Anti-Black Terrorism in Charleston, SC

t “There is no sanctuary for any of us.” Patricia Williams Lessane: NYT oped 06/19/15

Terrorism is commonly defined as violent acts (or the threat of violent acts) intended to create fear (terror), perpetrated for an economic,[1] religious, political, or ideological goal, and which deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants…. Wikipedia.

The killing of nine black people by a very young white man in the midst of a church, in the midst of a prayer meeting was an act of terrorism. In retrospect, it was only the latest and most horrific of a series of events that appear to have the same effect, if not always the same conscious intent.

I have a black friend, educated, in a good white collar job, who has a long commute, and worries each time he gets in the car, that he could be stopped by the police, and killed, or jailed for no reason, just as many other black people have been, especially in the last several months, which began with the high profile killing of the unarmed Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO by a white policeman.

These events have likely caused nightmares in many, just because the color of their skin and features mark them as descendants of slavery.

Roof, the young murderer, apparently expressed racist sentiments freely, but we all know he is not alone, even if he may have acted alone in this case. White racism, unfortunately, is still not just a legacy, but a reality in 21st Century America.

It has now come out that the day of the shooting, June 18th, was the 193rd anniversary of the planned slave uprising by Denmark Vesey, the founder of the Mother Church, Emmanuel AME Episcopal in Charleston, SC. The anniversary marks the suppression of that uprising, that is, the suppression of one of the most significant attempts by the slaves in South Carolina to rebel. Is it likely that a high school dropout and drifter would have known that? Which raises the question: who was behind him? Who radicalized this boyish young man, and directed him to go to the church on that particular day? Who directed him to find the prominent black State Senator, Clementa Pinckney? Why did he say “I have to do this, I have to kill all of you,” who then refrained from killing one of them, so that she could report what happened? This doesn’t sound like a lone crazy. It was an act of calculated terror. Black people everywhere will have nightmares because of him, and fear for their lives wherever they are. And this comes after all the other killings: by police, vigilantes, homeowners…

The killings have as their sum, a wave of terror against black people. This is what terror is supposed to do: intimidate people who have been targeted by it. This is the intended effect of Islamic State against Shiites and Christians, and is also the intent of terrorist jihadists in the US, Europe, and the other parts of the world.

South Carolina’s capital still flies the confederate flag over a Confederate war memorial; it was not lowered, although other flags at the State Capitol were lowered to half staff in mourning.

An investigation into Roof’s connections must be made, and the root of this terrorism must be uncovered if at all possible, and stopped. This isn’t just violent racism; it’s an attempt to cow every non-white person anywhere in the US. This looks more and more like an undercover movement like the KKK after Reconstruction in the South: dedicated to re-terrorizing and subjugating the former slave population. Who knows who’s behind it, but it seems unlikely that Dylann Roof was a lone, crazy gunman acting out of his lonely, crazy fantasy of doing, what he told his captors was “something big,” on June 18th, 2015.