"Anti-theist" kills 3 Muslim students

[Wirey]

He shot them over a parking space.

North Carolina triple fatal shooting blamed on parking dispute - World - CBC News

 

[beenie]

I watched around 4-5 hours worth of news yesterday on several channels, and I only saw one story on this senseless killing. Imagine if the story was the other way around, namely three Christians being killed by a Muslim, and I just have to wonder if the coverage would have been different?

It would have been all over every news media source that exists, and FOX News would have him labeled a terrorist within minutes, motive be damned.

Yes, I did see it online, but not much coverage on the news channels that I could see. Compare that to the extensive coverage I saw yesterday and the day before of the brave young lady from Prescott, Az. that was also tragically killed.

Exactly.

He shot them over a parking space.

North Carolina triple fatal shooting blamed on parking dispute - World - CBC News

Allegedly. The sad part about this is that three innocent, seemingly bright young people were executed. If it was indeed over a parking space, then he is one sick puppy. One has to wonder, however, if the "parking space" dispute was an excuse to carry out a hate crime. We'll probably never know; I don't think it has to do with his anti-theism, but if he does hate, it's probably directed at certain people.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Looks like those of us who blame people and not religion are right. Even non believers do bad things. And because it was over a parking dispute, much like radical believers, I'm sure there is probably something mentally not quite right about this guy (obviously, given that he actually killed them execution style). Hatred and bigotry are the real problems, and we should all be able to agree on this; Blaming labels only diverts our attention away from the real problems and causes needless quarrels where there should be firm agreement.

 

[metis]

The "final verdict" is not in as of yet, and yesterday it was released that the FBI is going to be investigating. I have no idea if it was a "hate crime", and it appears that it's too early in the investigation to tell whether it was or wasn't.

 

[gsa]

Looks like those of us who blame people and not religion are right. Even non believers do bad things. And because it was over a parking dispute, much like radical believers, I'm sure there is probably something mentally not quite right about this guy (obviously, given that he actually killed them execution style). Hatred and bigotry are the real problems, and we should all be able to agree on this; Blaming labels only diverts our attention away from the real problems and causes needless quarrels where there should be firm agreement.

The idea that nonbelievers are blameless across time and space has never been part of the critique of religion and its capacity for motivating violence. Nor are all religions equal in this regard; two traditions in particular are held out for special criticism for historical reasons.

But this crime had nothing to do with hate and bigotry, from the details that have emerged so far. All actual evidence suggests he had no bias against Muslims. The only reason his atheism is mentioned, in my opinion, is because critics of atheism are desperate to cling to some semblance of parity.

Theists commit horrendous acts all the time and it isn't attributed to their theism, unless that is the stated or obvious motivation. And let's be clear, they don't commit crimes "in the name of theism," but in the name of particular religious ideologies.

While there should be firm agreement that murder is wrong, in fact there is not; while this man will be prosecuted by secular authorities, entire murderous mobs have escaped prosecution in countries that enforce blasphemy laws. We can't simply blame this crime on Islamophobia and use it as a way to escape the fundamental problems that exist, and will continue to exist, in Islamic societies.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Theists commit horrendous acts all the time and it isn't attributed to their theism, unless that is the stated or obvious motivation. And let's be clear, they don't commit crimes "in the name of theism," but in the name of particular religious ideologies.

Myself, I do not blame religion. I blame people. But there are many here who do blame religion. To me, it doesn't make a difference if this guy is a Christian, Hindu, Atheist, or Asatru, he is a monster.

 

[gnomon]

Given the abysmal track record of the internet and this very forum as well as making proclamations about violent peoples beliefs or the root cause in terms of cultural attitudes......I'll wait until further investigation has revealed more information.