I have Asperger’s syndrome. I like things that make sense. You know, if A = B, and C = B, then A is equivalent to C because they both equal B. People’s opinions, especially their sociopolitical opinions, do not follow this at all, and it drives me bananas because I cannot grasp how they cannot see the A = C part of the equation.
For example, domestic terrorism and who commits it.
Most domestic terrorism is committed by white Christian men. White American Christian men who are also far-right extremists are the demographic most likely to commit mass murder or terrorism in the USA. Nonetheless, mass hysteria is reserved for the concept of Syrian refugees and the “Muslim threat”.
I have several people in my life and on my Facebook feed or on Twitter who cannot see any problem with the racial profiling of Muslims, but think the racial profiling or deportment of white Christian men is too ridiculous to contemplate. Unsurprisingly, it is exclusively my white Christian friends and family who feel this way. I don’t believe in racial or ethnic profiling, because it is 1) unconstitutional and 2) idiotic to conflate the outlier with the whole. They can see that point when it comes to people like them. They understand wholly that they should not be held accountable or have to apologize for the actions of Dylan Roof or Tim McVeigh, but think it is reasonable to assume a Muslim is a terrorist until proven otherwise.
Those who think the mass profiling of Muslims is normal or reasonable often offer “proof” that elides the facts about Muslims, Syrian refugees in particular, and the white population in general.
I’ve had more than one person assure me that most Syrian refugees are military aged males, and QED are potential terrorists. Wherever they got this information it is incorrect. More than 67% of Syrian refugees are under 12 years of age. Moreover, almost all (statistically close to 100%) Muslim terrorists have been either native born OR using a visa. They weren’t refugees. Refugees are heavily vetted before they are admitted. If your want to commit terrorism in the USA, it is a hell of a lot simpler to get a tourist visa or student visa.
I’ve had more than one person assure me that Islam is an inherently violent religion. This is “holy amnesia” on the part of Christians, since the Bible advocates violence more often and more fervently than the Quran.
I’ve had more than one person insist other groups, Muslims or black people in particular, are more prone to rioting and other pre-terrorism behaviors, as though whites don’t riot violently and destroy property for reasons a lot less compelling than BlackLivesMatter and/or being confined to a containment camp. It is, apparently, different when white people do it.
When I explain that their reasoning is faulty because it is based on inaccurate information, I am told I have my head in the sand and it is implied I’ll think differently when I my children are being killed by Muslim terrorists. I want my children to be safe, of course, but statistically I have endangered them by marrying their dad and allowing him to parent them, or when I’ve taken them to movie theaters, more than I would endanger them by not profiling Muslims. They are more than 55% more likely to be killed by a police officer than a terrorist, but I have still taught them to seek out a cop in danger because I assume the cop is MUCH more likely to be good than bad.
Which reminds me, the same people who are “not all cops” and “all lives matter” and “they shouldn’t have resisted” when a police officer shoots a 12 year old black child or an unarmed black teen are the same ones who, without any conscious irony, hold 1.6 billion Muslims accountable for the actions of a teeny minority. Cops must be given the benefit of the doubt; Muslims must not. Considering that there are many Muslim police officers, I assume that the if a Muslim cop shoots an unarmed white Christian that the world will implode for the demographic that lionizes all cops and demonizes all Muslims.
I cannot understand how terrorism is treated and conceptualized differently depending who does it. Terrorism is terrorism; whoever commits terrorism is a terrorist. Acts of terrorism are all equally bad. Why should all Muslims be held suspect but a white Christian man, who is clearly a member of a terrorism “risk” demographic, should be allowed the freedom to carry an assault rifle? Right now a white dude is terrorizing a black neighborhood with impunity. A white dude who drove to NY to terrorize Muslims is let off with a warning. A group of armed white men can terrorize a Mosque in Texas without having to deal with any hassle from the police.
I doubt that a Muslim threatening to shoot Christians, or stalking a church, or walking around a white neighborhood heavily armed, would be treated with the same nonchalant leniency.
Americans reaction to terrorism is illogical.