By: Jamal Rivers
Updated: Dec. 9, 2020
Originally Published: Oct. 4, 2017
Let’s have a chat, folks.
After the catastrophic mass shooting in Las Vegas, it’s evident we’re overlooking a serious issue. The individual responsible for this horror, who tragically took the lives of nearly 60 people and left around 500 injured, is being labeled a “lone wolf shooter.” But let’s get real—he’s a DOMESTIC TERRORIST. So, why aren’t we using that term? Because he’s a middle-aged white man. If he were a person of color, the “terrorist” label would be thrown around without a second thought.
Picture this: You’re glued to the news as they report on a mass shooting. You brace yourself for the inevitable image of a brown-skinned suspect, only to see a white man’s face on the screen. Do you feel surprised? Upset that the shooter isn’t a POC? Do you regret assuming that only people of color are capable of such violence? Or do you simply shake your head and think he must be mentally unwell?
Since January, following an executive order that targeted individuals from seven predominantly Muslim nations, the reality is stark: the main culprits behind mass killings have been WHITE MEN. Yes, you read that correctly—it’s time to confront the truth.
Just a few months ago, an angry white man from Ohio drove into a crowd of anti-racist protestors in Charlottesville. And let’s not forget about the white man who opened fire at a congressional baseball practice, injuring several Republican congressmen. Or the young white man who traveled from Baltimore to New York City with the intention of killing black men—because he was “angered by black men mixing with white women.” This is the America we live in in 2017—unbelievable, right?
According to the New York Times, since 9/11, white men have committed more deadly attacks in this country than Muslim extremists. So why do we hesitate to call them what they are? Whenever a white man commits murder, media narratives often aim to evoke sympathy. Remember the headline about the Orlando shooter? He was labeled a terrorist for committing one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, while the perpetrator of the Vegas shooting was described as just a “quiet guy who liked country music.” It boils down to skin color—let’s not kid ourselves.
Did anyone label Dylann Roof a terrorist after he murdered worshippers in a black church in South Carolina? Nope. He walked away from the scene in a bulletproof vest, offered a Coke by police. On the other hand, the young white man who killed 20 kids in an elementary school was portrayed as a troubled youth. Yet, the American-born man of Pakistani descent who committed a mass shooting in San Bernardino was unmistakably labeled a terrorist. It’s a glaring double standard.
What is happening? You can’t tell me this doesn’t stem from white supremacy. We don’t have a Muslim problem here (not to be confused with ISIS radicals); we have a significant white male problem. They aren’t just lurking online—they can legally purchase firearms and unleash chaos, only to later share their sob stories in a courtroom, where they get a fair trial. Meanwhile, most men of color who commit acts labeled as terrorism don’t even get that chance; they’re often killed by the police before they can stand trial.
White male supremacy is a cancer, and it’s affecting us all. There’s no escape—whether at school, work, or church, we live in fear of an angry white man with a gun. Why is the “terrorist” label reserved for people of color? Because it fits into a larger agenda that upholds white supremacy. If we focus solely on the brown men who commit acts of violence in the name of Allah, we might miss the white man with a semiautomatic rifle committing violence in the name of God and America.
This isn’t merely a call for gun control—though we desperately need it. This is a call to acknowledge that white men are disproportionately domestic terrorists. When are we going to awaken to this reality? When will we recognize that the white supremacist patriarchy is the root of many issues in America? White American men pose a bigger threat than any Muslim refugee you’ve been taught to fear. We have a problem, and it’s high time we open our eyes before it’s too late.
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In summary, we need to confront the uncomfortable truth: the threat posed by white male terrorists is real and often overlooked. It’s time to challenge the narratives that diminish their actions and recognize the impact of white supremacy on our society.