Terrorist shooting in France vs NAACP Bombing in Colorado: Which is more relevant to the USA?

[MrScorpio]

http://mic.com/articles/107884/an-naacp-office-was-bombed-on-tuesday-so-why-did-it-take-so-long-for-anyone-to-care?utm_source=policymicTBLR&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=social

39 votes, 3 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Terrorist Shooting In France
	12 (31%)
	Terrorist Bombing In Colorado Of NAACP Office
	27 (69%)
	3 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[2naSalit]

1. But, but, but...

White people aren't terissts...

[Maedhros]

28. The last time white people were considered "Terrorists",

was when the Nazis applied that label to the French Resistance.

[Bluenorthwest]

67. The Irish would beg to differ with that assertion....

nt

[Maedhros]

72. Ah. Good point. [n/t]

[NOLALady]

105. There was a time in this country when the Irish were not

classed as white.

[Fred Sanders]

78. I recall a certain ex-Croatian President being prosecuted by the ICC....

[Nye Bevan]

2. If anyone had been injured or killed by the bomb my vote might have been different (nt)

[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. The one that killed 12 people is probably more important than the one that killed none.

Especially given that the Charlie Hebdo attack was allegedly perpetrated by Al Quaeda in Yemen, and if so it can't be dismissed as just French people killing French people.

[Fred Sanders]

7. Strange why no one has taken responsibility...upcoming shortly I expect.

Video, with Arabic shouting by shooters or French, not sure....reports are they spoke fluent French.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/world/europe/charlie-hebdo-paris-shooting.html

[Donald Ian Rankin]

15. Apparently the gunmen claimed to be AQ from Yemen.

Of course, that doesn't prove they were, but it's the way I'd bet.

[Fred Sanders]

17. Any link, I have no information they said anything like that....? That is speculation, but there is

evidence they shouted out in fluent French.

Although we are going off-topic on the thread.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

18. Here's a list of links.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=charlie+hebdo+yemen

[Fred Sanders]

23. Yes, there was one witness who says that, and also after to others, thanks for the links.

"Earlier today, masked gunmen armed with automatic rifles were heard shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ - God is greatest - as they stormed the office.

They fired indiscriminately, killing ten staff and two police officers - and the gunman reportedly told a witness: 'You say to the media, it was Al Qaeda in Yemen.'"

A massive manhunt was tonight underway, while the black Citroen hatchback the attackers used to flee the scene has been found and is being combed by forensic investigators.

.................


"Two terrorists shouted that they were from al Qaeda in the Yemen before they launched the brutal attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

Cédric Le Béchec, a 33-year-old estate agent who witnessed the attack on the satirical magazine, said the men told bystanders to inform the media that they were from the terror group.

He said that the men arrived in a black car, stopping in the middle of the street. One of them was carrying a rocket-propelled grenade. They were dressed in black military-style clothing.

Mr Le Béchec said that before launching the assault, the attackers approached another man in the street saying, “Tell the media that this is al-Qaeda in the Yemen.”

[4139]

4. 12 murdered... The bomb was outside the barbershop

And may or may not have been targeting the NAACP

[Yo_Mama]

57. I was going to point that out - thank you for doing it.

It might have been aimed somewhere else.

I'm guessing that it was a racist thing, but that's just a guess.

[4139]

61. Bomber may have confused the placement... Great pic of the location:

At this story!
http://m.gazette.com/report-fbi-says-naacp-explosion-in-colorado-springs-could-be-domestic-terrorism/article/1544189


If you look at the pic in the story you can see it possible the bomber just placed the device at the wrong end of he building

[Sopkoviak]

5. Well, being that I'm an old white guy, and someone just posted how

"It's very annoying how the #NAACPbombing is being fawned over by non-Black people"

I'll go with the French deal being more relevant to me.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/118711714

[MrScorpio]

9. Yeah, I take it that you completely missed the point of that entire article...

So be it.

[upaloopa]

34. I followed the link to that thread and don't

know what to make of it. I think it says that there us something wrong with White people's response to the NAACP bombing and this one says there is something wrong if White folks don't rate it higher than the French killings.
Right?

[Fred Sanders]

6. No one has claimed responsibility for either of these terrorist attacks yet?

[NaturalHigh]

8. I have to go with the one that killed a bunch of people...

and has an entire city on lockdown and a nation on its highest terror alert.

[1StrongBlackMan]

41. Please explain how ...

that is more relevant to the USA?

[NaturalHigh]

45. Simply my opinion, and I don't care to argue about it.

Thanks kindly.

[1StrongBlackMan]

50. Don't want to argue either ...

Just asked for an explanation (i.e., an idea how you are thinking).

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

59. I believe the attack in the U.S. should be

treated like a terrorist attack. If not, it will certainly be charged as a hate crime. And I do agree that it should be covered more in the media, but the French attack killed 12 people.

The French expressed their solidarity with the U.S. after 9/11, so I would hope that they get the sense across the pond that we feel the same about them right now.

For the record, I voted "other."

[Jamastiene]

10. OMG!

I just woke up. I heard about the France shootings then saw your post just now. I had no idea a NAACP office was bombed in America too. It is just awful. How come I didn't hear about the NAACP bombing until I saw your thread?

All of this violence and hate...when will the horror end?

[LanternWaste]

11. Seeing as how the NAACP bombing directly illustrates the culture I live in

Seeing as how the NAACP bombing directly illustrates both the culture and its imaginary divisions that I live in, I'm compelled to believe that it's much more relevant (which is a wholly different concept than 'importance'), both directly and indirectly to me and mine.

[geardaddy]

16. ^this

[Hutzpa]

12. Home grown terrorist should have made the news today

but the media is ignoring it which imo is a deliberate ploy to cover up the actions of those responsible.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

13. I realize that this answer makes me some kind of third-wayer/DINO/useless middle-of-the-roader

Both matter equally, as both represent attacks by extremists against organizations that promote (in very different ways) freedom.

Having said that, your point is well taken.

[msongs]

14. they are both relevant, it's not an either/or IMO nt

[MohRokTah]

19. Both are relevant in different ways.

So I took a pass.

[sarisataka]

20. The NAACP bombing is clearly

more relevant.

Which in no way reduces the importance or horror of the Paris shooting

[MrScorpio]

22. Of course, that wasn't the point of my OP at all...

As I'm sure you know. Of course, the attack in France is newsworthy.

However, in comparison, it's amazing that a recent terrorist attack ON US SOIL seems to be so IRRELEVANT to the US media.

[sarisataka]

24. Completely agree

I was spelling it out for those who are context challenged.

I am trying to come up with the word to describe the US media response to the NAACP bombing. It falls somewhere between shameful and criminal but I can't think of anything polite enough to use in public.

[randome]

26. No one was brutally slaughtered in the NAACP bombing.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game. -Existenz[/center][/font][hr]

[JaneyVee]

39. No, but today 30-40 people will be killed by guns in the US and...

The media probably won't report that either.

[randome]

42. No, they won't. And they should.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]

[freshwest]

98. And there is there is the one in GA not getting much attention.

One might suggest that the difference is a matter of hue. The images of the French shooters are not Caucasian.

But the guys in GA are. So the guy who is alleged to be the bomber in Colorado.

The NAACP is not Caucasian.

It's complicated, but do the math. American media is racist to the core. It's seeped into the American conscious.

This is not new, and it's getting even older than before.

Just sayin'

[MohRokTah]

32. I took the posted poll at face value.

Had mention been made in the OP about the media response to the two attacks, then clearly my response to the poll would have been different.

[TheKentuckian]

21. I'll take events in our own fucking country for a thousand, Alex.

[randome]

25. Both. It's an interconnected world.

But France comes first because...French fries.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You have to play the game to find out why you're playing the game. -Existenz[/center][/font][hr]

[jeff47]

37. French fries are from Belgium. (nt)

[randome]

43. YOU DARE TO TAKE ME SERIOUSLY????

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]

[jeff47]

75. Nope, just being a smart ass. (nt)

[Lurks Often]

27. Colorado was likely a single whack job, Paris was done by trained, organized people

The whack job in Colorado was unsuccessful in his attack, whether it was the barber shop or the NAACP office, will likely be caught in the next several days, was likely an amateur and likely acted alone.

The two in Paris were well trained, the attack plan and escape plan were well thought out and done, may not even be in France anymore, they likely have additional adherents, financial support and other support from people both in France and other countries. These are people capable of, in theory, of committing similar attacks across the U.S. on a frequent basis until caught.

[1StrongBlackMan]

51. Yes ...

These attacks on American soil are all merely a series of individual, and unconnected, lone wolf attacks.

[bravenak]

52. +1

[1StrongBlackMan]

56. I could have sworn I saw DU scoffing at that ...

excuse explanation, just a few months ago.

[bravenak]

63. But, that was different!!! Way more different than possible. So different.nt

[Lurks Often]

73. I didn't say ALL attacks on American soil are unconnected

merely that this one probably is and I'll continue to think that until I see evidence otherwise.

[KingCharlemagne]

93. Funny how the ascent of a white supremacist to the #3 spot in the majority

party is accompanied by attacks from white supremacist sleepers. Probably just my paranoia getting the best of me.

[1StrongBlackMan]

94. Yes, it's just a coincidence ...

unless it's one is living with one's eyes closed to everything that has been brewing in America ...since the late 1800s.

[NOLALady]

106. Uh Huh!

Riiiight!

[JustAnotherGen]

29. They are both relevant to me

I have several dear friends - and one of my oldest friends (like 35 years)lives in Paris. It matters to me because although she is not perfect - France - the French are amongst the kindest people I've ever encountered in my life.

And then here in the US -

I'm telling you -

There is a new civil rights movement. They are coming for us MrScorpio . . .

[JustAnotherGen]

36. The French are French and have a French Sense of humor

And that publication is known for being obnoxious.

They were NOT engaging in acts of racism in that magazine.

And I hate to say it - but there is indeed an angry, young, Muslim immigrant/1st generation problem in France. There is. Doesn't make me a racist or closed off or anti Islam.

This shit has been boiling up for a long time - and the men who did that?

They are going to make things much much worse on the VAST majority of Muslims/French of North African Descent that are French first, Muslim second, and just want to live their lives.

Marine is no better than her father - she's worse because she delivers it with a pretty little smile. That woman just might win because of this . . .

[chrisa]

31. Both, imo

[Initech]

33. An act of terror is an act of terror no matter who is committing it.

White guy blows up a government building because he had it betrayed in his head by right wing talk show hosts that the government is the enemy? That's terrorism.

Guy shoots up a movie theater or an elementary school? That's terrorism.

The NAACP headquarters is blown up in a racially charged hate crime? That's terrorism.

Islamic radicals angry over a cartoon go on a shooting spree? That's terrorism.

Bottom line is terrorism is terrorism, and you can't justify one act vs. another.

[1StrongBlackMan]

40. That wasn't the question ...

the question was:

Terrorist shooting in France vs NAACP Bombing in Colorado: Which is more relevant to the USA?

[Initech]

60. I was trying to make a point that they're all relevant no matter who it is.

Or the motives behind the crimes. Terrorism is universal and affects all countries around the globe. Doesn't matter who is committing it, where they take place, or whatever the motives are. All acts of terror affect all of us. We should stop arguing semantics and focus on the bigger picture is the point I am trying to make.

[1StrongBlackMan]

62. Okay ...

We should stop arguing semantics and focus on the bigger picture is the point I am trying to make.

Here's MY bigger picture ... this bombing was directed at me (by extension), whether the target was the barber shop, patronized by people that look like me, or a/the symbol for people that look like me, in MY country, committed by MY fellow countrymen, in a particularly hostile period in THIS nations history.

[Initech]

64. Point taken.

I get the NAACP attack hits closer to home. Considering that we are in a war on terror, all acts of terror are acts of terror, and they all should be condemned no matter where they take place.

[Dawson Leery]

35. The media has not given this much coverage.

[1StrongBlackMan]

38. Wow! Perhaps I misread the question; but ...

I could have sworn the question posed was:

Terrorist shooting in France vs NAACP Bombing in Colorado: Which is more relevant to the USA?

Not, which attack was more fatal, or even more shocking or tragic, or whatever descriptor one wishes to apply.

So from the above comments/poll, a full 1/3 of Duers consider an attack, targeting, at the minimum, a establishment patronized primarily by African-Americans, and at worse, targeting a symbol of African-America, committed by (presumably) a white American (based on the "person of interest" description), in the present climate, is less relevant to the USA, than an attack (albeit, a fatal attack) on foreign soil, on non-Americans, by (presumably) non-Americans?

DU, today, has made me feel less fully accepted as an American.

[Fred Sanders]

44. It is 21% now, of an unscientific very small sample.

[1StrongBlackMan]

49. Thanks ...

that makes me feel MUCH more valued by DUers!

[madokie]

47. You are 100 percent accepted by me

I'm a old white man and I feel like you do 100%

[seabeyond]

70. my post just now, on my observation.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6053266

[1StrongBlackMan]

71. Yes ...

I noticed.

I wonder, in a rhetorical way, if the terror attacks in France are/would be seen as more relevant to the USA, than the terror attacks on abortionist or at that Universalist Church or, even, the actions of westboro "church"?

It's rhetorical because I don't want an answer ... rather, I want DUers to, in the quiet of their own mind, reflect.

[Kevin from WI]

104. I'll answer anyway

The news media would report what you described above as crime, not terrorism. Terrorism and the word terrorist is used by Americans to dehumanize brown people in other countries so we Americans don't feel bad about murdering people with drones at weddings. Shock and awe was terrorism in Iraq, but back home we just call it the air war. Funny how when some people change out words bad things feel okay to them.

[Systematic Chaos]

107. Very well put! +1

Another point to ponder, is that if the effectiveness of the device is a measure by which these terrorist attacks should be judged, then the shoe and underwear "bombers" didn't deserve any more attention in the news than the attack on the NAACP office. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I see it. Others can feel free to disagree with me and/or flame away!

And, while I'm at it, welcome to DU!!

[madokie]

46. Just trying to keep them in their place

You can bet that is/was on the mind of the person/s who did this

I'm sick of racist people, sick of 'm

[Cha]

48. Well at least Wesley Lowery has written about it in the WaPo

Colorado Springs explosion recalls violence against NAACP

Inside a barber shop in Colorado Springs on Tuesday morning, a beautician had a correctional officer in his barber’s chair. Next door, volunteers were working at a local NAACP chapter. And outside, a homemade explosive device with a gas can strategically placed beside it detonated against their building.

A man inside said the explosion sounded like a “gunshot blast.” It rocked the walls. And it charred the building’s exterior, though there were no injuries and only minor damage. The gas can never ignited, investigators said.

It was still unclear whether America’s oldest civil rights organization was the target, but the FBI’s terrorism task force is looking into it. Most of the barber shop’s clientele are black as well, the Associated Press reported.

The FBI is searching for a suspect described as a balding white man in his 40s. He may have been driving a dirty pickup that could have a missing or covered license plate.

MOre..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/01/07/colorado-springs-explosion-recalls-violence-against-naacp/

[Yo_Mama]

53. On death/injury count alone I could only vote one way.

Further, the atrocity in France will have huge European and perhaps international repercussions.

The dickwad in CO will be caught and jailed without much more of an effect.

[sabrina 1]

54. It took the MSM nearly a day before giving the NAACP terrorist attack any real attention.

And imo, it is far more important, or should be, to this country.

But our leaders are going to be far more interested in the tragic events in France, because WAR depends on these events, to get the people on board.

[uhnope]

55. because it was a small crappy homemade bomb on the side of a building

vs. AK-47s that slaughtered 12 people.

Don't get me wrong, if they catch the bomber and it was a hate crime aiming to hurt the NAACP people, I hope he gets life in prison.

But so far, the incidents are not comparable

[uppityperson]

58. I voted Other because I am angry and mourning both, not ready to play "which is more..." yet.

[olddots]

65. some will argue that religion is a choice

Who will argue that skin color is a choice ?


oh never mind .

[ScreamingMeemie]

66. If we can't fight them and win "over here," we can't address the tragedies "over there."

Yes, I'm cribbing off W.

[GoneOffShore]

68. Both equally important and relevant.

Silly poll - And divisive.

[seabeyond]

69. this is one poll where show usernames is so very obvious and consistent and relevant.

i do not know if i have ever seen a question asked, and the names divided up. this is one of the real advantages showing how we vote.

very interesting.

very obvious

consistent, relevant.

[bravenak]

76. Yes.

It always lines up perfectly predictably.

[Sissyk]

74. I think they are both important.

The FBI is investigating the NAACP bomb, and I hope they are close to finding the person that did this, and that he spends a long long time in prison. We will hear more about it when they have the person responsible, I think.

This attack today 1. Was on video 2. Killed a dozen innocent people 3. They have identified the suspectss and are hunting them.

Like the world's eyes were on us with the Boston Bombing, the world's eyes are now on Paris.

[Maedhros]

77. Well, coverage of one serves to strengthen the "justification" for the atrocities we commit

against Muslims and Muslim countries, while coverage of the other would serve to weaken the "justification" for the atrocities we commit against Black people.

Not a surprise that one gets much more coverage than the other.

[Renew Deal]

79. How many people were killed and injured in Colorado?

"If it bleeds it leeds"

[workinclasszero]

80. The constant drumbeat from the cops to the MSM..both servants of the 1%

Is...black lives do not matter.

Gee if this IED would have been placed outside of Fox news HQ or Rush Limpballs radio command center we would never hear the end of it.

But..

NAACP??

MSM: YAWN.....

[Kevin from WI]

103. Didn't you know...

that all moderate Muslims were responsible for what happened in France. That has been the message I keep seeing over and over again on DU. Just goes to show that even so called progressives can suffer from islamaphobia.

[Reter]

82. The NAACP was bombed?

Honestly, I didn't even know. I'm going to Google it now.

For the record, this is NOT sarcasm. I didn't hear a thing about this.

[davidpdx]

83. For me I have to look at whether it's being covered and how much

Both events are important, but obviously what happened in Paris was worse. One shouldn't necessarily supersede the other. What appears to be happening is 99.9% of the coverage is going to what happened in France and maybe a small sliver to what happened in Colorado.

I am troubled by how little coverage the bombing of an NAACP office has gotten here in our own country. Domestic terrorism is much more of a threat given the ability to obtain weapons and make home-made improvised devises and should not be swept under the rug. The person that placed this particular bomb failed this time, but next time the country may not be as lucky. Also the targeting of a NAACP office certainly brings into question the motive for the bombing.

Certainly our thoughts are with the people of France, the victims, and the victims families.

[SMC22307]

84. Callous OP.

Both are relevant; both should be covered.

[JI7]

85. but one isn't covered

[Renew Deal]

86. There are 7,810 google news results

That's hardly not covered.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&authuser=0&q=naacp+bomb+%2B+colorado&oq=naacp+bomb+%2B+colorado&gs_l=news-cc.3..43j43i53.4458.13546.0.13847.31.3.5.23.28.0.119.314.1j2.3.0...0.0...1ac.1.t8is9OFSoe4&gws_rd=ssl#q=naacp+bomb+%2B+colorado&hl=en&gl=us&authuser=0&tbm=nws&tbs=qdr:w

And the stories aren't equal. US Domestic terrorism where no one was hurt doesn't compare to international terrorism with 12 dead including video of one of the murders.

[JI7]

87. it wasn't being covered even before the attack in France

google news results aren't really a sign of how much some media covers it.

[Renew Deal]

88. Top results for NAACP include...

Newsweek
Washington Post
Denver Post
Boston Herald
Huff Po
Slate
Time
SF Gate
NBC

That pretty much disproves that it "wasn't being covered." Those are amongst the biggest of the MSM outlets. We're not talking about common dreams, information clearinghouse, and addicting info.

I think the question is whether it deserves the coverage of the Paris incident. In my opinion the stories are different and deserve/require different coverage.

[JI7]

89. no it doesn't, things like that wouldn't show how much time networks spend on certain stories

[Renew Deal]

90. How do you believe they should be covered?

Do you consider one more significant/impactful than the other? What would you do differently in the coverage of either or both?

[JI7]

91. there wasn't much even before what happened in france

[ZombieHorde]

96. The story wasn't on TV news or the front page of google news US.

I had to search for it on google news on the day it happened to read about it. That seems strange to me.

[herding cats]

92. At work today no one even knew about the bombing at the NAACP in Denver.

I ended up having to email people links to the story because they thought I was mistaken.

I believe the terrorist attack on the NAACP has a much larger impact on our daily lives here in the US. Which does not negate in anyway the sorrow, and empathy I feel for those suffering in France tonight.

[Hekate]

97. Right here. Right now. Our country has so much work to do on our own soil.

[redgreenandblue]

99. k&r

[Recursion]

100. Hard call. Proximity vs body count

The bombing should definitely get more ink than it does.

If I were a newspaper editor who had to pick a day's top sorry, I'd probably lean towards Paris.

[Kevin from WI]

101. It is never called terrorism...

when white people commit acts of terror. White people understand that when one white person or a small group of white people blow up a black church or NAACP office that it is not representative of the group as a whole. Many white people will not extend this courtesy to other ethnic groups.

[Kevin from WI]

102. That white privilege is clear in the reporting by mainstream news.