Short Research Paper Leaderless Resistance and longwolf Terrorism
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jonesarticlereviewexercise_-_copy2.docxJONES ARTICLE REVIEW EXERCISE 2
JONES ARTICLE REVIEW EXERCISE 4
Running head: JONES ARTICLE REVIEW EXERCISE 1
In my Article Review we will be taking a look at the article “What is Lone Wolf Terrorism In The Digital Age?” by Eli Lee. On July 23, 2015 John Russell Houser opened fire inside a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater, killing two women and injuring nine others before turning his gun on himself. The author states that Houser was a disaffected loner with a history of publicity expressing his Far Right views, even though most of his political activity had taken place online. January 2014 Russell reacted to the arrest of a Greek neo-Nazi parliamentarian and wrote on one of the party’s affiliated websites, “you must realize the power of the lone wolf”. (Lee, 2015)
In my opinion Russell making the statement “you must realize the power of the lone wolf”, the way I look at, Russell has disassociated himself from people who don’t have the same views as he does. He took it upon himself and act on his polictial views in a radical and terrorisc maner. Looking at another “Lone Wolf” Daylan Storm, the boy responsible for the church shooting in Charleston, SC. Although Daylan had friends, they did not share the same views when dealing with black on white crime. Daylan felt that black on white merders got ignored because the 2012 shooting of Tryavon martin got so much media attention. Daylan wrote "I have no choice," Roof wrote. "I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country. We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me." (Sanchez & Payne, 2015)
The author suggest that in the digital age, it my be easier than everbefre for individuals to be turned towards political violence in a relatice vacuum. I believe that statement is true considering both shooter started their quest to becoming a Lone Wolf started online. These boys had unlimited access to propaganda and articles that they can read about ideologies of external groups and commit acts off of what was online.
It makes you wonder if these boys started their hate online, then how many other are there just like them?
References
Lee, E. (2015). What is Lone Wolf Terrorism in the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.politicalresearch.org/2015/11/21/what-is-lone-wolf-terrorism-in-the-digital-age/#sthash.GjxXrvfj.dpbs
Sanchez, R., & Payne, E. (2015). Charleston church shooting who is Daylnn Roof. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/charleston-church-shooting-suspect/index.html
