Donald Trump and the real terrorists

| 1:31 pm EST February 24, 2018
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The Southern Poverty Law Center, a watchdog group dedicated to monitoring and reporting on the activities of hate groups in the United States, has confirmed what many of us have known for some time: so-called “men’s rights” groups are hate groups agitating for the oppression of women and minorities.

One of the main obstacles America faces in the years ahead is coming to grips with hate and terrorist groups operating within its borders. Recognizing that movements like Men’s Rights Activism or Gamergate (link) are toxic and dangerous is an important step forward. Since 9/11, the nation has allowed the word “terrorist” to fall out of use for anyone who isn’t a Muslim (or suspected of being one). This allows home grown terrorists like Timothy McVeigh, or abortion clinic stalkers and assassins, to be re-branded as mere “criminals,” which has the unfortunate side-effect of lulling us into unearned complacency, while empowering those who seek to use coercion, oppression and terror to set the political agenda in the United States.

This week, another terrorist group is meeting to discuss their goals for taking away the rights of anyone who isn’t a white republican, preferably wealthy and male. Earlier this week, they were addressed by one of the most dangerous terrorists in the nation, Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association (link). Donald Trump will also speak to his confederates at this loathsome gathering (link).

In the wake of the Parkland massacre, America’s teens are standing up and calling out the worst threats to their safety and our democracy. We seem to slowly be recognizing the threats in our midst. Perhaps we have finally learned what Maya Angelou was trying to tell us when she said “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”