I killed 12 people......

I really don't care why he did it. I would like to understand, but having the why probably won't help much. The working theory is mental illness. Which brings more questions than answers. If he was mentally ill and his parents had money and at least his mother knew there was a major problem Why did he not get help from a professional? Why did he drop out of medical school? Why did he pick a theater? Why this particular movie? Anyway lots of questions and there will be fewer answers and those answers will lead to more questions. It is going to be an endless stream of whys.

one. Terribly difficult to impossible. It's a delicate balance between protecting someone's human rights and protecting him from himself. If this didn't come on until after he turned 18, his mother could do little to nothing.

right down to booby-trapping his apartment building. We don't know what his motive was (I suspect he's deeply disturbed) but it doesn't really matter. His intent was to harm as many people as possible.

We seem unable to use the T-word when it's a white man acting alone, though.

they'd call him a terrorist.

though we will find out more in the next days

doesn't seem to fit any political motive.

But who knows?

It is a tactic that many NON MUSLIMS use as well but are called "lone gunmen" when white.

United States Law Code – the law that governs the entire country – contains a definition of terrorism embedded in its requirement that Annual Country reports on Terrorism be submitted by the Secretary of State to Congress every year. (From U.S. Code Title 22, Ch.38, Para. 2656f(d)

(d) Definitions
As used in this section—
(1) the term “international terrorism” means terrorism involving citizens or the territory of more than 1 country;
(2) the term “terrorism” means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents;
(3) the term “terrorist group” means any group, or which has significant subgroups which practice, international terrorism;
(4) the terms “territory” and “territory of the country” mean the land, waters, and airspace of the country; and
(5) the terms “terrorist sanctuary” and “sanctuary” mean an area in the territory of the country—
(A) that is used by a terrorist or terrorist organization—
(i) to carry out terrorist activities, including training, fundraising, financing, and recruitment; or
(ii) as a transit point; and
(B) the government of which expressly consents to, or with knowledge, allows, tolerates, or disregards such use of its territory and is not subject to a determination under—
(i) section 2405(j)(1)(A) of the Appendix to title 50;
(ii) section 2371 (a) of this title; or
(iii) section 2780 (d) of this title.

ter·ror·ism   
noun
1.
the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
2.
the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3.
a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

In the first use of the word it says especially (rather than exclusively)
It is nonetheless a tactic specifically used to provoke a state of fear or submission.


But I understand where you are coming from.

tactic  

noun
1.
tactics ( def. 1 ) .
2.
a system or a detail of tactics.
3.
a plan, procedure, or expedient for promoting a desired end or result.

tac·tics 
noun
1.
( usually used with a singular verb ) the art or science of disposing military or naval forces for battle and maneuvering them in battle.
2.
( used with a plural verb ) the maneuvers themselves.
3.
( used with a singular verb ) any mode of procedure for gaining advantage or success.
4.
( usually used with a singular verb ) Linguistics .
a.
the patterns in which the elements of a given level or stratum in a language may combine to form larger constructions.
b.
the study and description of such patterns.


While he certainly terrorized his victims during the commission of his crime, unless you can demonstrate that he had a goal to achieve some greater end, his crime does not rise to the level of terrorism, but is an act of random mass violence. It may be that a manifesto or other evidence may yet be uncovered, however.

the mentally ill are not "terrorists." They aren't thinking anything through or trying to gain political advantage.

It's like "terrorist" is the latest bad word and every bad actor must be labelled with it or they aren't bad enough. That's silly.

We don't have to call this guy a terrorist. It isn't necessary to make him guilty of killing 12 people.

this guy didnt have a strategy beyond killing a whole bunch of random innocent people.

edit. thats why its possible to speak of that breivik character as a terrorist, since there was a discernable strategy behind his actions.

home grown terrorist in history in terms of the scale of his crime.

him had he been anything other than who he is.

I understand what you are saying, but it wouldn't bring back the people who have died, or the people who are hurt.

People are going to have their prejudices regardless. And people are going to kill for reasons that often not even they can explain.

- violent acts used as intimidation to achieve a specific goal or agenda.

I agree that his method was terrorist-like but he's not a terrorist until we known his reason. Right now he's just insane.

to have been Muslim the msm or at least the reactionary elements in it would call him a terrorist. As surely as the sun comes up in the east.

Whatever you think a terrorist is, they usually have an ultimate political goal.

At this point, we don't know anything about the motive.

The Army still does not refer to Major Hassan as a terrorist and he reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar!" before he opened fire on the soldiers at Fort Hood, killing 13 people and wounding 29 others. Does this disprove your hypothesis?

He's a muslim, and surprise, was also a Doc. NOw that I think about it, Anwar al-Alauqi pursued a PhD in Human Resource Development at George Washington University Graduate School of Education & Human Development. Perhaps higher education is the root of this evil?

Sarcasm aside, the title of 'terrorist' or 'crazed lone wolf white man' is one thrust upon an individual after an event and most certainly out after much gnashing of teeth and political sensitivity considerations. PC rules the day yet again.

Ethereal1

Anyone -- for reasons political or fantastical -- who murders 12 people and counting, and wounds many dozens more, IS a terrorist in my mind.

Terrorism implies religious or political motive.

he would have never made it to the police station.

He wouldn't have made it out of the parking lot alive.

I wasn't logged in when I first clicked on this OP (had just done my daily cookie clearing) and the ad in the right hand corner wanted me to:

Advance Your Military Career With An MBA!" complete with a guy in camo holding a gun.