When white terrorists – usually men – attack us, it continues a long history of them trying to control us. These attacks are often called hate crimes, but only about 13% of shooters actually claim they hate us. What about the rest of the time?
Most of the time, white men are seeking the thrill of killing. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, 2 of every 3 shooters get a rush from hurting defenseless people that they don’t know.
They also frequently think other white people will applaud them for their actions.
“Defensive” shooters are expecting recognition from other white people they deem “too scared to speak and act on the truth.” They target us because they claim they’re defending the communities, values, and resources they think belong only to them.
Experts describe the smallest group of shooters as “retaliatory.” Motivated by revenge, they study other shooters, write manifestos, and travel into our neighborhoods to hurt us.
Yet no matter the reason these shooters attack us, it’s crucial for us to remember something.
Just hearing about these shootings can stress us out and make us angry. Even when flimsy excuses are used to downplay and justify these white terrorists, just remember that the reason white men commit these atrocities is all about THEIR own shortcomings. NOT ours!