Both positions of the authors have merit because there is a major issue of the arbitrary distinction between domestic and international terrorism. According to the first article, it is evident that there are several domestic terrorism incidents, which are not recognized as such, but instead, they are addressed as hate crimes (German & Robinson, 2018). In addition, the second author elaborates on the fact that the only difference between domestic and international terrorism is the absence of the fourth point in the former, which specifies the jurisdiction (McCord, 2018). The statement that domestic terrorism should be better recognized by Congress and Justice Department is valid. The main reason is that the punishment for international terrorism is far severe than for hate crimes.
Although the section on terrorism outlines both types, the document itself is primarily focused on the international category. In other words, there is an evident dismissal of domestic terrorism, which is also reflected in the fact that there is a more aggressive monitoring approach for the international one. For example, there are at least 51 offenses that could be put in the category of domestic terrorism because they adhere to the specified definitions (German & Robinson, 2018). According to the United States Code, domestic terrorism must “involve violent acts or acts dangerous to human life” (McCord, 2018, para. 3). In addition, it must “violate federal or state criminal laws or would do so if committed in the jurisdiction of the United States or any state” (McCord, 2018, para. 3). Lastly, it also must “appear intended “to intimidate or coerce a civilian population,” “to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion,” or “to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping” (McCord, 2018, para. 3). All these elements are present in the major hate crime instances, such as Dylann Roof or Robert Bower’s cases.
References
German, M., & Robinson, S. (2018). Wrong priorities on fighting terrorism. Brennan Justice Center. Web.
McCord, M. B. (2018). It’s time for congress to make domestic terrorism a federal crime. Lawfare. Web.
Walen, A. (2015). Fourth Amendment rights for nonresident aliens. German Law Journal, 16(5), 1131-1162. Web.