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Comment by liquidify | Hacker News Reader

So the percentage of 'terrorist' attacks that occurred have shifted towards right wing extremist groups... of course that either requires that we don't classify certain destructive behaviors by certain groups of people as terrorism (because they aren't convenient), or we are misclassifying right wing behaviors as terrorism (because it is convenient).

Of course the article's title is sensationalism, which is expected, but I see a lot more danger in the attacks on free speech than I do in this 'escalating' terrorism problem that is mostly a problem because the media makes it into one.

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> So the percentage of 'terrorist' attacks that occurred have shifted towards right wing extremist groups... of course that either requires that we don't classify certain destructive behaviors by certain groups of people as terrorism (because they aren't convenient), or we are misclassifying right wing behaviors as terrorism (because it is convenient).

Or maybe you're conflating terrorism and protest? I expect statistically there's been an increase in right wing extremist attacks in the past year so the shift is most likely real. Case in point, Nashville. I can't think of any other group that's executed an domestic attack as destructive as that one was since 9/11. And I don't think it wrong to classify that as right wing terrorism.

It is more likely the guy in Nashville took out that particular location because it was being used as an NSA collection node. He was a nut, but he clearly didn't want to hurt anyone.

Can Nashville be classified as right-wing? Was a motive uncovered that isn't yet presented on Wikipedia?

Surely the Bostom bombings and El Paso, Foot Hoo, Orlando & San Bernardino shootings count as more destructive domestic terror attacks (assoicated with various groups). Perhaps I have misundertood and you are speaking specifically of structural damage.

A lot of people were afraid of the protests. Seems like that was the intent.

That is some very selective concern you have about free speech. We just spent 4 years under a president directly attacking the free press and any individual dating to criticize him in any way, an absolute assault on free speech by the head of our government, which is exactly what the first amendment protects us against. In terms of right wing terrorism vs. left wing facts are just a simple google search away. Protests which are free speech are not terrorism.

> of course that either requires that we don't classify certain destructive behaviors by certain groups of people as terrorism (because they aren't convenient), or we are misclassifying right wing behaviors as terrorism (because it is convenient).

What destructive behaviors by certain groups of people aren't being classified as terrorism that you think should be?

What right wing behaviors are being misclassified as terrorism that shouldn't be?

Can you be more specific, please?

I think that both you and the article are actually underselling the problem. The problem is not that terrorism has slanted towards right-wing extremism, so much as that terrorism is still a right-wing extremist tactic, and the overall amount of terrorist attacks have increased.

The most famous terror attacks in the USA [0][1][2][3][4][5] were perpetrated by right-wing folks: These were religiously-motivated, racially-motivated, in protest of large and overly anxious government, and stand in stark contrast to ELF blowing up SUVs late at night.

WP has a list of terror attacks in the USA [6], if you want to peruse a complete list and see for yourself how often people are motivated by religion, race, or other hateful right-wing delusions.

Which events would you say that the original article has gotten wrong? How is it "convenient" that terrorism is being committed in a lopsided way?

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Rajneeshee_bioterror_atta...

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Kaczynski

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Marathon_bombing

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_nightclub_shooting

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_the_United_States

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