Terrorism had not been readily recognized in our country until September 11, 2001, when our country was viciously and methodically attacked. America responded by sending troops overseas in the attempt of preventing future attacks from reoccurring. While the success of this has yet to be determined, I would instead like to address the possibility that, while we haven’t been attacked by al-Qaeda or the Taliban, we have begun attacking each other in the form of racial hate-crimes.
Over the course of the past several weeks, since Jena Six, there have been numerous outbreaks of hate-crimes committed involving the display of the noose, which (unbeknownst to me) “is seen by some as a racially charged symbol, referencing the lynching of African Americans that was once widespread in America's rural south. Some have likened the noose to a swastika or a burning cross. The hanging of nooses can be considered a hate crime under United States law” (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noose)
Here’s my question and concern: Shouldn’t hate-crimes be considered a form of terrorism? According to www.dictionary.com, one of the definitions of terrorism is “the state of fear and submission produced by the unlawful use of 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”.
Here’s another question: Shouldn’t we treat those who commit such hate-crimes the same as terrorists?
Unfortunately, I believe that terrorism, despite our best efforts to keep it from attacking our country, has already begun to attack us from within. May God help us!
A peek into my mind, to hear the thoughts of a 40-something single male as he walks this planet called Earth.
John M. Kirton II
DISCLAIMER: This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own solely and not those of The Village Church, her ministers, pastors, administrators, staff, covenant members, regular attenders or visitors; my parents; my alma mater, Dallas Christian College, her administration, faculty, Board, alumni, or students, past, present and future; or my employer and fellow employees.
My Story
- John M. Kirton II
- I attended public school for two years and private school for the remainder of my education. After graduation, I attended Bible college in Dallas, Texas, for four and one-half years consecutively. Unfortunately, I failed a class and was unable to graduate with my class but God enabled me to re-take the course and I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Bible and minors in Youth Ministry and Biblical Languages in 1994. After failing the aforementioned course, I had continued attending a church but began to falter in my faith. It was during my second year after my Bible college years that I was introduced to the International Churches of Christ (ICOC), where I became a member and was involved for twelve years. It was not until my twelfth year that, after much prayer from my parents and closest friends, Greg Faure and Wayne Stiles, I became convinced that the ICOC was a religious sect. In June, 2000, I left the ICOC and became a covenant member of The Village Church in Highland Village, TX, in April, 2004.
