<p>
Exactly! Or it could be terrorism of a very personal sort.</p>
<p>Personally, I always think of acts designed to harm or kill many innocent people as acts of terror. There have been something like 17 disrupted plots in NYC since 9/11 and they have been very different, so I can totally see the “terrorism” umbrella being pretty large. Which is why I don’t automatically assume that the word refers to Muslims or white supremacists.</p>
<p>After being criticized Monday night for not alluding to terrorism while discussing the Boston Marathon bombings, President Obama inched closer in that direction in a press conference Tuesday afternoon, saying, “Any time bombs are used to target innocent civilians, it is an act of terror.” He invoked the word several other times, saying that the “FBI is investigating this as an act of terror” and asserting that “the American people refused to be terrorized.” He did not provide any further details on who, specifically, was behind the attacks, instead reassuring that “we will find whoever harmed our citizens and bring them to justice.”</p>
<p>Yes but investigating doesn’t equate to calling it an act of terrorism. That’s where some draw false or premature conclusions and it spins out of control.</p>
<p>Have there been non-ideological bombings? Certainly, some mass shootings seem to be from purely personal motives.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Well, killing small groups or even tageted individuals and institutions fall into the definition of terrorism for me. The 1963 Birmingham black church bombing, targeting abortion providers, the actions of the SLA and Weathermen groups, the JDL murders, etc. all are intended to send a message beyond the death of the person or persons killed, which is the way I define terrorism.</p>
<p>Go to wikipedia and look at “Terrorism in the United States” and “Domestic Terrorism in the United States.” I think you will see that homegrown terrorism has always been with us.</p>
<p>
You’re totally right. I think homegrown is still terrorism. I don’t think the use of the word, at least not for me, is a reflection of anyone’s views of Muslims. The Weather Underground people were terrorists, IMO.</p>
<p>non-ideological bombings? Perhaps.</p>
<p>1951-56: George Metesky, a former Consolidated Edison employee with a grudge against the company, sets off a series of blasts at New York landmarks, including Grand Central station and Radio City Music Hall. No one is killed. Known as The Mad Bomber, Metesky spends 16 years in a mental hospital.</p>
<p>That’s right, the Mad Bomber–I forgot about him. I guess it’s debatable whether those were terrorist acts or not.</p>
<p>lookingforward - the police presence at the marathon is significant, as is the number of medical staff on hand. In this case, it turned out to be a real blessing. There is a large medical tent area near the finish line, where staff assists runners as they complete the race. Most victims were carried to those tents, where there was on-site triage by those most competent to do so, which allowed those with the greatest need to be sent to the hospitals first, and some form of treatment to begin on site. In many cases, immediate care will be the difference bot only between life and death, but also in being able to save limbs. For those who faced amputation, many would not have even lived, without someone getting to them quickly and preventing significant blood loss. </p>
<p>Whoever did this obviously wanted a great impact, and wanted it to be seen (knowing scenes from the finish line would be televised), but that also meant being where medical help was immediately available. I can’t imagine the impact if it had happened somewhere in the middle of the route - less visible impact, smaller crowds (except in some areas), but also a delay in getting help to the victims.</p>
<p>Hunt–Andrew Kehoe may be another non-ideological bomber</p>
<p>The Bath School disaster consisted of three explosions detonated by Kehoe on May 18, 1927 in Bath Township, Michigan, which killed 45 people (including Kehoe) and injured at least 58. Most of the victims were children in the second to sixth grades (7–12 years of age) attending the Bath Consolidated School. </p>
<p>Between May 16, when she returned home from a hospital stay, and the morning of May 18, Kehoe killed his wife and moved her body to a farm building before setting off incendiary explosions in their house and farm buildings. </p>
<p>About the same time, an explosion, detonated by a timer, occurred in the north wing of the school building killing many of the children and the few adults inside. Kehoe had set a timed detonator to ignite dynamite and hundreds of pounds of pyrotol at the school, which he had secretly bought and planted in the basement of both wings over the course of many months. The second 500 pounds of explosive, in the south wing, did not detonate, so part of the school was not destroyed.</p>
<p>As rescuers started gathering at the school, Kehoe drove up, stopped, and detonated dynamite by shooting his rifle inside his shrapnel-filled truck, killing himself and the school superintendent, as well as killing and injuring several others, including a boy who had survived the school bomb. During the rescue efforts, searchers discovered an additional 500 pounds of unexploded dynamite and pyrotol planted throughout the basement of the school’s south wing, connected to an alarm clock that was supposed to act as the detonator and set for the same time that morning of the two other explosions.</p>
<p>After the bombings, investigators found a wooden sign wired to the farm’s fence with Kehoe’s last message, “Criminals are made, not born,” written on it.</p>
<p>Kehoe had been defeated in his attempted re-election to the School Board the year before. Kehoe’s wife had cronic TB (non curable at the time) and the bank was foreclosing on his farm.</p>
<p>When I got the news yesterday afternoon, I immediately called my daughter who lives in the area ( since she didn’t answer my text ) When I got thru on the phone, the voice on the other end told me " I am on running on the bridge going into Cambridge " I heard panic in the voice, and mayhem in the background…then the phone went dead "
I was terrified and hysterical .</p>
<p>It wasn’t until this morning when I finally talked to her on the phone that I found out that this WASN’T my daughter at all…she was safe and sound in her apartment.</p>
<p>How that happened, I have no clue.
I also feel terrible for not remaining composed for my 16 year old daughter</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Wikipedia says that Malvo said that Muhammad’s plans were a multi-phase terror plot. I think the ex-wife is speculation- there were way more attacks than necessary if wife was the target.</p>
<p>Lje62,
So you called your daughters number but someone else answered?
I would probably freak too.
But it sounds like you were human.
Its a good lesson for both you and your daughter to get more information before choosing how to react. ( that didn’t come out like I meant it- I just mean that this is good information to have & may be helpful someday)
We have to carve meaning out of meaningless events where we can, or " they" win.</p>
<p>@emeraldkity , yes …I dialed her number ( well not a dial but just pressing the pre-programmed number for her ) and got someone else…on another phone, not hers.</p>
<p>My sister told me that she saw a report on the local Boston news that calls were going to random numbers so I assume that in all of the mayhem, someone else got my call . It was not a clear call at all and disconnected.
We were only able to communicate via text until this morning.</p>
<p>She didn’t understand why I reacted so strongly until I told her about the call.</p>
<p>I just got an alert that American Airlines grounded their flights.</p>
<p>I’m still haunted by the awful photo of the young man in the wheel chair who lost both his legs. I wish I knew that he was okay. I know that sounds silly because he obviously isn’t okay, but I hope you know what I mean.</p>
<p>romani, the AA issue is being reported as a computer problem with their system.</p>
<p>alwaysamom, something about that young man really touched me too. It is a surreal image, that he is sitting up and conscious, though obviously stunned, is amazing.</p>
<p>Thanks, always. I’m on my phone and mobile sites suck sometimes.</p>
<p>lje–how awful for you to have been so worried</p>
<p><a href=“Second Boston Marathon victim identified: Krystle Campbell”>Second Boston Marathon victim identified: Krystle Campbell;
<p>Cheryl Rand Engelhardt, Karen Rand’s sister-in-law, wrote on Facebook that Krystle’s parents at first believed that Karen was their daughter, and that she had survived the attack, because Karen was carrying Krystle’s ID. Krystle’s family was finally ushered into Karen’s hospital room after one of her leg surgeries by hospital staff, only to discover their daughter’s friend instead of Krystle. Krystle was then declared missing, and the family found out on Tuesday she was among the dead.</p>
<p>this is just heartbreaking. prayers to these bereft families…and to those injured who will be changed forever…</p>
<p>I agree alwaysamom and electronblue. I’m haunted by it to. I keep looking at the expression on his face. I know it’s shock, but he looks so calm. I just want to know he’s okay, which I think means I want an update on his condition.</p>
<p>I found a story about the man in the cowboy hat that helped this man get help. I would post the link, but it appears to be on a blog, even though I found the link on Newsweek. It’s called “The Boston Cowboy”.</p>