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According to the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base, between 1968 and today there were 554 incidents of terrorism perpetuated against the United States domestically and internationally.
Last week's FBI report tells us, in the year 2006 alone, with only 12,600 of the nation’s more than 17,000 local, county, state and federal police agencies reporting, there were around 7,500 hate crime incidents.
I've never been a big fan of the "hate crime" designation because of worries about the potential for anti-Bushisms to become "hate speech" for example. But one thing seems clear: intolerance is a much greater threat to America than "terrorism."
Makes you wonder: why the disproportionate fuss about enviros? It's no secret that those with vested interests have wanted tie animal rights and environmental activist groups to shadowy organizations. The FBI has called fringe eco and animal rights groups a top domestic terrorist threat. Note on the MIPT site, how many "terrorist" acts are attributed to the Earth Liberation Front -- a group that may not even exist. The supposed group has killed no one, while anti-abortion extremists have murdered 7 individuals. There were three hate-related deaths in 2006 alone.
Destruction of property is what the anti-corporate and anti-development extremists have been castigated for. But let's compare. There were 3593 hate-motivated destruction/vandalism-related crimes against property in 2006. The "Earth Liberation Front" is listed as responsible for 62 property-related crimes. Ever. What is the tally of hate crime economic damage? Where's the congressional outrage?
We need to write to our Senators and Representatives about intolerance. Let them know that safety and security mean not just smart foreign policy and sensible domestic security provisions, but tolerant communities.
If Blackwater got into the diversity training business we'd see action right away...
