Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
With our current obsession over Muslim terrorists abroad, let's not forget that there are domestic terrorists operating right here within our borders. Here's a story of two men in New Mexico who firebombed an abortion clinic just a few weeks ago. They've now been arrested. And they are applauded by Christian terrorist groups like the Army of God. Prior to their arrest they declared:
This is quite a Christmas present, too bad both these babykilling abortion mills didn't burned to the ground with the babykilling abortionists inside. In the Name of our LORD Jesus Christ, I pray these two saints are never identified or captured.
The AoG recently sent a death threat to a friend, one of my colleagues at the Michigan Messenger. This is very real and it is terrorism just as surely as the bombing of the World Trade Center is.
Comments
Posted by: llDayo | December 31, 2007 9:47 AM
Didn't the Halfwit in Chief promise to go after any group that supports terrorism? Maybe that was part of the Faith Based Initiative.
Posted by: BaldApe | December 31, 2007 11:00 AM
It does not appear that the perpetrators in this case were motivated by religious delusion. According to KRQE News (NM), one of their girlfriends was scheduled to have an abortion, and this is being described as their motive.
Posted by: vjack | December 31, 2007 11:51 AM
You'd think we'd have learned from Oklahoma City just how homegrown a terrorist can be. But, no, we don't really want to do anything about a terrorist until he comes from foreign soil with darker skin and is not of the majority religion.
Posted by: Donna | December 31, 2007 12:31 PM
llDayo: How can you be sure "their prayer went unanswered"?
Maybe Jesus covered for the real perps by framing up a couple of innocent patsies.
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | December 31, 2007 1:00 PM
It just goes to show that terrorists can come from any walk of life, espcially from religious groups with a fundamentalistic bent. It's one of the reasons I've always believed that fundamentalist religion is a sociopathology.
Also, the fact that there seems to be a differential reaction to foreign terrorists, as opposed to domestic terrorist, shows that our approach to terrorism is fataly flawed. Terrorists groups aren't armies or nations. They are criminals. They murder and pillage.
It's time we started treating terrorists (foreign or domestic) like the thugs they are,no matter what group they belong to. I don't give a shit if they're the Hashishin, the Weather Underground, or Al Kaida. If they destroy and murder in the name of a cause, they are no better than Machine Gun Kelley or Charles Manson.
GE
Posted by: Guitar Eddie | December 31, 2007 1:22 PM
Good grief, didn't any of you people get the memo! People who commit acts of terrorism aren't terrorists if they aren't of Middle Eastern descent and/or Muslims (end of sarcasm).
Posted by: daniel rotter | December 31, 2007 3:01 PM
Of course these people were wrong and should not have done that. But if you'd read the article, you'd see that they had no intention of bombing the clinic because they were opposed to abortions in general (even though they may have been). They did it to prevent the girlfriend of one of the guys from getting an abortion there.
That doesn't fit the definition of terrorism. Stupidity, yes, and they should be put away for it, but that's about all it was. Just a run of the mill criminal act using explosives.
Posted by: Russell Miller | December 31, 2007 3:03 PM
When your LORD Jesus Christ said "Love your enemy" I doubt he meant "kill them."
Posted by: Deus | December 31, 2007 4:47 PM
Oh and "Army of God" in arabic translates to Jundullah, which is yet another terrorist group in the Middle East. Oh yeah, and the US government funded it so they'd commit disruptive activities (terrorism) in Iran.
Posted by: Bobby Jundullah | December 31, 2007 4:49 PM
I can't believe everybody is missing the real story here: Barak Obama's middle name is Hussein.
In other news: Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul. Carry on.
Posted by: kehrsam | December 31, 2007 5:10 PM
Any criminal act involving explosives is an act of terrorism in my book.
Posted by: daniel rotter | December 31, 2007 6:17 PM
Here's what scares me on the Army of God site: "There actions were justifiable. Any normal human being would do the same thing."
Really?
Posted by: Utah | December 31, 2007 7:05 PM
daniel rotter:
Then you must believe that launching fireworks on July 4th where they are illegal is a terroristic act.
That is an absurd viewpoint. Terrorism is about inciting terror, not preventing your girlfriend from getting an abortion.
No one's defending their actions, but we use the word "terrorism" way too much in this country and it's part of the reason that our Esteemed Leader has managed to amass so much unchecked power to abuse.
Posted by: Russell Miller | December 31, 2007 7:06 PM
"Then you must believe that launching fireworks on July 4th where they are illegal is a terroristic act."
I realize that I was too broad in my initial definition of the word "terrorism" that the above quote was responding to. Let me narrow down my definition, one that still includes the actions of the two criminals in New Mexico: Any criminal act involving the destruction of property and/or the taking of human life is an act of terrorism in my book. The people working at the clinic in question might now be "terrified" of continuing with performing abortions. This is due to some possible future boyfriend/husband committing a similiar act like the two criminals in question in order to prevent their girlfriend/wife from obtaining one. Unlike yourself, Mr. Miller, intent does not, in my opinion, seperate what is an act of terrorism from an act which is not. You seem to disagree with me on this. So be it.
Posted by: daniel rotter | December 31, 2007 10:13 PM
Vandalism is terrorism? All murders are terrorism?
Posted by: jpf | January 1, 2008 1:21 AM
Terror- An overwhelming sense of fear or imminent danger before something happens.A single murder is not a act of terrorism but a string of murders is.Any action that causes people to fear for there lives or property is a act of terrorism.
Posted by: ankhkaser | January 1, 2008 4:43 PM
"Federal agents say the men could face felony jail time and fines if they are convicted of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinics Entrances Act."
As if arson was not enough to do the trick.
Posted by: fcc | January 1, 2008 10:01 PM
Which world would you rather live in?
World A: where Republicans/Conservatives are the majority;
Most Republicans, Conservatives and Fundamental Christians, could be legally and most certainly psychiatrically and medically, diagnosed as Sociopaths and/or Psychopaths. Not only that, but these people are Capitalistic Imperialistic Terrorists who should be removed from America, they are ruining the United States of America, and they are ruining the World.
OR
World B: where Liberals/Humans are the majority;
"....if by a liberal they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties.. if that is what they mean by a "liberal" then I am proud to be a liberal. " ~ John F. Kennedy
Corey Mondello
Boston, Massachusetts
cpmondello@yahoo.com
www.CoreyMondello.com
1-1-08
Posted by: Corey Mondello | January 2, 2008 7:41 AM