Austin — What do you call a confessed serial-bomber who sent exploding packages to black and brown families?
If you're Austin Police Chief Bryan Manley, "a very troubled young man."
"He does not at all mention anything about terrorism, nor does he mention anything about hate...it is the outcry of a very challenged young man," says Austin Police Chief Brian Manley, describing a recorded confession left by the suspected Austin bomber #tictocnews pic.twitter.com/E7hBgNe2aR
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) March 21, 2018
The bomber killed two people and wounded four others before ultimately blowing himself up on Wednesday. On Twitter, many users called for him to be labeled as a terrorist.
Since he isn’t brown enough to be called a terrorist should we just call him “confused?” #AustinBomber #FixedThatForYou pic.twitter.com/FDkVNAh7bQ
— diane straub (@didikins4life) March 22, 2018
Dear white media, call the Austin bomber the sadistic terrorist he was instead of whitesplaining his childhood pain https://t.co/B89OOTkWW2 pic.twitter.com/JHrccksKkO
— Jamal page (@JalalPage) March 22, 2018
Vegas shooter= old white dude. Florida high school shooter = teenaged white dude. Austin serial bomber = 20-something white dude. The terrorist demographic isn't brown, black, Muslim or even foreign. It's homegrown and white.
— marivi soliven (@marivisoliven) March 22, 2018
The bomber did not make his motives clear before he died, and never used the word "terrorism" in his recorded confession. To some, that means he's not a terrorist. Others disagree.
So they're not calling the Austin bomber a terrorist, because of the lack of a motive. Fair, but if he were Muslim he would've been labeled as such. Also, had he been black/Hispanic he'd be a thug or it'd be "gang/cartel motivated." Instead, he's "troubled."
— Aaron Gomez (@Aaron_G52) March 22, 2018
63% of mass killers since 1983 look like Mark Anthony Conditt, the Austin Serial Bomber: White, male, and citizens.
Redefine Terrorism.
— Khaled Beydoun (@KhaledBeydoun) March 21, 2018
And then there are people who say, just forget the bomber altogether. Remember the victims.
The smart young man who deserves our love & remembrance is 17 year old Draylen Mason, who was killed by the Austin terrorist bomber for absolutely no reason. pic.twitter.com/4bcYPu4loz
— Wendy Molyneux (@WendyMolyneux) March 22, 2018