(Opinion) Terrorist or Shooter? Media Bias Exposed

(12/3/15) We have learned the identities of the two shooters (terrorists) in San Bernardino.  Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik were both killed in a hail of bullets as they fired on police from their vehicle.  I am not writing this to tell you the story.  There are thousands of sources to tell you that.  I want to talk about media bias because the last two mass shooting have exposed it very clearly.

Let’s go back to the Planned Parenthood shooting.  Before there was even a name to the shooter the left wing media had proclaimed the suspect to be a right wing Christian terrorist.  While that turned out to be true, it also was not correct until the evidence came forward a day later.  In a more disturbing example of bias, the right wing media, even today, will not proclaim the Planned Parenthood shooting as a terrorist attack.  They simply refuse to utter the words “Christian terrorist.” Instead he is a “shooter”, “mentally ill”, or “lone wolf.”  This is amazing because the evidence is clear.  Some in right wing media have gone so far as to blame Planned Parenthood for this act.  It is ironic that this is the same group who is appalled that President Obama cannot utter the words “Islamic terrorist” and just for clarification it is true, he cannot.  See Poltifact.

Last night before we knew the names of our shooters the left wing media was calling this an act of domestic terrorism.  Some were also claiming it to be right wing terrorism, without evidence.  It clearly is domestic terrorism as Farook is a natural born citizen of the USA and an employee of the Inland Regional Center where the shooting occurred.  Further, the right wing media was referring to the terrorists as shooters or suspects.  This is certainly better journalism than labeling it a confirmed terrorist attack before all the info is in.  However, one can easily say, that no matter the religion or circumstances, the shooting of 14 people in cold blood is an act of terror.

The narrative sure has changed now that the names have been revealed.  Due to the names not being of a European nature the right wing media has launched an aggressive assault proclaiming Islamic terrorism, while at the same time left wing media has backtracked and is now referring to the shooting as possible work place violence or maybe terrorism.  Maybe terrorism?  Really?  The moral to this story is that both acts were terrorism.  This is very clear.  What is also clear is that the media has significant bias when it comes to who commits terrorist acts.  Apparently to the right wing, Christians simply do not do this and to the left it seems Islamists must use big bombs or fly jets into buildings to get their attention.  Bias makes me sick.  Terrorism is terrorism.  The act itself defines it and not the people committing it.

Written by Dave Van Zandt

Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources