OT: Austin bombing suspect dies near Round Rock TX

[demlion]

I think this might be the scariest of them all as he seemed like a pretty normal kid. at least in the other situations where these things happened, you went back in their history and there were some trigger points and unique situations that you could point to. Seems like this kid grew up in a reasonably normal household and had a pretty normal upbringing and didn't show any signs of craziness. And then he goes on a random killing spree, not like he even targeted a specific type/class of people, just apparently woke up one day and decided that he wanted to kill random people.

What I am reading is that he was a loner from a deeply fundamentalist religious tightly knit family who was homeschooled.

For a lot of people, including me, that means he was not a "pretty normal kid." It means he was socially and religiously quite different from other kids you might choose at random in the community where he lived. Certainly his whiteness is normalizing, in that he looks like most of the other folks in his community.

Of course were he of any other faith, especially Islam, this act would make him a crazed fundamentalist, a "radical extremist." Christianity earns him a pass for the moment.

 

[ThePennsyOracle]

What I am reading is that he was a loner from a deeply fundamentalist religious tightly knit family who was homeschooled.

For a lot of people, including me, that means he was not a "pretty normal kid." It means he was socially and religiously quite different from other kids you might choose at random in the community where he lived. Certainly his whiteness is normalizing, in that he looks like most of the other folks in his community.

Of course were he of any other faith, especially Islam, this act would make him a crazed fundamentalist, a "radical extremist." Christianity earns him a pass for the moment.

For once, I agree with you.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

What I am reading is that he was a loner from a deeply fundamentalist religious tightly knit family who was homeschooled.

For a lot of people, including me, that means he was not a "pretty normal kid." It means he was socially and religiously quite different from other kids you might choose at random in the community where he lived. Certainly his whiteness is normalizing, in that he looks like most of the other folks in his community.

Of course were he of any other faith, especially Islam, this act would make him a crazed fundamentalist, a "radical extremist." Christianity earns him a pass for the moment.

Yup. I think they ought to look very closely at this RIOT Group - dare I call it a “cell”

 

[psuro]

Yup. I think they ought to look very closely at this RIOT Group - dare I call it a “cell”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/austin-bomber-mark-anthony-conditt-110349128.html

Mark Anthony Conditt reportedly took part in a conservative outdoors club called Righteous Invasion of Truth (RIOT), in which home-schooled young people studied the Bible and were taught gun skills.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/austin-bomber-mark-anthony-conditt-110349128.html

Mark Anthony Conditt reportedly took part in a conservative outdoors club called Righteous Invasion of Truth (RIOT), in which home-schooled young people studied the Bible and were taught gun skills.

Don’t got to read no book save the Bible! God’s Word is enough for me.

I’ve actually seen that kind of thinking in print. No less scary than kids in Madrassas reading the Koran over and over again.

 

[TenerHallTerror]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/austin-bomber-mark-anthony-conditt-110349128.html

Mark Anthony Conditt reportedly took part in a conservative outdoors club called Righteous Invasion of Truth (RIOT), in which home-schooled young people studied the Bible and were taught gun skills.

imagine if it had been:

Ahmed Mohammed reportedly took part in a conservative outdoors club called Righteous Invasion of Truth (RIOT), in which home-schooled young people studied the Koran and were taught gun skills.

 

[psuro]

imagine if it had been:

Ahmed Mohammed reportedly took part in a conservative outdoors club called Righteous Invasion of Truth (RIOT), in which home-schooled young people studied the Koran and were taught gun skills.

Yeah, I think we all know how that would have gone.

 

[BBrown]

I think this might be the scariest of them all as he seemed like a pretty normal kid. at least in the other situations where these things happened, you went back in their history and there were some trigger points and unique situations that you could point to. Seems like this kid grew up in a reasonably normal household and had a pretty normal upbringing and didn't show any signs of craziness. And then he goes on a random killing spree, not like he even targeted a specific type/class of people, just apparently woke up one day and decided that he wanted to kill random people.

IDK, after reading about some of his activities and viewpoints, he doesn't sound that "normal" to me.

 

[BBrown]

What I am reading is that he was a loner from a deeply fundamentalist religious tightly knit family who was homeschooled.

For a lot of people, including me, that means he was not a "pretty normal kid." It means he was socially and religiously quite different from other kids you might choose at random in the community where he lived. Certainly his whiteness is normalizing, in that he looks like most of the other folks in his community.

Of course were he of any other faith, especially Islam, this act would make him a crazed fundamentalist, a "radical extremist." Christianity earns him a pass for the moment.

Yea thats what I was thinking too.

 

[BobPSU92]

Used cell phone triangulation to find him near the hotel he was staying at, apparently.

(Pinpointing him from messages going through multiple cell towers)

Good old-fashioned police work.

 

[demlion]

Good old-fashioned police work.

Undoubtedly fueled by donuts.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Undoubtedly fueled by donuts.

Is there anything donuts can’t do?

 

[ivan brunetti]

What I am reading is that he was a loner from a deeply fundamentalist religious tightly knit family who was homeschooled.

For a lot of people, including me, that means he was not a "pretty normal kid." It means he was socially and religiously quite different from other kids you might choose at random in the community where he lived. Certainly his whiteness is normalizing, in that he looks like most of the other folks in his community.

Of course were he of any other faith, especially Islam, this act would make him a crazed fundamentalist, a "radical extremist." Christianity earns him a pass for the moment.

White "christian" (of various stripes) males are by far our largest group of killers. Maybe we should ban them from immigrating?

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Conditt supposedly left a video confession before blowing himself up. No mention of motive though. Just stuff about how he built the bombs and stuff about his life. Police say no clues as to ‘why’.

 

[wbcincy]

imagine if it had been:

Ahmed Mohammed reportedly took part in a conservative outdoors club called Righteous Invasion of Truth (RIOT), in which home-schooled young people studied the Koran and were taught gun skills.

Ok, I'll bite. I completely agree this kid was a terrorist, no issue calling it as it is. However, the big difference between his being part of a group that studied the bible and were taught gun skills, and if he were part of a group that studied the Koran and were taught gun skills, is that, as far as I can recall, there haven't been thousands of Americans killed in the past 20 years by people who specifically say they're doing it because the bible tells them to.

So while I get that the reaction would be completely different if it were as you described, there's a rational basis for that difference in reaction. When white christian men commit terrorist acts in america, its usually not in the name of christianity. When arab islamic men commit terrorists acts in america,its almost always in the name of Islam. Willing to be educated if I'm wrong on that.

 

[psuro]

Ok, I'll bite. I completely agree this kid was a terrorist, no issue calling it as it is. However, the big difference between his being part of a group that studied the bible and were taught gun skills, and if he were part of a group that studied the Koran and were taught gun skills, is that, as far as I can recall, there haven't been thousands of Americans killed in the past 20 years by people who specifically say they're doing it because the bible tells them to.

So while I get that the reaction would be completely different if it were as you described, there's a rational basis for that difference in reaction. When white christian men commit terrorist acts in america, its usually not in the name of christianity. When arab islamic men commit terrorists acts in america,its almost always in the name of Islam. Willing to be educated if I'm wrong on that.

I don't agree with you - this cat clearly was influenced by his version of Christianity. The KKK commits terrorist acts in the name of their version of Christianity. Your comment about the last 20 years may be correct, but the previous 200 years ain't been pretty.

There is not a RATIONAL basis for a difference in reaction. There is only a perceived difference, which aligns with you posited in your post. If you (the collective you, not you personally) can rationalize a difference based on religious beliefs, then our society is further down the toilet than I thought.

Edit- let me also say this - I don't think being a white Christian male is akin to being a potential racist or "white terrorist", anymore than being Islamic is akin to being a terrorist. There are angry people in this world, there are people who are weak willed and weak minded, and are targets for others to cultivate hate and/or fear. And religion and/or political views are easy conduits to generate fear and/or hate in the weak willed and weak minded.

 

[TenerHallTerror]

I don't agree with you - this cat clearly was influenced by his version of Christianity. The KKK commits terrorist acts in the name of their version of Christianity. Your comment about the last 20 years may be correct, but the previous 200 years ain't been pretty.

There is not a RATIONAL basis for a difference in reaction. There is only a perceived difference, which aligns with you posited in your post. If you (the collective you, not you personally) can rationalize a difference based on religious beliefs, then our society is further down the toilet than I thought.

well I guess it depends on what your definition of "is" is

right wing extremists/white supremacists have killed a lot of people in the last 25 years alone. they tend not to get classified as "terrorism", or the underlying justification of their ideology remains obscured.

 

[Cletus11]

I don't agree with you - this cat clearly was influenced by his version of Christianity. The KKK commits terrorist acts in the name of their version of Christianity. Your comment about the last 20 years may be correct, but the previous 200 years ain't been pretty.

There is not a RATIONAL basis for a difference in reaction. There is only a perceived difference, which aligns with you posited in your post. If you (the collective you, not you personally) can rationalize a difference based on religious beliefs, then our society is further down the toilet than I thought.

Edit- let me also say this - I don't think being a white Christian male is akin to being a potential racist or "white terrorist", anymore than being Islamic is akin to being a terrorist. There are angry people in this world, there are people who are weak willed and weak minded, and are targets for others to cultivate hate and/or fear. And religion and/or political views are easy conduits to generate fear and/or hate in the weak willed and weak minded.

For those who read this in more detail, did the people he kill have anything in common? IE...if he was anti-gay or anti-abortion and killed some gay people or went to an abortion clinic and open fire, then there is the motive. Or the kid that opened fire in the church because his ex-wife went there and he hated the church, etc....This appears similar to the Las Vegas shooting in that it was just somebody who hated society and killed some random people to get back at 'society'.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

For those who read this in more detail, did the people he kill have anything in common? IE...if he was anti-gay or anti-abortion and killed some gay people or went to an abortion clinic and open fire, then there is the motive. Or the kid that opened fire in the church because his ex-wife went there and he hated the church, etc....This appears similar to the Las Vegas shooting in that it was just somebody who hated society and killed some random people to get back at 'society'.

Maybe, but the packages were mailed to specific people, weren’t they? So unless he picked names randomly, he did some kind of targeting (not sure about the tripwire bomb).

As an aside, huge red flag for me - in addition to the RIOT stuff - is his advocating (in college) for the removal of the sex offender registry

 

[Lion Lineage]

Is the kid a terrorist? I guess that depends upon your definition of terrorism. How wide of a net do you want to cast for what constitutes a terrorist?

Son of Sam killer - Clearly trying to terrorize people but not committing his crimes in the name of a political ideology or religion and not targeting a specific group. Terrorist? I think serial killer is a better descriptor.

Timothy McVeigh - Politically and religiously motivated. Terrorist.

KKK - Done to intimidate specific groups and done in the name of religion too. Terrorist/terrorism.

Las Vegas mass shooting - No indication that it was done for political or religious reasons, and no specific group targeted. Labeled as a mass killing and I think correctly so.

Unabomber - Done for ideological reasons and targeted a specific group of people - people that Ted Kaczynski deemed to be enemies because they were part of the “technological machine” that
he saw himself as fighting against. Terrorist? I’d say yes except for the fact that he’s also severely mentally ill. I guess a person can be both though.

Weather Underground - Done for political reasons and attacking the US Govt. Terrorism.


So my point is that unless you want to label most any violent crime as terrorism, I think the jury is out on this latest bomber. Otherwise every violent crime could be construed as terrorism which makes “terrorism” kind of meaningless.

 

[psuro]

Is the kid a terrorist? I guess that depends upon your definition of terrorism. How wide of a net do you want to cast for what constitutes a terrorist?

Son of Sam killer - Clearly trying to terrorize people but not committing his crimes in the name of a political ideology or religion and not targeting a specific group. Terrorist? I think serial killer is a better descriptor.

Timothy McVeigh - Politically and religiously motivated. Terrorist.

KKK - Done to intimidate specific groups and done in the name of religion too. Terrorist/terrorism.

Las Vegas mass shooting - No indication that it was done for political or religious reasons, and no specific group targeted. Labeled as a mass killing and I think correctly so.

Unabomber - Done for ideological reasons and targeted a specific group of people - people that Ted Kaczynski deemed to be enemies because they were part of the “technological machine” that
he saw himself as fighting against. Terrorist? I’d say yes except for the fact that he’s also severely mentally ill. I guess a person can be both though.

Weather Underground - Done for political reasons and attacking the US Govt. Terrorism.


So my point is that unless you want to label most any violent crime as terrorism, I think the jury is out on this latest bomber. Otherwise every violent crime could be construed as terrorism which makes “terrorism” kind of meaningless.

I don't think terrorism is ever considered "meaningless".

But, I understand what your position is.

 

[Cletus11]

IDK, after reading about some of his activities and viewpoints, he doesn't sound that "normal" to me.

yes and no. he had parents, he lived in a house, he had food, he has some education, he had friends, he lived in society. just because he was home schooled and religious doesn't make him crazy or abnormal. He wasn't the prom king and valedictorian dating a cheerleader, but doesn't appear to be from a broken home foster child that was shunned and bullied by classmates,etc...which is more the typical. IF we are at the point in society where people with strong views on topics start to snap and start killing people just because of that then wow. Which is what i was concerned about in that is what it appears to be. Essentially he didn't like some general class of people for a reason and therefore decided to mass murder.

 

[demlion]

Is the kid a terrorist? I guess that depends upon your definition of terrorism. How wide of a net do you want to cast for what constitutes a terrorist?

Son of Sam killer - Clearly trying to terrorize people but not committing his crimes in the name of a political ideology or religion and not targeting a specific group. Terrorist? I think serial killer is a better descriptor.

Timothy McVeigh - Politically and religiously motivated. Terrorist.

KKK - Done to intimidate specific groups and done in the name of religion too. Terrorist/terrorism.

Las Vegas mass shooting - No indication that it was done for political or religious reasons, and no specific group targeted. Labeled as a mass killing and I think correctly so.

Unabomber - Done for ideological reasons and targeted a specific group of people - people that Ted Kaczynski deemed to be enemies because they were part of the “technological machine” that
he saw himself as fighting against. Terrorist? I’d say yes except for the fact that he’s also severely mentally ill. I guess a person can be both though.

Weather Underground - Done for political reasons and attacking the US Govt. Terrorism.


So my point is that unless you want to label most any violent crime as terrorism, I think the jury is out on this latest bomber. Otherwise every violent crime could be construed as terrorism which makes “terrorism” kind of meaningless.

And if his name was "Mark Habib bin Salaam," huge segments of our culture would call it terrorism without regard to motive.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

He terrorized a city and blew people up...that is a terrorist. You don't have to qualify this with any race, religion, or political affiliation....dude is a terrorist. Crazy or not, he terrorized a city...makes him a terrorist whether or not some dare to use that label.

 

[Lion Lineage]

And if his name was "Mark Habib bin Salaam," huge segments of our culture would call it terrorism without regard to motive.

That’s most likely true. Not really sure what your point is with respect to whether this is an act of terrorism.

 

[Cletus11]

I think less time needs to be spent on what to label him and more time needs to be spent to understand what was going on in his brain that would possess somebody to mass murder. And then some real hard thought on how to start to stop this type of thing.

 

[demlion]

That’s most likely true. Not really sure what your point is with respect to whether this is an act of terrorism.

My point is, you can make up all kinds of labels and define them as strictly or loosely as you want. People use the word differently depending on the race of the killer.

 

[Lion Lineage]

He terrorized a city and blew people up...that is a terrorist. You don't have to qualify this with any race, religion, or political affiliation....dude is a terrorist. Crazy or not, he terrorized a city...makes him a terrorist whether or not some dare to use that label.

Okay. So Crips, Bloods, MS-13 gang members are all terrorists? Because they terrorize whole communities too. Or is it different because it appears his intent was to terrorize whereas a gang may use violence as a means to settle a score, reclaim or take over territory...but their objective may not be to terrorize...that may just be a by-product.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

Okay. So Crips, Bloods, MS-13 gang members are all terrorists? Because they terrorize whole communities too. Or is it different because it appears his intent was to terrorize whereas a gang may use violence as a means to settle a score, reclaim or take over territory...but their objective may not be to terrorize...that may just be a by-product.

Spin away all you want to, that is a terrorist. They aren’t mail bombing random people or anything like this.

 

[BBrown]

yes and no. he had parents, he lived in a house, he had food, he has some education, he had friends, he lived in society. just because he was home schooled and religious doesn't make him crazy or abnormal. He wasn't the prom king and valedictorian dating a cheerleader, but doesn't appear to be from a broken home foster child that was shunned and bullied by classmates,etc...which is more the typical. IF we are at the point in society where people with strong views on topics start to snap and start killing people just because of that then wow. Which is what i was concerned about in that is what it appears to be. Essentially he didn't like some general class of people for a reason and therefore decided to mass murder.

I can agree that individually any of those "vocations" is fine my problem and the warning sign to me is when you add them all together.
Edit: Actually now reading some of his other viewpoints and stances even individually they should have been a warning sign. There's a reason you don't want a sex offender registry.

 

[ivan brunetti]

He terrorized a city and blew people up...that is a terrorist. You don't have to qualify this with any race, religion, or political affiliation....dude is a terrorist. Crazy or not, he terrorized a city...makes him a terrorist whether or not some dare to use that label.

https://www.statesman.com/news/crim...tt-grieving-and-shock/CQUCcXNJ9nb2iFs8sSq0pK/

PFLUGERVILLE


2:10 p.m. update: Relatives of Mark A. Conditt issued a statement Wednesday afternoon saying they are shocked and devastated by the revelation that he was behind the string of bombings that have terrorized Austin this month.

The statement, which was given to CNN, came from members of the family who live in Colorado, not his parents in Pflugerville.

“We are devastated and broken at the news that our family could be involved in such an awful way. We had no idea of the darkness that Mark must have been in,” the family said. “Our family is a normal family in every way. We love, we pray, and we try to inspire and serve others. Right now our prayers are for those families that have lost loved ones, for those impacted in any way, and for the soul of our Mark. We are grieiving and we are in shock. Please respect our privacy as we deal with this terrible, terrible knowledge and try to support each other through this time.”

12:10 update: A picture of the suspected Austin serial bomber Mark A. Conditt provided by a close high school friend on Wednesday paints him as a smart but opinionated — and often intimidating — young man who was “rough around the edges.”

“It’s really sad to think that one of my friends succumbed to hatred of some sort,” Jeremiah Jensen, 24, who was homeschooled in the same Pflugerville community as Conditt, told the American-Statesman. “I have no idea what caused him to make those bombs. Whatever it was I wish he would have reached out to me and asked for help or something.”

 

[Westcoast24]

Spin away all you want to, that is a terrorist. They aren’t mail bombing random people or anything like this.

They are all terrorist in my book. Don't care what their race or religion or reason behind it may be. Someone comes in my home and kills my family I'll call them a terrorist as well. Just how I look at things I guess. Ugh. Hate all this nonsensical killing.

 

[psuro]

It's much easier to hate people who dont look like you or think like you.

And there are plenty of groups that exploit that to their advantage.

 

[pandaczar12]

Okay. So Crips, Bloods, MS-13 gang members are all terrorists? Because they terrorize whole communities too. Or is it different because it appears his intent was to terrorize whereas a gang may use violence as a means to settle a score, reclaim or take over territory...but their objective may not be to terrorize...that may just be a by-product.

"The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims."

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

Wow - the mental masturbation has reached it's climax. The usual "Thundering PC Herd" has taken the straw man argument to a new level.
"What if his name was Mohammad?"
"What if his name was Javier?"
"What if his name was Achmed?"
"What if his name was .... (who gives a fu@k)?"
You aren't happy enough that this creep is dead and that law enforcement did their job in a methodical fashion and minimized the carnage created by the perp. You must sit here and stroke each other off with your "what if" scenarios to make you feel better some way, some how. How fu@king pathetic!

Here is a what if for you... What if he had used a semiautomatic rifle to kill those people in Austin. This thread would have 35 pages of mental masturbation about banning guns even before the facts of the matter came out. Yet, I don't see any of you circle jerkers demanding the BANNING OF BOMBS. BOMBS are much easier to obtain than guns. Let's OUTLAW BOMBS, that will solve everything!!! Heavy sarcasm font!!!

Have fun!!!!!

 

[LaJolla Lion]

Oh so he bought these at Bomb's R Us. Great point. Hopefully the BRA jumps ahead and gets in front of this on Social media.

 

[psuro]

Wow - the mental masturbation has reached it's climax. The usual "Thundering PC Herd" has taken the straw man argument to a new level.
"What if his name was Mohammad?"
"What if his name was Javier?"
"What if his name was Achmed?"
"What if his name was .... (who gives a fu@k)?"
You aren't happy enough that this creep is dead and that law enforcement did their job in a methodical fashion and minimized the carnage created by the perp. You must sit here and stroke each other off with your "what if" scenarios to make you feel better some way, some how. How fu@king pathetic!

Here is a what if for you... What if he had used a semiautomatic rifle to kill those people in Austin. This thread would have 35 pages of mental masturbation about banning guns even before the facts of the matter came out. Yet, I don't see any of you circle jerkers demanding the BANNING OF BOMBS. BOMBS are much easier to obtain than guns. Let's OUTLAW BOMBS, that will solve everything!!! Heavy sarcasm font!!!

Have fun!!!!!

Ok.

 

[AldenT]

Wow - the mental masturbation has reached it's climax. The usual "Thundering PC Herd" has taken the straw man argument to a new level.
"What if his name was Mohammad?"
"What if his name was Javier?"
"What if his name was Achmed?"
"What if his name was .... (who gives a fu@k)?"
You aren't happy enough that this creep is dead and that law enforcement did their job in a methodical fashion and minimized the carnage created by the perp. You must sit here and stroke each other off with your "what if" scenarios to make you feel better some way, some how. How fu@king pathetic!

Here is a what if for you... What if he had used a semiautomatic rifle to kill those people in Austin. This thread would have 35 pages of mental masturbation about banning guns even before the facts of the matter came out. Yet, I don't see any of you circle jerkers demanding the BANNING OF BOMBS. BOMBS are much easier to obtain than guns. Let's OUTLAW BOMBS, that will solve everything!!! Heavy sarcasm font!!!

Have fun!!!!!

I’m a proud member of the National Bomb Association. Bombs don’t kill people; people do. But the bombs, ya know, help.

 

[psuro]

Wow - the mental masturbation has reached it's climax. The usual "Thundering PC Herd" has taken the straw man argument to a new level.
"What if his name was Mohammad?"
"What if his name was Javier?"
"What if his name was Achmed?"
"What if his name was .... (who gives a fu@k)?"
You aren't happy enough that this creep is dead and that law enforcement did their job in a methodical fashion and minimized the carnage created by the perp. You must sit here and stroke each other off with your "what if" scenarios to make you feel better some way, some how. How fu@king pathetic!

Here is a what if for you... What if he had used a semiautomatic rifle to kill those people in Austin. This thread would have 35 pages of mental masturbation about banning guns even before the facts of the matter came out. Yet, I don't see any of you circle jerkers demanding the BANNING OF BOMBS. BOMBS are much easier to obtain than guns. Let's OUTLAW BOMBS, that will solve everything!!! Heavy sarcasm font!!!

Have fun!!!!!

Your post is a big bomb.

 

[wbcincy]

I don't agree with you - this cat clearly was influenced by his version of Christianity. The KKK commits terrorist acts in the name of their version of Christianity. Your comment about the last 20 years may be correct, but the previous 200 years ain't been pretty.

There is not a RATIONAL basis for a difference in reaction. There is only a perceived difference, which aligns with you posited in your post. If you (the collective you, not you personally) can rationalize a difference based on religious beliefs, then our society is further down the toilet than I thought.

Edit- let me also say this - I don't think being a white Christian male is akin to being a potential racist or "white terrorist", anymore than being Islamic is akin to being a terrorist. There are angry people in this world, there are people who are weak willed and weak minded, and are targets for others to cultivate hate and/or fear. And religion and/or political views are easy conduits to generate fear and/or hate in the weak willed and weak minded.

I agree with your statement I bolded above. I was just explaining why the reaction would differ, and I do believe there's a rational basis for that difference based on the events of the past 20 years.

I also agree that his upbringing in a strict religious environment influenced his mental state, but unless he's said that he was doing this in the name of christianity, its really not the same.