[areidjr]

Imagine if he were leaning out the window and shooting at the building before he hit!

NEWS FLASH!

Crazed NRA member loses control of single engine plane While attempting a fly by shooting.

[justinr]

Hey, the guy was a loser, plain and simple. He made some very bad choices in his life and they caught up with him. No one likes the IRS, but we keep electing the Gestapho that lets them operate like they do....they just do what our leaders allow...and they allow plenty.

This guy was like a lot of people I know, and you too....hell, if you are like a few here, some of you may be just like him. Making poor life choices, failing to cover the bases and blaming it on someone else, always coming up with "the dog ate my homework" stories that don't wash. He is no terrorist, no hero, no patriot.....just another loser that got down to the consequences of his pathetic failings in life. Happens every day somewhere in one form or another.....
Regards!

So Rupert, can we safely assume that your yard is heaving with baby cherubs and rainbow coloured unicorns whilst the taps run with milk and honey?

Must get boring after a while.

[reeftool]

This happened yesterday and I caught a news report on the radio as I was driving in. Today, the news media is only reporting on things of real importance.
Tiger Woods.
Terrorist? Hero? Patriot? Nutcase? None of this is as important as a horny golfer.

[Gooshin]

This happened yesterday and I caught a news report on the radio as I was driving in. Today, the news media is only reporting on things of real importance.
Tiger Woods.
Terrorist? Hero? Patriot? Nutcase? None of this is as important as a horny golfer.

Its cuz he's black. Hurd.

[Phil1]

'Its cuz he's black. Hurd.'

Maybe not so much, I think it's because he evaporated like Sen. Edwards did, he is filthy rich, he is the best golfer in the world, he took a dump on his family, his personna was the contrasting really good looking good guy, he just screwed himself into the ground with his huge dollar corp. sponsors for some strange and he chose not to play with a reasonable balance of darker skinned hos. Maybe the Black Caucus should look into that and black ball him......maybe.

He will be back making money and playing well soon just like Kobe.

[Blue]

Can't tell if this was sarcasm or not...



How would this incident not apply?

No sarcasm. It doesn't apply because you cherry picked it. Go to the damn link an read the unPatriot Act. Its only about 238 pages. Also go and look at the earlier report & definition in its entirety.

Regardless of which document you look at, this guy was acting alone, on his own behalf.

[ChrisPlatt]

A single-engine plane landed in Red Square helped bring down the Soviet Union...

Chris

[deadwolfbones]

No sarcasm. It doesn't apply because you cherry picked it. Go to the damn link an read the unPatriot Act. Its only about 238 pages. Also go and look at the earlier report & definition in its entirety.

Regardless of which document you look at, this guy was acting alone, on his own behalf.

I "cherry picked it" from the list of three "or" options for what constitutes terrorism under the Patriot Act, as quoted by you.

To be terrorism an act must fit 3 conditions:

(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State. Check.

(B) appear to be intended— (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping. Debatable, but it seems clear to me based on the "manifesto" that he flew his plane into the IRS building, causing "mass destruction," because he was fed up with the agency's policies and wanted them to change. And either way it certainly "affected the conduct" of that government agency office. Check.

(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Check.

I mean, we're splitting hairs here and arguing semantics, but the fact is the guy didn't hang or shoot himself--he got into a plane with the expressed intent of flying it into a government building because he disagreed with that government agency's policies. I don't see this being all that different to Timothy McVeigh's act except that it's on a smaller scale and the guy's manifesto is a bit clearer.

[deadwolfbones]

Though I will say I like this definition of terrorism best (from your earlier link):

"Really, a definition of terrorism is hopeless ... terrorism is just violence that you don't like."
-- Prof. Richard E. Rubinstein, Director, Center for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, May 1990.

[Blue]

DW, You picked one line and tried to back it into a definition that fits your purpose.

[Blue]

Though I will say I like this definition of terrorism best (from your earlier link):

"Really, a definition of terrorism is hopeless ... terrorism is just violence that you don't like."
-- Prof. Richard E. Rubinstein, Director, Center for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, May 1990.

That isn't a legal definition just one of a huge number of opinions on it. The problem with that def. is that it makes all criminal activity an act of terrorism.

[deadwolfbones]

DW, You picked one line and tried to back it into a definition that fits your purpose.

What's my purpose?

I just deconstructed that entire definition and explained my reasoning. What's your response?

[deadwolfbones]

That isn't a legal definition just one of a huge number of opinions on it. The problem with that def. is that it makes all criminal activity an act of terrorism.

I wasn't saying it's a legal definition. I just agree with the futility of trying to nail it down.

[Blue]

I "cherry picked it" from the list of three "or" options for what constitutes terrorism under the Patriot Act, as quoted by you.

To be terrorism an act must fit 3 conditions:

(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State. Check.

(B) appear to be intended— (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping. Debatable, but it seems clear to me based on the "manifesto" that he flew his plane into the IRS building, causing "mass destruction," because he was fed up with the agency's policies and wanted them to change. And either way it certainly "affected the conduct" of that government agency office. Check.

(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Check.

I mean, we're splitting hairs here and arguing semantics, but the fact is the guy didn't hang or shoot himself--he got into a plane with the expressed intent of flying it into a government building because he disagreed with that government agency's policies. I don't see this being all that different to Timothy McVeigh's act except that it's on a smaller scale and the guy's manifesto is a bit clearer.

And you over look the part about 2 or more and groups. What group did this benefit or what group did he do it for? What organization?

I wasn't saying it's a legal definition. I just agree with the futility of trying to nail it down.

Actually it can be nailed down. McVeigh was trying to establish an organization and start a movement.

[deadwolfbones]

And you over look the part about 2 or more and groups. What group did this benefit or what group did he do it for? What organization?

Actually it can be nailed down. McVeigh was trying to establish an organization and start a movement.

So, in your opinion, terrorist acts cannot be committed by a lone individual? (Not asking for a legal definition.)

Edit: and more hair-splitting... the 2 or more people/groups bit comes from a 1994 memo, while the version I deconstructed is newer and part of actual legislation, and doesn't specify between individuals or groups.