What Is Terrorism? (UPDATED)

Why does a media that spends every waking minute hyping the threat of terrorism think the explosives in Austin aren't a big deal?

On the repugnant discovery at the Austin Women’s Health Center:

Had that bomb been found outside a post office or a school, the headlines would have been hysterically running on about ZOMG TERRORISM TERRORISM IS AL QAEDA INVOLVED? And the right-wing warbloggers would be pissing their pants and hyperventilating about profiling Arabs and banning Muslims from public life and dhimmitude and how if they had been there, they’d have stopped it with their concealed carry and their extra-super special powers of righteousness, just like they saw in a movie once and BOMB IRAN! and 9/11 CHANGED EVERYTHING!!! but they still have better things to do than join the military, but they’ll be happy to go into the woods and hunt Russians and shout WOLVERINES!!
But it’s an abortion clinic, so. Ho-hum.


UPDATE: Here's more on the lack of reaction, from the WIMN’s Voices blog, while Pandagon pontificates on the special type of "batshit crazy" Austin produces.

I'll chime in just a little here: We've gotten shit for a lot of the covers we've produced in the last year or so – the dead cats and the Anthony Benesh story come to mind – but never as much as we did for our "New Texas Family Planning" stirrups cover. Some geriatric asshole ambled in here and left a threatening note with the beleaguered front desk, and we actually hired extra security for a week or so. For some sick, semi-inexplicable societal reason, anything having to do with a woman's reproduction does, as Amanda says, bring out the real freaks.

Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Police
Chief Acevedo Responds to Dallas Sniper Attack
Chief Acevedo Responds to Dallas Sniper Attack
APD will be at 100% staffing patrol through August

Kahron Spearman, July 8, 2016

Trial Begins in Heroin-Trafficking Case
Trial Begins in Heroin-Trafficking Case
Was Jovita's a hub for drug dealing?

Jordan Smith, Feb. 11, 2013

More Reproductive Rights
Council Recap: Protecting Austinites' Reproductive Rights
Council Recap: Protecting Austinites' Reproductive Rights
Package of measures in response to Dobbs decision

Austin Sanders, July 22, 2022

In Scathing Ruling, Federal Judge Blocks (For Now) Texas Abortion Ban
In Scathing Ruling, Federal Judge Blocks (For Now) Texas Abortion Ban
A temporary injunction for an "offensive deprivation"

Mary Tuma, Oct. 7, 2021

More by Wells Dunbar
Top 10 City Council Stories
Top 10 City Council Stories
Dais and months

Jan. 6, 2012

City Hall Hustle: The Hustle Bids Farewell ...
City Hall Hustle: The Hustle Bids Farewell ...
To the beating hearts of a great city

Dec. 30, 2011

KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

Police, Reproductive Rights, Bomb Threats, Austin Women's Health Clinic, Bomb

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle