Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

27 May, 2013

When can we call a 17-year-old white kid a terrorist? | ArabNews

Yesterday morning I read a news account of a 17-year-old Portland, Oregon, boy who had planned to detonate bombs at his high school to kill as many of his schoolmates as possible.

He had detailed plans, a timeline and a variety of explosive devices. Mass murder was his agenda. Here is what Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said: “In any case that you have a young person that in essence plans to take a video game approach to killing people at school, you have to take a close look at the mental health issues.”

Yes, the boy wanted to murder as many people as possible with bombs. Therefore, he has mental health issues.

Two men with troubled histories last week hacked to death a British soldier on a street in Woolwich, UK. Although they were born Christian, they had converted to Islam. As Muslims, their mental health, according to the media, is not an issue. Therefore, they must be terrorists.

Read the rest: When can we call a 17-year-old white kid a terrorist? | ArabNews.