Austin, Texas: fourth explosive trap detonated, minorities seem to be the target - Sensationalist Headlines

I'd say bombing campaigns like this are terrorism regardless of the motives. People are terrified and afraid for their lives.

Well if it helps your mind at ease, I wasn't part of an anti-government militia. I was more-or-less a volunteer for Border Patrol, as well as helping guarding the property of ranchers. Clearly, I was on those ranches for the fertilizer! /s

I mean, the definition is clear as day: the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.

Hey now, you're the one that identified yourself as working with groups that had the plan/motive to take down the power grid, I'm not putting words in your mouth here.

Well that is something that almost all groups do. Think of it like the United States with it's war plans in the 20's. Scouting and plotting doesn't mean intent usually. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_color-coded_war_plans

I mean, I kind of feel like you're skipping a LOT of context here.

No dude, almost all military groups do that. I'm a part of a lot of organizations, and honestly the day that my Dungeon Master tells me about the plan to take down the power grid is the day that I stop showing up.

Are you sure you understand what a militia is and what it's purpose is?

To be fair, listening to my D&D group's average planning session for tackling an in-game problem out of context, you probably would think we were terrorists.

I'm completely aware.

I mean, we expect to have the ability to fight back against our own government should it turn on us, but you're saying we shouldn't prepare for it?

Yes, because you are preparing for something that, for the time being, is 100% not based in reality. Out of all the countries that exist, the US military is the absolute last one that would ever fire on its own citizens. Furthermore, even if they were to be attacking you with the actual brunt of the military (they wouldn't, ever), domestically terrorizing other citizens won't help anything; first, because why the fuck would that help anything, and second, because you'd be scattered into a million pieces when they hit you with a missile from a drone.

I think it's called "paranoia"

I think it's called Rex 84: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_84

Woah, incredible Wait, that's actually not surprising at all, since our government has prepared for literally everything from zombie outbreaks to alien invasion, because having a plan is better than not having a plan in case crazy shit actually happens.

Which is exactly what you're criticizing Joey for. I tend to think militias are bonkers too but you could at least try to be consistent in your reasoning.

It depends on reasoning. If its just to kill people, like serial/spree killers, then its not terrorism. But if its trying to convey a message or provoke an action, then its terrorism.

I am being consistent in my reasoning. Some bo hick 'militia' is not going to actually be designing effective plans for crisis mitigation. The fact that their plan involves crippling the power grid, something that WILL kill citizens and WILL NOT help them, proves this.

You usually don't put under-educated civilians in places of high-risk and responsibility if they're not going to be trained 24/7 for these emergencies. Might as well put a Ice Cream maker in charge of a nuclear reactor. The fact that someone wants to cut the power grid already moonlights retardness.

This is all pretty off topic and BDA there was really no need to turn a thread about a tragic number of bombings into some personal debate about militia groups and one user here who has no relationship to killings that are potentially not even remotely related to Joey's past affiliation with militia groups. This isn't even considered a terrorism situation by most people at the moment

The police are the ones saying that this could be racially motivated -- don't criticize me for reporting what they said. As for the Joey bit, I guess it'd be fair to call me out for starting that tangent, but it sure as heck wasn't my intention to derail the thread with it, and do wish folks would get back to the subject at hand.

How effective would the milita groups really be if they did rise up against the government in armed revolt? The US military has some serious shit and can likely put down any resistance. Yeah there's Vietnam and Iraq but there's a HUGE difference between having to fight 1000s of miles away while pulling your punches, where the war lasts as long as the US gov's patience and a war at home that decides the fate of your country, where the US gov can't and won't back down. These militias would get their shit kicked in really fast, you'll be much better off fighting it "economically".