The Dehumanization Of Domestic Attacks

Something to consider as you whine and curse the government for stealing all your hard earned money during tax season this year – the Internal Revenue Service is one of the most likely targets for domestic terrorism in the United States.

Thursday’s attack in Austin, Texas, is just the latest incident of violence against the IRS. A man rammed his small, private plane into the side of a building containing IRS offices. At least three deaths and a slew of injuries resulted from the crash and ensuing blaze which engulfed the building.

The pilot, identified as Joseph Stack of San Marcos, Texas, purportedly left a suicide note which said among other things, “Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let’s try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.”

It’s incredible the degree of dehumanization that goes into seemingly every attack like this. On September 11^th, the victims in New York were “infidels.” Here, the attacker apparently doesn’t realize that his reprehensible actions will do nothing to stop the IRS machine, but instead will kill and maim innocent people just trying to make a living.

Consider this: Why do people feel the need to “stick it to the man” when that “man” is no more or less a person than you or I? What sort of twisted past is required for someone to lose all concept of humanity?

–Chris Koslowski