Comments on: Jihad Jane Upsets Notions of “White” and “Woman”

By: American Conversions to Islam « Sans Cilice

American Conversions to Islam « Sans Cilice — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:14:52 +0000

[...] examined Jihad Jane’s whiteness in comparison to other instances of domestic terrorism, as Renee Martin of Ms. Blog does here. As Martin writes: But when LaRose took the name Jihad Jane–thus identifying herself with Islam, [...]

By: Valerie Ann Johnson

Valerie Ann Johnson — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:58:25 +0000

Martin’s article and the comments so far highlight for me how who we think we are frames our understanding of violent acts. Framing a violent act as terrorist definitely depends on your viewpoint. I agree with Holly that whether an act is deemed “terrorist” or not depends upon agreement with the cause behind the act.

I know that my ideas of who could or could not be a terrorist aren’t limited to any one race, ethnicity, religious belief or non-belief, gender, sexuality, class, color………and I am cynical enough to believe that many in the media know it too. It is just that it makes a sellable narrative to present such a one dimensional view of terrorism. A view that has us be incredulous that a blonde haired, blue-eyed petite woman could be so anti-US, such a terrorist.

By: hollytomlinson

hollytomlinson — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:22:12 +0000

This article raises really interesting questions about perceptions of what a terrorist looks like and I agree with Sparky about the horrendous racism and idiocy of racist profiling. I think it’s important to remember that the cause behind an act is also important.

The use of the term “terrorist” depends not on the actions of the individual, but on whether the person using the term agrees with the cause behind the actions. Commentators didn’t want to label Joe Stack a terrorist, not just because he’s a white American, but also because they and many of their supporters/readers may have anti-tax sentiments. As Renee points out many sympathised with his cause. Jihad Jane, on the other hand was allegedly championing the cause of oppressed Palestinians and Islam, causes which have less sympathy among these same commentators. Both were acts (or alleged planned acts) of violence for a political cause, both are thus as deserving of the term “terrorist”.

By: Sparky

Sparky — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:45:16 +0000

Racial profiling has always incensed me from it’s sheer foolishness – even aside from the horrendous racism of it. We see it even here in the UK, when we have a long history of terrorism coming from white faces – but still people fall onto the oh-so-easy idea that terrorism never comes with a white face

I saw many commentators ironically question why Joe Stack’s little flight wasn’t sufficient to raise terror alerts – and it is a very telling question. Because it didn’t – because privilege kicked in and we’d never ever judge all white men by the actions of one white man, nor decide that the criminal – the terrorist – actions of one white man were indicative of anything larger than himself. Whiteness benefits from the privilege of being individuals, rather than a group

It depresses me that they decide she represents the evolving evil of what we face – terrorism has always come in many colours – we’re just blind to that committed by white people. It is only now, after decades, centuries, of white terrorist acts – that we decide terrorism can come from white people – and we only recognise that because she covered her hair and called herself Jihad Jane? That’s a sad indictment – not only of the racism in society – but the blind ignorance of those who are supposed to work for security.