Vetting for white dudes

Terror: violent or destructive acts (such as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands.

In a misguided effort to prevent terrorism in the United States, President Donald Trump recently declared that, at least temporarily, no more refugees will be admitted into the United States from seven Muslim nations, or nations that have a connection to or a history of terrorism. We all agree that known terrorists should not be allowed or tolerated in the United States. However, historically, we have had our share of home-grown terrorist acts and murders, often perpetrated by white males.

Indeed, our country was founded on it. In the early days, our European forefathers systematically tricked, killed, and stole the land from the native peoples. White males committed legal terror toward Africans who had been brought to the country as slaves. After the Civil War, Southern white males continued to terrorize the black community. White policemen in the South also participated in the terror.

Aside from racial terrorism, most serial killers are white men, terrorizing neighborhoods, or even the country: “Unibomber” Ted Kaczynski, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer. David Berkowitz. John Wayne Gacy. Timothy McVeigh also comes to mind. The Colombine student shooters, both white males. Sandy Hook’s Adam Lanza. And, more recently, Dylann Roof.

White males seem to have a tendency to violence, rape and killing. Maybe we should have extreme vetting of them.

This story was originally published March 10, 2017 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Vetting for white dudes."