Steelers’ Public Address Should Learn Difference Between ‘Act Of Violence’ And Terrorist Attack

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The people of Pittsburgh are not known for being weak or mushy or easily offended and so this one is a little curious because the Pittsburgh Steelers public address announcer Saturday evening apparently decided that describing a terrorist attack as something less was best for them.

Prior to the Steelers hosting the Cincinnati Bengals, the club called for a moment of silence prior to the playing of the national anthem to recognize the terrorist attack perpetrated in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.

New Orleans An ‘Act Of Violence’?

“Ladies and gentlemen, earlier this week the country experienced a horrific act of violence with the heartbreaking tragedy in New Orleans,” Larry Richert said  in the announcement played on national television on ABC. “Our hearts are with the New Orleans community, including the brave first responders.

“At this time, please stand and join in a moment of silent reflection in memory of the victims, their families, and loved ones.”

So … act of violence?

It was a terrorist attack. More to the point, it was an Islamist-inspired terrorist attack, per the FBI.

New Orleans Victim Of Terrorism

Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, said so at a briefing in the days after the attack.

According to Raia, Shamsud-Din Jabbar said in a series of Facebook videos allegedly posted shortly before the attack that he had originally planned to hurt his family and friends but pivoted when he grew concerned that news headlines would not focus on the “war between the believers and the disbelievers.”

“This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act,” Raia said.

Raia also said Jabbar acted alone but was allegedly inspired by Islamist ideology.

“He was 100% inspired by ISIS,” Raia said.

PA Announcer Should Know Better

And somehow, in Pittsburgh, where people don’t mince words and call things what they are, we have a PA announcer going wobbly.

An act of violence.

Fans at the game at Acrisure Stadium are there to witness acts of violence.

A blindside hit on Russell Wilson is an act of violence.

A T.J. Watt strip sack is an act of violence.

The Steelers defense rallying to the football with four guys gang-tackling the ball carrier is, you guessed it, an act of violence.

And a tackle so hard that it causes an injury is a horrific act of violence.

One drunk guy in a New Orleans bar punching another drunk guy is an act of violence. But it doesn’t result in the federal government rallying resources to the scene. It doesn’t put an entire street in a city on lockdown. It doesn’t force the postponement of civic events.

Difference Between Violence And Terrorism

Jabbar was violent, no doubt. But he perpetrated an act of terror which is an especially heinous act of violence meant to instill fear in the masses and change the way people conduct their daily lives.

Intentionally ramming a Ford pickup truck into a crowd – a well-known terrorist option around the world – and killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens others, as he allegedly did, is an act of terrorism.

Internal federal documents say that the New Orleans terrorist attack is the second-deadliest attack on U.S. soil tied to a foreign terrorist organization since 9/11. The first was the Pulse Nightclub shooting, according to NBC. 

It’s unclear if Richert was trying to somehow mollify the horrible nature of what happened in New Orleans for the home crowd. Perhaps he was being politically correct in not calling it terrorist activity for some personal reason.

Whatever he did, it wasn’t helpful.

It lessens the event in New Orleans to describe it as he did. It tries to clean up what should be recognized as a dirty, foul act of wickedness.