In late June, a Utah man was charged with attempting to blow up federal property after a bomb failed to detonate outside a Bureau of Land Management cabin in Arizona. William Keebler, a leader of the anti-government militia “Patriots Defense Force,” was arrested after he unknowingly ordered an undercover FBI agent to build the bomb, who intentionally built it to be nonfunctional. While Keebler supposedly knew the cabin was unoccupied, reports also say he scouted a mosque and a federal building in downtown Salt Lake City. Keebler was described by those who knew him as dangerous. Authorities say he was armed with an assault rifle and handgun at the time of the attempted attack, as well as a second bomb he would use if law enforcement tried to stop him. “He had committed himself to firing the first shots, if need be,” said FBI agent Steve Daniels.
This is one of many examples of anti-government extremism in this country that are rarely given much thought or media attention. This is because in the eyes of many Americans and media outlets, terrorism is only synonymous with radical Islam, and any attack not associated with the Muslim faith is automatically excluded from the terror conversation. This misconception is harmful to American Muslims, both immigrants and natural born citizens. We should broaden our understanding of terrorism to include domestic threats from right-wing extremists.
The FBI defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.” If Keebler is found guilty, he meets this definition, period. Additionally, Keebler was involved in the armed standoff between police and Cliven Bundy in 2014, as well as the occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon last year . In both these instances, Keebler, Bundy and dozens of other self-described patriots sent a clear and unambiguous message to authorities that lack of acquiescence to their demands would be met with violence. This coercive and bullying mentality is right in line with definitions of terrorism.
According to the Global Terrorism Database, there have been 65 right-wing terror attacks in the United States since 9/11. In comparison, there have been just 24 carried out by Muslim extremists (25 if you include Orlando). Statistically speaking, then, you are more likely to be attacked by a right-wing extremist than an ISIS or Al Qaeda insurgent. So why do we focus on the latter? Based on the data, we should be more worried of right-wing extremists who on average carry out 337 attacks per year. Any emphasis placed on Muslims is unwarranted and misguided.
The reality is terrorism does not always come from abroad. More often than not it comes from within. In many respects, this is unsurprising. Whether it’s conspiracies about nationwide gun confiscation, speculations about President Obama being born in Kenya or “Hillary For Prison” bumper stickers, radical rhetoric always seems to find its way into mainstream political conversations. Fear-mongering has consequences. When pundits and politicians stir the pot and complain about government tyranny and abuse of power, anti-government violence seems almost inevitable. “Conservatives who for 8 years sowed the dragon’s teeth of partisan politics are horrified to discover they have grown an actual dragon,” tweeted author Stephen King, referring to the popularity of presidential candidate Donald Trump. We needn’t look overseas to find the sources of radicalization; there are plenty in our own backyard. Any American with a predisposition towards credulity and a susceptibility to paranoia is a perfect candidate for becoming radicalized.
By broadening our definitions of extremism and terrorism, we will spare Muslim Americans — the vast majority of whom are nonviolent — the distress of being instantaneously labeled a terrorist based on nothing but their religious beliefs. Additionally, this redefining would allow us to crack down on right-wing extremism and save lives and federal property. If we want to get serious about dealing with terrorism, a good start would be to gain a more comprehensive, honest understanding of what exactly it is and who carries it out.
Photo: An American flag flies upside down outside William Keebler’s residence in Stockton, UT (Matthew Piper, The Salt Lake Tribune)