19-02-2010, 06:22 AM
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo called the incident "a criminal act by a lone individual," adding it's up to the FBI whether or not to call it an act of terrorism.
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson simply called the crash a “criminal act.”
Dana Cloud is an associate professor at the College of Communication at The University of Texas. Part of her expertise is political rhetoric and American social movements.
“The label of terrorism, which is a very inflammatory label, missing some key pieces of what this sort of political violence means,” Cloud said.
“When you put such a label on something, it’s very difficult to try to understand the kind of desperate reasoning and political meanings behind people who take such actions as this,” she said. “I would encourage people to think not only about the violent act that happened, but also the words of this man, who was so desperate to convey his wish for a different kind of society.”
Cloud said she and others have completed research on the writings of people who have attempted to assassinate the president. She said the themes found in Stack’s writings are similar.
“It’s a very common theme, like Mr. Stack says, ‘I’m the little guy. They don’t listen to us…This is the only way I know to have any voice and to make any change.’ [They] even go so far as to say, ‘Without a body count, nobody pays attention.’”
Many people have already started to responded to the crash, calling Stack a hero and honoring him online. But Cloud suggests another way to express frustrations.
“I would encourage people who are experiencing the anger and frustration - as so many people are now - to seek out organizations, social movements and other like minded people with whom you can carve out a space in public to have your words heard,” she said.
---This comes shortly on the heels of statements made by the Justice Department and the White House about not allowing "Conspiracy Theories" to propagate. Where then will we have our words heard?
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson simply called the crash a “criminal act.”
Dana Cloud is an associate professor at the College of Communication at The University of Texas. Part of her expertise is political rhetoric and American social movements.
“The label of terrorism, which is a very inflammatory label, missing some key pieces of what this sort of political violence means,” Cloud said.
“When you put such a label on something, it’s very difficult to try to understand the kind of desperate reasoning and political meanings behind people who take such actions as this,” she said. “I would encourage people to think not only about the violent act that happened, but also the words of this man, who was so desperate to convey his wish for a different kind of society.”
Cloud said she and others have completed research on the writings of people who have attempted to assassinate the president. She said the themes found in Stack’s writings are similar.
“It’s a very common theme, like Mr. Stack says, ‘I’m the little guy. They don’t listen to us…This is the only way I know to have any voice and to make any change.’ [They] even go so far as to say, ‘Without a body count, nobody pays attention.’”
Many people have already started to responded to the crash, calling Stack a hero and honoring him online. But Cloud suggests another way to express frustrations.
“I would encourage people who are experiencing the anger and frustration - as so many people are now - to seek out organizations, social movements and other like minded people with whom you can carve out a space in public to have your words heard,” she said.
---This comes shortly on the heels of statements made by the Justice Department and the White House about not allowing "Conspiracy Theories" to propagate. Where then will we have our words heard?
"If you're looking for something that isn't there, you're wasting your time and the taxpayers' money."
-Michael Neuman, U.S. Government bureaucrat, on why NIST didn't address explosives in its report on the WTC collapses
-Michael Neuman, U.S. Government bureaucrat, on why NIST didn't address explosives in its report on the WTC collapses