R A T

Radical Anti-abortion Terrorists. These fanatics, the majority of whom are inspired by a distorted form of Christianity, have been committing terrorist acts in the United States since Roe v. Wade became law in 1973. Aside from their vicious deeds that occasionally make headlines, such as the premeditated assassination of abortion providers and medical personnel, and the firebombing, pipe bombing and physical attacks on clinics that provide abortions, these homegrown terrorists engage in daily acts of intimidation and coercion at countless Planned Parenthood clinics throughout the country.

In a proud moment at his arraignment, the most recent RAT who terrorized a Colorado clinic declared, “I’m a warrior for the babies,” and “no more baby parts,” inducing the media to almost unanimously describe him as a “disturbed loner,” not once invoking the word “terrorist” to describe his horrific act. This despite the fact that the FBI handbook cites domestic terrorism described in U.S. Code 2331 as: (1) acts dangerous to human life, (2) appear intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, (3) appear intended to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, (4) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S. The rigid and narrow conformity to accepted United States journalistic practice ensures that mainstream media cannot label right wing domestic terrorism as a source of violence, for fear that the proponents and instigators and supporters of these attacks be duly prosecuted. Fortunately, the hapless FBI sits serenely and lifeless, in full retreat from anything resembling terrorism unless it relates to Muslims or Black Lives Matter; that kind of terrorism calls for instant intervention.

Even a cursory comparison of the terrorist act committed in Colorado with that in San Bernardino would reveal totally different treatment, not only by the press but also by the aforementioned instigators. Sen. Ted Cruz, who would normally be exposed as a right wing extremist demagogue except for the giant shadow cast by Donald Trump, described the Colorado perpetrator, Robert Dear, as “a transgender, leftist activist.” In contrast the San Bernardino couple are “radical Muslim jihadists.” All the Republican presidential candidates quickly brushed aside any attempt to link Planned Parenthood attacks to their incendiary rhetoric. Carly Fiorina, famous for imaginatively claiming that she saw a “living fetus waiting to have its brain harvested,” dismissed any link to the role she might have played in the murders as “typical left-wing tactics.” Two days after the attack a headline read “FBI Treating San Bernardino Attack as Terrorism;” Colorado merited no comment. Both Mr. Dear and Mr. Farook, the San Bernardino attacker, were born in the United States. Guess which one is characterized as “a homegrown terrorist.”

It is long overdue to recognize the violence and horror perpetrated by these RATS, this protected group of hate-filled murderers. Republicans leaders certainly will not repudiate these architects and criminals even as attacks, harassment and threats continue. A headline in the New York Times today declares Attack Spurs New Chapter in History of Dread in the U.S. Would that the headline referred to Colorado.