Religious Extremism and Domestic Terrorism

The Associated Press reports:

A religious fundamentalist was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison for plotting to blow up abortion clinics, churches he disagreed with and gay bars after a judge ruled he is not a terrorist under federal law.

Stephen John Jordi, who was turned in by relatives and church members, received the minimum sentence after U.S. District Judge James Cohn decided not to treat him as a terrorist as the prosecutors requested. They had wanted Jordi to receive a sentence of seven to 10 years...

Jordi corresponded with Paul Hill, who was executed last September for murdering a Pensacola abortion doctor and his volunteer escort. Jordi protested outside the prison during Hill's execution and gave newspaper interviews in support of Hill.

Prosecutors say Jordi wanted to emulate Atlanta Olympic bombing suspect Eric Rudolph by living off the land after the bombings.

Jordi told the informant that he planned to carry out the bombings for 30 to 40 years or until he was caught, a comment that left the judge with "grave concerns" that Jordi's "very strong convictions" might make him dangerous after his release.

But apparently those "grave concerns" weren't enough to compel him to give anything but the minimum sentence. How absurd.

Often missed in the justifiable attention we pay to radical Islamic terrorism is the reality of domestic terrorism committed by radical Christian fundamentalists in America. In 2001, 3 of the people on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list fit this bill - Clayton Waagner, Eric Robert Rudolph and James Kopp. Add Jordi to the list. These fanatics, all of whom claim to be doing the will of God, are responsible for multiple abortion clinic bombings and the Olympic park bombing, among other terrorist acts. They have more than a few supporters, too, people like Chuck Spingola of the Army of God, who wrote this tirade defending such men. Spingola draws the obvious comparison between Muslim and Christian terrorism:

The federal department of justices war on terrorism will not only be waged against the Muslims nations but also Christian terrorists in our homeland. One might ask what do the Muslims and Christians have in common? The Holy Bible and Koran both condemn baby murder and homosexuality as capital crimes. The radical elements of both religions are willing to do more than talk to resist the societal promotion of both these capital crimes. The foreign terrorists (Muslim) resist the imposition of the United States/United Nations charter, which promotes population control(abortion) and diversity(homosexuality), while the Christian/domestic terrorist simply resists the law of the land, which promotes and often subsidizes abortion and homosexuality.

He also clearly states that he opposes any action to stop Christian terrorism:

The wicked civilian and the Federal Government appear to be coconspirators in their coup to overthrow Christ and his people. Queer Boy Scoutmasters, abortion on demand, and same sex marriage is all part and parcel of this godless takeover of God's America.

Those blessed few that actually do terrify the wicked are vigorously denounced and punished by the government "of the people". I often weep over the oppression and persecution of the Christian terrorist in this country for it accomplishes three goals. First, it comforts and strengthens the wicked. Second, it discourages the would be CT (Christian Terrorist) from action. Third, it makes the CT feel alone in his cause.

Breaks your heart, doesn't it? Those poor Christian terrorists feeling all alone. I think we need some sort of intervention. We can't have Christian terrorists, either potential or actual, feeling lonely or suffering from low self-esteem. Perhaps we could even begin a dating service for them. I can almost picture the personal ads:

Single White Zealot Male (SWZM) seeks
Humorless White Fanatic Woman (HWFW)
Likes: harrassing poor pregnant women, feeling like a martyr, walks on the beach
Dislikes: freedom, heathens, infidels and whores
No freaks!