Dylann Roof and the phenomenon of stochastic terrorism.

[numb3r_5ev3n]

 Before posting this, I went looking to see if someone has actually already connected Dylann Roof, who has now received the death penalty for killing nine of his fellow Americans, with the concept of Stochastic Terrorism - which is the phrase which has been coined to describe what happenes when hate speech inspires a "lone wolf" to commit atrocities, leaving the source of the hate speech free to proclaim their innocence, and deny any responsibility for the act. 

This is the only one I've found: "Someone Taught Him To Hate," which was posted on DailyKos back on June 18, 2015.

I won't mince words here - I think it's time we started prosecuting incidents of stochastic terrorism. The First Amendment only goes so far to protect hate speech. Pundits who spew violent rhetoric need to be held accountable for the next time when their hate speech triggers another attack or mass shooting. If the computer of a "lone wolf" shooter or bomber is searched, and stuff like Free Republic and Stormfront and Breitbart comes up, there should be actual repercussions if said "lone wolf" was targeting the people vilified by those websites. There should be fines at least. Gag orders. Something.

The next time some rando shoots up a Planned Parenthood clinic, the authorities need to pay attention to what they might have been reading and what sites they might have been going to, and the people involved should be held accountable for the violence that they're helping to inflict. Authorities should treat hate crimes committed by Christian religious extremists the same that they do crimes committed by Islamic extremists. Get rid of the double standard. It's all terrorism.

 

Comments

[sabotabby]

I've never heard the term before, but it clarifies a lot of previously muddy concepts in my mind. So thanks!

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