When 3 Gunmen Shoot 19 at a Mother's Day Parade, It's Not "Terrorism"
No terrorism please, we're gunmen. A bizarre story out of New Orleans, where two or three gunmen opened fire on a Mother's Day parade, injuring 19 people, including two children.
Sure sounds awfully familiar, almost like a redux of the Boston Marathon bombing. But you'd be wrong.
No terrorism please, we're gunmen. A bizarre story out of New Orleans, where two or three gunmen opened fire on a Mother's Day parade, injuring 19 people, including two children.
Sure sounds awfully familiar, almost like a redux of the Boston Marathon bombing. But you'd be wrong.
You see, when two guys use bombs to hurt people en masse at a marathon, it's instantly "terrorism." But when two to three people use guns to hurt people en masse at a parade, it's simply "the relentless drumbeat of street violence."
What's the difference?
A homemade bomb versus a gun, by the looks of it.
If both were intended to harm, and scare, a large number of random people, would they not be the same? Sure, they've invoked Islam with the Boston Marathon bombing, but so far, we haven't heard much detail about any real motive there. Yet we're sure that's terror, and this is just that silly old "street violence" so common in America.
The real problem is American culture and its fetish with, and tolerance for, violence.
The New Orleans Police Department has released video of the shooting, and at least one of the suspects. I've made the video into an animated gif - you can see the video, which is much slower, below:
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
No terrorism please, we're gunmen. A bizarre story out of New Orleans, where two or three gunmen opened fire on a Mother's Day parade, injuring 19 people, including two children.
Sure sounds awfully familiar, almost like a redux of the Boston Marathon bombing. But you'd be wrong.
You see, when two guys use bombs to hurt people en masse at a marathon, it's instantly "terrorism." But when two to three people use guns to hurt people en masse at a parade, it's simply "the relentless drumbeat of street violence."
What's the difference?
A homemade bomb versus a gun, by the looks of it.
If both were intended to harm, and scare, a large number of random people, would they not be the same? Sure, they've invoked Islam with the Boston Marathon bombing, but so far, we haven't heard much detail about any real motive there. Yet we're sure that's terror, and this is just that silly old "street violence" so common in America.
The real problem is American culture and its fetish with, and tolerance for, violence.
The New Orleans Police Department has released video of the shooting, and at least one of the suspects. I've made the video into an animated gif - you can see the video, which is much slower, below:
No terrorism please, we're gunmen. A bizarre story out of New Orleans, where two or three gunmen opened fire on a Mother's Day parade, injuring 19 people, including two children.
Sure sounds awfully familiar, almost like a redux of the Boston Marathon bombing. But you'd be wrong.
You see, when two guys use bombs to hurt people en masse at a marathon, it's instantly "terrorism." But when two to three people use guns to hurt people en masse at a parade, it's simply "the relentless drumbeat of street violence."
What's the difference?
A homemade bomb versus a gun, by the looks of it.
If both were intended to harm, and scare, a large number of random people, would they not be the same? Sure, they've invoked Islam with the Boston Marathon bombing, but so far, we haven't heard much detail about any real motive there. Yet we're sure that's terror, and this is just that silly old "street violence" so common in America.
The real problem is American culture and its fetish with, and tolerance for, violence.
The New Orleans Police Department has released video of the shooting, and at least one of the suspects. I've made the video into an animated gif - you can see the video, which is much slower, below: