Domestic Terrorism In The United States Essay

To varying degrees, home(prenominal) terrorist act has survived and touched the social and policy-making structure of the united States. As defined by the countrys Department of Justice, these words connote the unlawful exercising of force or violence, committed by a group(s) of two or more individuals, against persons or property to intimidate or compel a political relation, the civilisedian population, or all segment thereof, in shape upance of political or social objectives (U. S. Department of Justice, 1994, p. 26).Though such passage is advantageously clear in its baseing, oftentimes a case-by-case interpretation is undeniable to ascertain where extremism give the axes and terrorist act begins. terrorist act vs. Extremism A more concise descent between extremism and terrorism is evident in the recognition that extremism is not laughable in any political environment, and is more often than not order by societal pressures, civil discourse, education and the law. On the other hand, in terrorism, the violence is far beyond control by civil, educational or societal elements and must be tracked d ingest, penalized and castigated by law enforcement agencies.The dictionary of Political Thought defines extremism as a vague term, that ass mean a) the taking of a political idea to its limits, regardless of unfortunate repercussions, impracticalities, arguments and feelings to the obstinate and with the intention not only to confront but also to eat up opposition b) credulity towards all views other than unrivalleds own and c) the adoption of means to political ends which show disregard for the life, liberty and mankind rights of others (Scronton, 1982).The complexity of separating terrorism and extremism is that in various situations, municipal groups which are plain law-abiding at present, may be contemplating of violent actions in the future. As it is, many violent groups started as non-violent discussion or protest movements with a ctually lofty ideals however, as time elapsed they evolved into something else. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli ambassador to the linked terra firmas, provides a suitable and a more fitting characterization of terrorism when he described it as the delibe graze and systematic murder, maiming and grim of the innocent to inspire fear for political ends. USA Patriot proceeding Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT make for stretched the definition of terrorism to acknowledge internal in contrast to supra earthal terrorism. An individual is tell to be removed in domestic help terrorism if he/she does an act that is good to human life, that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, and if the act appears to be intended to a) intimidate or coerce a civilian population b) influence the policy of a g everywherenment by intimidation or coercion or c) to affect the sway of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.Further, the acts pass on to ta ke place chiefly within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, then these acts can already be regarded as international terrorism. Clearly, Section 802 does not create a new crime of domestic terrorism. N acetheless, it does extend the kinds or the nature of actions that the government can examine and test into when it is investigating terrorism.The USA Patriot Act stretched out the powers of the government when they do their investigations and some of these powers are applicable to domestic terrorism. Such definition of domestic terrorism is expansive enough to cover the actions and activities of many known active campaigns and organizations. Greenpeace, Operation Rescue, Vieques Island and WTO protesters and the Environmental Liberation Front learn all latterly engaged in activities that could make them subject to investigations as engaging in domestic terrorism. Contemporary home(prenominal) TerrorismThough governments, private and unrestricte d institutions have been beleaguered and weighed down by terrorism for hundreds of categorys in one inning or another, the strategies and the application associated with it have changed and progressed as surely as the societies upon which it is imposed. Technological advances in the transportation, communication and in the area of weaponry have permitted the capacities of current domestic terrorist groups to get their message out and have compound their ability to take aggressive and sadistic action to achieve their objectives. death chair Clinton launched a counter-terrorism bill to the Senate and House of Representatives in February of 1995. One exceedingly agonistical proposal in the bill is the assigning of the Department of Defense a dominant occasion in assisting the investigation of domestic terrorism incidents in which chemical and biological agents are utilized. Currently, the military can be employ in cases of terrorist activities where there is an alleged employment of nuclear weapons or devices and frequently more if such allegation has been established (Hall, 1995, Sec A).Though the amplified role of the military would be limited, necessitating a further amendment to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, civil liberties experts cautioned that it would infringe the tenets of civil supremacy over the military and would only rekindle the hostilities and anti-government sentiments of the citizen-militias and conspiracy theorists (Landay, 1995). Furthermore, some(prenominal) Congressmen, law-enforcement officials and some military advisers concur that such employment of the military would be an exceedingly precarious approach in combating domestic terrorism.Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a Democrat from New York, responded to questions as to whether the use of the military, in an expand role, should be a part of the counterterrorism package, said, . . . the military defends the nation and does not involve itself in internal affairs (Minzesheimer, 1995, Sec A). Incidents and Implications There has been an evident and obdurate decline in the number of terrorist incidents in the United States during the past twenty socio-economic classs.To further delineate the trend of decline over time, a resemblance of the average number of incidents per year during each of three, six-year periods would be useful. During the six year period from 1977 through and through 1982, there was an average of 59. 0 incidents/year from 1983 through 1988 an average of 15. 7 incidents/year were recorded this compared to an average of 5. 3 incidents/year investigated during the period from 1989 through 1994 (FBI, 1994). *** ACTIVE GROUPS OPERATING WITHIN THE UNITED STATES classified AS TERRORISTS African estateal Prison Organization (ANPO).An arm of the African states Socialist Party. Animal Rights. chiefly against use of fleshlys for any purpose beyond their natural beness. Armed Resistance Group (ARG) aka Revolutionary Fighting Group, rosy-c heeked Guerrilla Faction. This group has been characterized in 1988 as tired and aging revolutionaries. Greenpeace Principally environmental-use immoderates. Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Reorganized and relocated several munition of its group in 1989. Macheteros. Puerto Rican nationalists. Ohio Seven. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Very creation-relations oriented.Radical Feminist Organizing Committee (RFOC). Driven-out of the womens liberationist movement in 1989, operating independently. RAMBOC (Restore a More Benevolent parliamentary procedure Coalition). Targets and actively pursues the US assets and people of foreign groups with terrorist links, such as the PLO, SWAPO, ANC, etc trilled Thunder aka American Foundation for Accountability primary focus is to decipher attention to the POW/MIA issue from Vietnam War. Satanic Cult. Associated with attempted bombing of churches and kidnapping, and animal sacrifices, tombstone vandalism, and miscellaneous actions.Ski nheads (SKA). Groups consist of two racist and anti-racist factions. SS military action Group. Principally anti-Semitic. Apparent Motivation There are principally cardinal classifications into which groups that are regarded as domestic terrorists can be distinguished shortly existing in the United States. These groups can be generically define as being either do by ghostly convictions, racial prejudice and supremacist goals, anarchistic/anti-government/politically motivated, or in pursuit of rum special interests.These classifications have been extracted from a collection of the categorization and delineation of radical and terrorist groups by two respected subject-authorities, Stephen Segaller and FBIs Department of Justice. Segaller, in his go for Invisible Armies, classified domestic terrorism in the United States into four groups as well, but lists them as being a) Cuban infighting (political), b) backwoods terrorism (a combination of religious, racist and anarchistic), c) violent Puerto Rican independence groups (political), and d) a handful of domestic revolutionary Marxist groups (anarchistic/anti-government and racist) (Segaller, 1987, pp.221-225). Theoretically speaking, the stimulus for the creation and sustained existence of extremist and terrorist groups can unequivocally be associated in many passel to ethnic, cultural, religious, and racial feelings of gilt-edgedity. An accurate depiction of the continuum formed by these supremacist attitudes, and how they promote further tension is succinctly articulated by Frank G.McGuire, when he said that as long as Christians feel best to Jews (or vice-versa) and Catholics feel superior to Protestants and Ashkenazic Jews feel superior to Sephardic Jews, men feel superior to women and whites feel superior to blacks/browns/yellows/reds and so on, such phenomenon will be with us (McGuire, 1990, p. 10). These cultural, racial, gender, and a numberless of other differences that are present among peop le in society, particularly one as diverse as the United States of America, must be adjudge and respected, but shouldnt be seen or considered as a gist to peace and harmony within society.Nor should these diversities be seen as wholly friendly in their impact on the functioning of society as a whole. Tibor Machan, a social and political commentator, showed a well-timed dissertation on the myths and erroneous beliefs associated with viewing multiculturalism as simply a difference in dress, music, dance, and customs. Dr. Machan asserted that cultural differences, whether a result of race, gender, religion, or whatever, impacts both negatively and positively on other cultures within the society (Machan, 1996, pp.134-135) and further opined that attitudes of cultural-superiority and intolerance are conveyly related and incorporated into many of the extremist views and motivations that are plaguing America today. The period from 1982 through 1994 showed that the targets of domestic t errorism were predominately commercial establishments. The bulk of incidents directed against commercial establishments were conducted by animal-rights and/or anti-abortion extremists, either attacking stores that sell fur, or clinics that performed abortions or provided abortion advice, respectively (FBI, 1994 McGuire, 1990).Religious & racial Supremacy/Intolerance Religious intolerance founded upon fundamentalist stand mensess has been the stimulus for acts of terrorism all throughout history and such as involved Jewish-Orthodox Jews, Moslems, Catholics, and Protestants. Perhaps, there is no issue or idea among human beings that is as provocative and as seditious as that of religious beliefs.Auspiciously, at least(prenominal) as far as the United States is concerned, terror stimulated by religious intolerance has not been as significant a curse as in other parts of the world like in Africa, the Middle East or Bosnia. America is a unique nation in that it guarantees the freed om of religion with the First Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms with the Second Amendment. This means that people can believe whatever they want, and they can buy the guns to protect that belief (LeBaron, n.d). The statement was made in direct reference to Mormon fundamentalism and summarizes the very ideology upon which this country was founded which also provides an acumen into the potential dangers that exist with religious extremist groups. Recently however, there has been grandiosity and open threats of aggression from different extremist groups that describe themselves as being inspired by religion, nonetheless, have undisputedly displayed racial supremacist and hate-mongering views.The leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan, advocates sundry rhetoric of black supremacist views and religious fervor. He professes to have the organized religion and devotion of some four million people (Fletcher, 1996). In addition, several white-supremacist clusters, includ ing some of the many Christian militia splinter groups, advocate exceptionally caustic and hate-filled threats as well, apparently an endless, ages-old game of I call you a name, you call me a name. Oddly enough, two racial supremacist groups representing opposite extremes, the Nation of Islam and the Posse Comitatus, have concurred to an ultimate end-state segregation of the United States into regions of pure racial integrity. Another group operating within the United States that has historically incorporated a racist agenda with religious rhetoric, and was truly very sadistic in its actions and objectives, is the Ku Klux Klan.They have, however, considerably lessened in both their membership song and invisible power-base in recent years, and though there are settle down very strident individuals appearing from time to time, the danger posed by the Klan nowadays is essentially restricted to local regions, and their activities are in the form of parades and rallies. As the Klan ha s faded in its activities and numbers, it has been replaced by the tremendously vicious and cursorily growing racist movement known as the Aryan Nations, which is potently associated with the Identity Church that proclaims Anglo-Saxons as Gods chosen people.The fundamentalist Mormons are another religiously-motivated cluster within the United States that are genetic the attention and concern of law enforcement and other government officials. This group has been at odds, to a certain degree, with the government since its creation in the early 1800s. more of these fundamentalist Mormons are well-armed conspiracy-minded survivalists, who have retreated to the mountains of central Utah to wait Armageddon, which they believe will occur on April 6, 2000.Believing in their gifts of foretelling and revelation, and fired-up by heavenly visions and doctrines of blood atonement and oaths of vengeance, they have isolated themselves awaiting the end of the world and fearing that the governme nt is about to take away their freedoms (LeBaron, n. d. ). A specifically insightful yet explosive issue to a huge office of the American people, despite individual beliefs, is the classification of particular abortion clinic-related repulsion as domestic terrorism.The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994 in conjugation with the Attorney General Guidelines (AGG) on General Crimes, Racketeering Enterprise and Domestic warranter/Terrorism Investigations, instigated and directed the creation of the Department of Justice project Force on delirium Against Abortion Providers to look into conspiratorial acts of violence against abortion clinics and personnel as domestic terrorism (FBI, 1994).Although personal opinions on the ethical aspects associated with abortion, whether for or against, are not wholly confined to religious beliefs, the most articulate, open and visible anti-abortion advocates are directly allied with religious organizations. As it is, abortion rights and issues persist to be one of the most disputative and conflict-ridden questions among Americans and motivate exceedingly passionate and rousing rhetoric and reactions from people from both sides of the matter.In the period between 1982 and the end of 1984, there were a resume of 220 separate acts of violence, including 89 cases of bombing, arson and other serious incidents, conducted against clinics where abortions were performed or abortion-advice offered (Segaller, 1987, pp. 222-223).ethnically and racially stimulated bias, extreme loathing and carnage are as much a part of human history as any other characteristics of mankind, and have at least to some extent have a bearing on the cultural and social identities of essentially all civilizations to date. From the subjugation of Hebrews by ancient Egyptians, to present-day current situation in the Balkans, racial and ethnic differences have triggered incalculable suffering and death.The history of racial and ethnic turmo il in the United States is no different, and is seemingly experiencing an plus in such activity recently. Racially-motivated extremist and terrorist groups in the United States, particularly those of today, seem to employ religious rationalizations and teachings for their sadistic tendencies and aggressive actions, and all indications point to the fact that such trend will continue at an accelerating rate into the foreseeable future.Anarchistic/Anti-government /Political Terrorist clusters of today that are actually anarchist, anti-government or political in their motivations are mostly associated with the growing self-determination, radical citizen-militia movements, or have been around a relatively long time, such as the Puerto Rican freedom fighters. The former has drawn considerable attention, and extracted wary concern from law-enforcement and civil-rights groups delinquent to the bombing in Oklahoma City, and their rapid and continuing growth in numbers and visibility.A few of the more extreme citizen-militia groups, often motivated by New World Order conspiracy theorists and anger over a belief that government has become too large and restrictive in everyday life, are openly soliciting and calling for the overthrow of the United States government. These groups, when linked with the self-described Constitutionalists, are being considered as extremely dangerous by many law-enforcement and watchdog groups (Knickerbocker, 1995).The Puerto Rican terrorist groups have been almost exclusively limited in their actions to operating within Puerto Rico against local and federal targets of opportunity. Unique circumscribed Interests Within this designation of domestic terrorist groups are those of relatively recent creation, or at least they have relatively recently gained high public visibility through their actions.Groups such as the extremist animal-rights groups, environmental extremist groups and homosexual-rights groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Earth Night Action Group, and Act Up, respectively, have emerged within the past two decades and have actively utilize violence, destruction and intimidation to gain recognition, and to further their respective political agendas. References *** McGuire, Frank. 1990. Security intelligence sourcebook Whos Who in terrorism. Silver Spring, MD. Interests, Ltd. U. S. Department of Justice. 1994. Terrorism in the United States, 1994.Washington, DC. National Security Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Terrorist Research and uninflected Center Scronton, R. 1982. Dictionary of Political Thought. 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