Qaeda.
I'm sure some of them are, but they aren't going around blowing up buildings and train stations.
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So it's ok for home grown American terrorist groups to possess the same sort of armory and technology that only terrorists would procure, as long as they don't use them? Only when then do a McVeigh and kill hundreds, if not thousands would the US government take action?