Terrorism by any name is still terrorism

Dear Editor:

On May 26, in Portland Ore., a man aboard a train was insulting Muslim women and yelling racist slurs. When three passengers came to the women’s defense, the man pulled out a knife and stabbed them. Two of the men who tried to stop the attacker from harassing the women were killed and the other was seriously wounded. This was a terrorist attack pure and simple. The man’s actions were politically motivated. He boarded the train with a weapon and apparent intent to harm someone, which he did. Yet I know of not a single media source, conservative or liberal, which correctly labeled this as a terrorist attack. However, one can be sure had the attacker been a Muslim, or a person of color, or wearing a turban, this was would have received national coverage and would have been labeled a terrorist act. Terror is terror. It doesn’t matter who the perp is or who the intended victims are. Let’s start calling a spade a spade.

Sincerely

Angela Rachel Heather Shipp

Castro Valley Calif.