The Austin Bomber is dead

[cintinative]

I haven't read all the posts here but already FB is awash in people making part to whole statements about homeschoolers.  

 

Why can't we all just grieve together? 

[Butter]

Did I say otherwise? I suggested (see also PP) that this was slow to be id’d as a serial bombing because of who the initial victims were.

I was sitting at chemo with my dad the day the second bomb went off.  They had it on the local news (we're in San Antonio) and while the news was on, the third bomb went off.  The authorities, before the third bomb but after the second, stated they suspected this was the work of a serial bomber and they would confirm that once they had run tests to determine if the same person had made both (and then all three after the third bomb went off).  They literally stated it could be a serial bomber (and confirmed it later that same day or the next) after two bombs.  They didn't say it could be a serial bomber after a single bomb because, well, they hoped/thought it was a single bomb and there would be no more, especially after so much time passed.  Now, national news may not have labeled it a serial bombing very quickly.  I don't know.  But local news and, more importantly, local officials most definitely did as soon as there was a second bomb.

 

Good god, I never said they should have locked him up! Really? I said it was unfortunate that he was able to do as much damage while being in police’s radar for three weeks. That’s it. From that to your huge leap is really, really outrageous.

It doesn't make sense to say he was on their radar for three weeks (at least for being a serial bomber).  The time between the first bomb and his capture was 19 days.  There were many people on the police's radar as they searched for leads.  They had to do the investigation over that 19 days to determine which of those people were innocent and which were possibly guilty and then narrow it down.  It honestly takes time to gather and go through the evidence to determine who their #1 suspect is AND to have enough to arrest that suspect.  Really, when you consider the 10 days between the first and second bombs meaning they didn't realize they were dealing with a serial bomber until 9 days before they got him, the police worked rather fast.

[Guest]

Which makes perfect sense unless you actually know something about how matters operate in the hood. Bombs aren’t now nor have they ever been the weapon of choice. Too indiscriminate.

 

So how do you start an investigation with a seemingly random target? 

1.) You look into the victim.  And no, this isn't victim blaming.  To find a motive you need to know the victim and why someone may have wanted to take him out (money and affairs are the usual starting point).

 

2.) Bombs aren't generally the MO anywhere, so your "hood" comment is a non-starter.

[HSmomof2]

I just read our local new coverage on him this morning (we are very far from TX), and I was glad to see the word homeschooling was not mentioned at all. It only said he attended the community college but did not graduate from it.

[Sneezyone]

So how do you start an investigation with a seemingly random target?

1.) You look into the victim. And no, this isn't victim blaming. To find a motive you need to know the victim and why someone may have wanted to take him out (money and affairs are the usual starting point).

 

2.) Bombs aren't generally the MO anywhere, so your "hood" comment is a non-starter.

Because it is apparently difficult to believe that fat meat’s greasy.

https://www.statesman.com/news/austin-explosions-police-first-focused-drug-case-they-were-wrong/nRUPtY6axdGmUt1siJgrRJ/

Edited March 22, 2018 by Sneezyone

[Guest]

 

 

It doesn't make sense to say he was on their radar for three weeks (at least for being a serial bomber).  The time between the first bomb and his capture was 19 days.  There were many people on the police's radar as they searched for leads.  They had to do the investigation over that 19 days to determine which of those people were innocent and which were possibly guilty and then narrow it down.  It honestly takes time to gather and go through the evidence to determine who their #1 suspect is AND to have enough to arrest that suspect.  Really, when you consider the 10 days between the first and second bombs meaning they didn't realize they were dealing with a serial bomber until 9 days before they got him, the police worked rather fast.

 

Incredibly fast considering they had him in under 2 days after the 1st Fed Ex bomb.

[katilac]

My kids have been homeschooled all the way through. It doesn't bother me at all that they identify the bomber as a homeschooler. One, it is true. Two, anything unusual is very likely to be mentioned, and homeschooling is still unusual. Three, the high schools attended by criminals are often mentioned in articles, just as Austin Community College was mentioned in this case along with homeschooling. 

 

True, it is not mentioned as often, but that makes sense. Articles don't have to make a point of stating that someone was not homeschooled, because that is the assumption. 

 

 

[Guest]

Because it is apparently difficult to believe that fat meat’s greasy.

https://www.statesman.com/news/austin-explosions-police-first-focused-drug-case-they-were-wrong/nRUPtY6axdGmUt1siJgrRJ/

 

Please point to the mass of evidence that pointed to a different motive.

 

The police were grasping, which is what they do when something seems to have no obvious motive.  It should be noted that when they going with the drug theory they were not accusing the victim of being involved

[Aelwydd]

I agree with Chocolate - all indications are that from the beginning, they investigated diligently regardless of the color of the first victim's skin.

 

After the 2nd black person was killed, the narrative began (again) that police and white people don't care when black people are murdered. It was a reach then and it's a reach now. It's an agenda being tacked on to a horrible situation.

 

I agree that I don't think Conditt was primarily motivated by racism. When I stated that I suspect he'd been radicalized, I meant on several fronts. Those that ascribe to the extreme right (I'm talking anti-religious, neo-fascist types) don't hate just one aspect of society; they despise all of it. They hate all groups, liberal and conservative, religious and secular, that espouse humanist ideals. That means they hate the single black preganant teenager, but they also hate the pro-life volunteer trying to find housing and health care for her and her baby.

 

In other words, if my suspicion is true (and I fully acknowledge that's all it is now), and Conditt was taken in by one of these groups, his hatred, therefore, his violence, had multiple targets. Whether it's the black teenager, the Hispanic (representing immigrants ), or people just walking and riding bicycles ("Those libtards in Austin are part of what's infecting America"), they all represent something the neo-fascists want to dismantle.

 

Society, itself, and the rest of us.

Edited March 22, 2018 by Aelwydd

[SKL]

When the police are on record, see linked article upthread, apologizing to the man’s family for their initial reaction and the impressions they left behind? Right.

 

There is no indication that what they said was racially biased.  As noted, police know that people of all colors have accidental explosions.  Homicide was their first assumption, but they could not prove it right away.  I personally think it was responsible of them to say "they could not rule out the possibility" that it was an accident, 3 days later when they had looked in many places for possible reasons why anyone would have murdered him and found nothing. 

 

I think the apology was a reaction to people getting angry because some people felt it was racial and insensitive.  The police spokesman accepted that it sounded insensitive to the family.  Would you even care about such a statement had it been said about a white victim?  I'm guessing not.

[HSmomof2]

My kids have been homeschooled all the way through. It doesn't bother me at all that they identify the bomber as a homeschooler. One, it is true. Two, anything unusual is very likely to be mentioned, and homeschooling is still unusual. Three, the high schools attended by criminals are often mentioned in articles, just as Austin Community College was mentioned in this case along with homeschooling.

 

True, it is not mentioned as often, but that makes sense. Articles don't have to make a point of stating that someone was not homeschooled, because that is the assumption.

In this situation, if it’s just stated as a biographical fact about him, I’m ok with that. But in a few articles I’ve read about him, there was a bigger focus on his being homeschooled, which I don’t think is fair to imply that was the cause of his underlying problems, especially since he was a 23-year-old adult.

[SKL]

I agree that I don't think Conditt was primarily motivated by racism. When I stated that I suspect he'd been radicalized, I meant on several fronts. Those that ascribe to the extreme right (I'm talking anti-religious, neo-fascist types) don't hate just one aspect of society; they despise all of it. They hate all groups, liberal and conservative, religious and secular, that espouse humanist ideals. That means they hate the single black preganant teenager, but they also hate the pro-life volunteer trying to find housing and health care for her and her baby.

 

In other words, if my suspicion is true (and I fully acknowledge that's all it is now), and Conditt was taken in by one of these groups, his hatred, therefore, his violence, had multiple targets. Whether it's the black teenager, the Hispanic (representing immigrants ), or people just walking and riding bicycles ("Those libtards in Austin are part of what's infecting America"), they all represent something the neo-fascists want to dismantle.

 

Society, itself, and the rest of us.

 

Just to be clear, I do not know if Condit was motivated by racism.  Some of the characteristics common among mass murderers are also common among racists.  I am waiting to see if they conclude anything from the hit list they found.

 

The racial argument I'm pushing back against is that law enforcement, the media, and pretty much all of white America treated this case with disinterest and prejudice because the first victim was black.

[hornblower]

I think the reason homeschooling is relevant is because there is a venn diagram overlap between homeschooling & white nationalist extremism/survivalist prepping/wishing for the apocalypse/growing soldiers for the culture wars/seeding hate groups 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/08/christian-home-schooling-dark-side

I expect some journalists will be trying hard to see if there was an overlap for him. 

[SKL]

I think the reason homeschooling is relevant is because there is a venn diagram overlap between homeschooling & white nationalist extremism/survivalist prepping/wishing for the apocalypse/growing soldiers for the culture wars/seeding hate groups 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/08/christian-home-schooling-dark-side

 

I expect some journalists will be trying hard to see if there was an overlap for him. 

 

Then the journalists should do their investigation first and report later, if that is what they find.

 

[Aelwydd]

Just to be clear, I do not know if Condit was motivated by racism. Some of the characteristics common among mass murderers are also common among racists. I am waiting to see if they conclude anything from the hit list they found.

 

The racial argument I'm pushing back against is that law enforcement, the media, and pretty much all of white America treated this case with disinterest and prejudice because the first victim was black.

Understood, and thanks for clarifying that. There are so many confounding factors, it's hard to judge the real effects of predjudice on this case right now. The first thing that pops in my head is the Unabomber and how much attention did his initial victim garner in the press? What was the intensity of the response from law enforcement and the public?

 

It's been decades and of course now social media has everything in real time. I think it's definitely something that should be studied once we have a clearer picture.

 

Hindsight is 20/20.

[Ravin]

Good god, I never said they should have locked him up! Really? I said it was unfortunate that he was able to do as much damage while being in police’s radar for three weeks. That’s it. From that to your huge leap is really, really outrageous.

 

I inferred from your statements that your implication was that it was some failure by police which let him do so much damage, as if him being "on their radar" meant they could somehow have stopped him, if not for racial bias. That's often how it goes in police procedural TV shows, but not in real life.

[HSmomof2]

I think the reason homeschooling is relevant is because there is a venn diagram overlap between homeschooling & white nationalist extremism/survivalist prepping/wishing for the apocalypse/growing soldiers for the culture wars/seeding hate groups

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/08/christian-home-schooling-dark-side

 

I expect some journalists will be trying hard to see if there was an overlap for him.

But so far, nothing in this case points to this family or his homeschooling had anything to do with that fringe of homeschoolers. And that fringe is a very small minority of homeschooling. Agree the media needs to do its investigation first before printing their bias (and that’s in regards to homeschooling, race, religion, etc). They’ve forgotten their job is to report the facts.....but that’s a whole other topic.

[hornblower]

I'm not saying the media should rush to negative judgement about a perpetrator.

I'm saying they should extend the same courtesy to every perpetrator, not just the white Christian ones. This one for example has been described as "quiet nerdy young man from a tight knit godly family"

Strikes me that this description applies to many terrorists. 

And choosing which facts to include in a story and which facts are 'not relevant' is a very difficult aspect of journalism. The whole 'just report the facts' thing is a myth. There will always be omissions, selections, word choice, order of presentation etc. 

[HSmomof2]

I'm not saying the media should rush to negative judgement about a perpetrator.

 

I'm saying they should extend the same courtesy to every perpetrator, not just the white Christian ones. This one for example has been described as "quiet nerdy young man from a tight knit godly family"

 

Strikes me that this description applies to many terrorists.

 

And choosing which facts to include in a story and which facts are 'not relevant' is a very difficult aspect of journalism. The whole 'just report the facts' thing is a myth. There will always be omissions, selections, word choice, order of presentation etc.

And bias.

[Sneezyone]

Interesting. It seems the FBI Agents Association agree that the terrorism label is not applied broadly enough and they find this problematic.

 

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5ab2da83e4b0decad04689fc

Edited March 22, 2018 by Sneezyone

[Guest]

Interesting. It seems the FBI Agents Association agree that the terrorism label is not applied broadly enough and they find this problematic.

 

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5ab2da83e4b0decad04689fc

 

Interesting article but this is absurd:

"Had they decided to go door to door shooting Muslims living in an apartment complex in Garden City, as they are accused of discussing on audiotapes, there would be no basis for a terrorism-related charge and they’d likely be facing only civil rights charges."

 

Actually they would be facing state felony murder charges along with federal civil rights charges.

[Guest]

I'm not saying the media should rush to negative judgement about a perpetrator.

 

I'm saying they should extend the same courtesy to every perpetrator, not just the white Christian ones. This one for example has been described as "quiet nerdy young man from a tight knit godly family"

 

Strikes me that this description applies to many terrorists. 

 

And choosing which facts to include in a story and which facts are 'not relevant' is a very difficult aspect of journalism. The whole 'just report the facts' thing is a myth. There will always be omissions, selections, word choice, order of presentation etc. 

 

The narrative has a lot to do with the known facts of a case as well.

 

When Mateen was already a target of previous terrorism related investigations and also made a call explaining why he was doing the shooting, one would expect less background discussion to figure out his motives.

 

[SKL]

The narrative has a lot to do with the known facts of a case as well.

 

When Mateen was already a target of previous terrorism related investigations and also made a call explaining why he was doing the shooting, one would expect less background discussion to figure out his motives.

 

 

Also there was a lot of reluctance at the time to release the facts indicating possible terrorism.  They scrubbed the 911 call of the man's own words implicating Islamic extremism before releasing it to the public.

[maize]

Ravin has saved me a ton of time typing out comments on this thread.

 

Basically, everything he said.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

(Oops, I forgot about the coming shutdown. Never leave a controversial post just to twist in the breeze, during a forum shutdown. Deleted!)

Edited March 22, 2018 by Tibbie Dunbar

[Sneezyone]

Interesting article but this is absurd:

"Had they decided to go door to door shooting Muslims living in an apartment complex in Garden City, as they are accused of discussing on audiotapes, there would be no basis for a terrorism-related charge and they’d likely be facing only civil rights charges."

 

Actually they would be facing state felony murder charges along with federal civil rights charges.

Which has no bearing, whatsoever, on investigatory resources.

[Guest]

Which has no bearing, whatsoever, on investigatory resources.

 

And which investigation do you believe has been hampered by these supposed lack of resources?

[Sneezyone]

And which investigation do you believe has been hampered by these supposed lack of resources?

All of them. Proactive resources are not being devoted to these threats as much as they should be. Also, btw, the FBI agent article was WRT federal charges and statutes, not state ones. http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2018/02/national-security-pros-its-time-talk-about-right-wing-extremism/146319/?oref=d-river

[Guest]

All of them. Proactive resources are not being devoted to these threats as much as they should be. Also, btw, the FBI agent article was WRT federal charges and statutes, not state ones. http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2018/02/national-security-pros-its-time-talk-about-right-wing-extremism/146319/?oref=d-river

 

But the federal charges are often redundant.  McVeigh was convicted on the federal charges but never tried on the state, which didn't matter as the sentence was the same.

 

"As much as they should be" is hard to measure, but we do know the FBI and state officials are still investigating, infiltrating, and making arrests of groups involved in domestic terrorism.

[Sneezyone]

But the federal charges are often redundant. McVeigh was convicted on the federal charges but never tried on the state, which didn't matter as the sentence was the same.

 

"As much as they should be" is hard to measure, but we do know the FBI and state officials are still investigating, infiltrating, and making arrests of groups involved in domestic terrorism.

Yes, and there’s a reason for that. Historically, the feds have been better able to prosecute and obtain convictions in cases of this nature. We also know that there is a marked difference in the manpower and financial resources given over to international threats to the homeland vs domestic ones. That makes no sense when domestic threats have led to far, far more casualties and incidents. Edited March 22, 2018 by Sneezyone

[Ravin]

After the fact. They also weren’t brought into this case en mass until the FedEX packages. FBI also has long-term assets that infiltrate organizations and movements deemed worthy of monitoring. Again, it’s a matter of priorities, who matters and who doesn’t.

 

This has more to do with the jurisdictional mandates and restrains of the FBI than anything else. Often for domestic crimes that do not touch on interstate matters (which this one did when it hit Fedex, because while it's not the USPS, it is a common carrier which transports things interstate), they cannot help unless asked for the help by local law enforcement--which is of course where the race bias issue becomes one worth asking. However, counterbalancing the possibility of race bias in how the investigation was conducted is the reality that in the current political climate, it would be political suicide for any agency's head (especially when elected as sheriffs often are) to fail to act swiftly and bring in the big dogs for help when dealing with a bomb situation.

[Sneezyone]

This has more to do with the jurisdictional mandates and restrains of the FBI than anything else. Often for domestic crimes that do not touch on interstate matters (which this one did when it hit Fedex, because while it's not the USPS, it is a common carrier which transports things interstate), they cannot help unless asked for the help by local law enforcement--which is of course where the race bias issue becomes one worth asking. However, counterbalancing the possibility of race bias in how the investigation was conducted is the reality that in the current political climate, it would be political suicide for any agency's head (especially when elected as sheriffs often are) to fail to act swiftly and bring in the big dogs for help when dealing with a bomb situation.

I actually agree with you but for the political suicide part. They actually tried that playbook at first, hence the outcry.

[Ravin]

Correct.  The ATF and FBI were involved when the 2nd and 3rd bombs went off (same day).  A joint reward from all agencies involved was announced the next day.

https://www.atf.gov/news/pr/atf-fbi-and-austin-police-department-announce-reward-50000-re-package-explosions

 

It's significant to note there was a 10-day gap between bombs 1 and 2, while 2 and 3 happened close together.  It is easy to see how the APD would not suspect a serial bomber when there is only 1 bomb planted for over a week.

 

Not to mention that it was not, by the definition of "serial" a serial bombing until there had been more than one.

[Guest]

Yes, and there’s a reason for that. Historically, the feds have been better able to prosecute and obtain convictions in cases of this nature. We also know that there is a marked difference in the manpower and financial resources given over to international threats to the homeland vs domestic ones. That makes no sense when domestic threats have led to far, far more casualties and incidents.

 

It does make sense if you believe worse events are being prevented by focusing on overseas threats. 

[Sneezyone]

It does make sense if you believe worse events are being prevented by focusing on overseas threats.

So domestic threats should be ignored and allowed to multiply? We can’t walk and chew gum?

[Guest]

So domestic threats should be ignored and allowed to multiply? We can’t walk and chew gum?

 

Pretty sure I gave you a list of undercover operations the FBI has run in recent years, and there are many others.

 

Domestic organizations will always be harder to track due to rights (and therefore law enforcement limitations) we have in the U.S. and restrictions our law enforcement has here that do not apply to our international intelligence gathering.

 

It's not like the FBI is sitting on its hands:

 

https://www.npr.org/2018/03/20/595163065/mosque-bombing-plot-rattles-immigrants-in-kansas-meat-triangle

 

Edited March 22, 2018 by ChocolateReign

[Seasider]

Because it is apparently difficult to believe that fat meat’s greasy.

https://www.statesman.com/news/austin-explosions-police-first-focused-drug-case-they-were-wrong/nRUPtY6axdGmUt1siJgrRJ/

Key phrase in the first paragraph:

 

"...in the absence of other evidence..."

[Sneezyone]

Pretty sure I gave you a list of undercover operations the FBI has run in recent years, and there are many others.

 

Domestic organizations will always be harder to track due to freedoms we have in the U.S. and restrictions our law enforcement has here that does not apply to our international intelligence gathering.

Are you honestly suggesting, even after looking at the data not anecdotes, that the resources being devoted to domestic threats are commensurate with the threat posed? And no, domestic threats are not harder to track when appropriate resources are devoted. See COINTELPRO.

[Sneezyone]

Key phrase in the first paragraph:

 

"...in the absence of other evidence..."

In the absence of other evidence, LEOs were unable to wrap their heads around the idea that a black man could be subject to a random act of violence so they pursued every other cork brained idea they could think of. Edited March 22, 2018 by Sneezyone

[Guest]

Are you honestly suggesting, even after looking at the data not anecdotes, that the resources being devoted to domestic threats are commensurate with the threat posed? And no, domestic threats are not harder to track when appropriate resources are devoted. See COINTELPRO.

 

Considering I don't know exactly what threats we potentially face from large, well funded international terrorist groups, I really can't say.

 

COINTELPRO was ended in the 70s, right?  Or are you advocating that we have the FBI violate rights of U.S. citizens?  And even though I have shown otherwise, are you still claiming the FBI doesn't infiltrate groups when they have the legal authority to do so?

[Guest]

In the absence of other evidence, LEOs were unable to wrap their heads around the idea that a black man could be subject to a random act of violence so they perused every other cork brained idea they could think of.

 

That's the thing - murders tend not to be random.  When there was no obvious clue as to why he was targeted is when the accidental target theory was floated. With limited data points there wasn't anything else to go on.

[Sneezyone]

Considering I don't know exactly what threats we potentially face from large, well funded international terrorist groups, I really can't say.

 

COINTELPRO was ended in the 70s, right? Or are you advocating that we have the FBI violate rights of U.S. citizens? And even though I have shown otherwise, are you still claiming the FBI doesn't infiltrate groups when they have the legal authority to do so?

For the umpteenth time, I’ve never said NO/ZERO resources are devoted to those risks. I said the resources are no match for the actual threat posed. Please read what I actually wrote. Your anecdotes don’t trump the data WRT actual crimes committed. Like you, I can only go based on the information that the FBI and counterintelligence people say/report, which is that we are not doing enough. Take it up with the experts, not me.

[Sneezyone]

Considering I don't know exactly what threats we potentially face from large, well funded international terrorist groups, I really can't say.

 

COINTELPRO was ended in the 70s, right? Or are you advocating that we have the FBI violate rights of U.S. citizens? And even though I have shown otherwise, are you still claiming the FBI doesn't infiltrate groups when they have the legal authority to do so?

As for violating rights, they already do, with impunity.

[Guest]

For the umpteenth time, I’ve never said NO/ZERO resources are devoted to those risks. I said the resources are no match for the actual threat posed. Please read what I actually wrote. Your anecdotes don’t trump the data WRT actual crimes committed. Like you, I can only go based on the information that the FBI and counterintelligence people say/report, which is that we are not doing enough. Take it up with the experts, not me.

 

And read what I wrote - we don't know what our intelligence agencies are preventing.  And looking at the attacks labeled as right-wing attacks in the U.S., I don't see many that don't involve a lone-wolf type.  Which are the same ones we struggle to stop on the international side.

 

And general rule of thumb is that every law enforcement agency will ask for more to do more.  I am not saying they are wrong, but it doesn't mean they would prevent these attacks either.

 

They certainly wouldn't have prevented this one as it doesn't appear to be a domestic terrorist attack at this time.

 

[Guest]

As for violating rights, they already do, with impunity.

 

ok

[Sneezyone]

And read what I wrote - we don't know what our intelligence agencies are preventing. And looking at the attacks labeled as right-wing attacks in the U.S., I don't see many that don't involve a lone-wolf type. Which are the same ones we struggle to stop on the international side.

 

And general rule of thumb is that every law enforcement agency will ask for more to do more. I am not saying they are wrong, but it doesn't mean they would prevent these attacks either.

 

They certainly wouldn't have prevented this one as it doesn't appear to be a domestic terrorist attack at this time.

 

You go with that. I’ll stick with the intelligence community, thanks.

[Seasider]

In the absence of other evidence, LEOs were unable to wrap their heads around the idea that a black man could be subject to a random act of violence so they pursued every other cork brained idea they could think of.

I really don't understand what other action you would have expected of them. Scratching their heads and muttering, "Well, that was random!" would not have been productive.

 

What specific action did they fail to take? As others have said, it wasn't a serial bomber situation until there was a series of bombs.

 

Sincerely, I am not trying to be argumentative but I am having a tough time trying to discern your clear point and suggestion for change. What action are you seeking beyond acknowledgement of white privilege? Because I do feel you saying that.

[Sneezyone]

I really don't understand what other action you would have expected of them. Scratching their heads and muttering, "Well, that was random!" would not have been productive.

 

What specific action did they fail to take? As others have said, it wasn't a serial bomber situation until there was a series of bombs.

 

Sincerely, I am not trying to be argumentative but I am having a tough time trying to discern your clear point and suggestion for change. What action are you seeking beyond acknowledgement of white privilege? Because I do feel you saying that.

I want people to appreciate that it was unfair to publicly denigrate the man’s motives/character based on nothing, wrong to reassure the public based on nothing, and that we are not generally devoting the resources we should to domestic threats (I think that’s because it doesn’t suit the preferred narrative WRT terroristic behavior YMMV).

[SKL]

If people insist on pushing authorities to ignore laws and rights in favor of deeper scrutiny into what individuals might be thinking about doing, and if they are successful, consider whether or not that would have a disparate unpleasant impact on any particular group.

 

For example, if every individual violent crime is investigated as if it might be terrorism, would the increased intrusion be equally distributed across demographics?

[Sneezyone]

If people insist on pushing authorities to ignore laws and rights in favor of deeper scrutiny into what individuals might be thinking about doing, and if they are successful, consider whether or not that would have a disparate unpleasant impact on any particular group.

 

For example, if every individual violent crime is investigated as if it might be terrorism, would the increased intrusion be equally distributed across demographics?

No one is pushing for rights to be ignored. Investigatory resources don’t necessarily equal violations but I see folks trying to conflate the two. It’s a matter of priorities. In this case, you had a bomb, not a run of the mill crime. Ignoring that fact distorts the conversation. Edited March 22, 2018 by Sneezyone