EVERY ONE OF YOU, TO A MAN*, IS EXPENDING ENERGY TODAY IN CALLING THE DISTURBED GUY WHO SHOT UP A CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME A BERNIE SUPPORTER AND A TYPICAL ANGRY LIBERAL, AND ARMCHAIR-RESEARCHING ALL OF HIS POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS TO THE NEFARIOUS LIBERAL UNDERGROUND. SPEAKING AS AN ANGRY LIBERAL, LET ME BE (PROBABLY NOT) THE FIRST TO POINT OUT THAT NOT ONE OF YOU BOTHERED COMMENTING ON THE STORY TWO WEEKS AGO OF A DISTURBED MAN WHO STABBED THREE PEOPLE ON A PORTLAND TRAIN, KILLING TWO, BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T LET HIM SHOUT RACIAL SLURS AT TWO TEENAGE GIRLS ON THE TRAIN (AND WHO AT HIS RECENT ARRAIGNMENT SHOUTED "YOU CALL IT TERRORISM, I CALL IT PATRIOTISM!").
I'M NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT I EMPATHIZE WITH A PERSON WHO, SEEING A CONGRESS CYNICALLY COLLUDING WITH A LEGITIMATELY INSANE PRESIDENT WHO OPENLY INCITES VIOLENCE AMONG HIS FOLLOWERS ON PEOPLE WHO RESIST HIS REGIME, SEES THE VIOLENT LOGIC IN ELIMINATING A FEW FROM THEIR RANKS - SURELY MORE THAN I EMPATHIZE WITH A XENOPHOBE WHO TAKES THE PRESIDENT'S LOGIC AS PERMISSION TO STALK PEOPLE ON THE TRAIN AND STAB TO DEATH ANYONE WHO DENIES THIS "FREE SPEECH." THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND EITHER OF THESE MEN, BETWEEN ME AND ISIS OR THE POSSE COMITATUS, IS THAT I DON'T ACT ON THOSE IMPULSES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOST BASIC CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH EACH OTHER IS NOT TO OPPRESS EACH OTHER'S PERSONHOOD. KILLING SOMEONE IS OBVIOUSLY THAT, BUT SO IS SHOUTING RACIAL SLURS AT THEM IN A PUBLIC PLACE. SO IS MAKING HEALTHCARE LESS VIABLE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE LESS MONEY. SO IS IGNORING THEM IN ELECTED OFFICE BECAUSE THEY DON'T FIT INTO THE HALF OF THE POPULATION YOU'VE DECIDED YOU REPRESENT. SO IS SYSTEMATICALLY INCARCERATING THEM. SO IS TAKING AWAY THEIR LAND AND GIVING IT TO THE CORPORATE INTERESTS THAT FUND YOU IN THE NAME OF "DEVELOPMENT."
SO YES, I DO EMPATHIZE WITH THE MOTIVES OF ONE KILLER OVER THE OTHER. I OWN THAT. BUT CALLING ONE A HATE CRIME OR AN ACT OF TERROR AND THE OTHER ANYTHING ELSE - OR IGNORING IT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIT YOUR IDEOLOGY - IS JUST AN ASSHOLE THING TO DO. AND YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE IF YOU DO IT.
* THE PRONOUN USE IS NOT ACCIDENTAL. YOU ARE ALL MEN.