Wake Forest University communication professor Randall Rogan, an internationally recognized expert in international and domestic terrorism, is available to discuss how the delivery of pipe bombs to prominent Democrats, CNN and a liberal billionaire has put the country on edge ahead of midterm elections. Rogan has worked with the FBI and was a member of the team of analysts that helped identify the Unabomber.
Rogan can discuss the role rhetorical tensions have played leading up to this act of pipe bomb terrorism. “This kind of domestic terrorism has been more about when than if,” says Rogan. “With the level of inflamed, heightened rhetoric we have seen against those with whom we disagree, it seems inevitable that this has happened. Negative, denigrating, dehumanizing rhetoric has become more intense. And when people of authority articulate such views, for some folks these become a directive.”
It remains to be seen what the person or persons motivation is for perpetrating these acts and whether the terrorism will escalate. “Certainly the motivation is to instill fear and to intimidate and frighten, but whether the actions will escalate is the million dollar question. Is the intention truly to harm? Generally, these individuals do not stop at one act. It becomes part of their sense of self and the attention is gratifying for the individual or group,” Rogan says.
Rogan can also discuss what forensic evidence may yield, how technology and social media will play a role in the investigation and how the terrorism may affect the general election.
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