Domestic Terrorists? Not really

The Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have been in the news quite a bit lately, with the January 6th Hearings and all.  They have been branded "domestic terrorists" by the Department of Homeland Security. But are they really terrorists? 

They put on a good show, brandishing long guns and parading around in body armor and camo. But have they really committed any acts of terrorism?  Yes, there is lots of chatter and they were deeply involved in the Insurrection, but apart from that, what have they done? Yes there was the Oklahoma City bombing, and there have been hate crimes committed by right wing nutters, but these appear to be uncoordinated "lone-wolf" operations, in the national security parlance.  For the most part, these quasi-militias appear for photo-ops, protest marches and feel-good rallies, but they are probably more of a social club of terrorist wannabes.

I grew up in Britain in the 60s and 70s during The Troubles.  There were at least four real paramilitary organizations who could reasonably be called terrorists: the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Provisional IRA (the "Provos") on the Catholic side; and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA)/Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) on the Protestant side.  

All were not only well organized, they also acted; they planted bombs, they shot and killed people, either on the other side or members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army which had been sent in to quell the violence, even a member of the Royal Family, Lord Mountbatten. 

These were real terrorists; they didn't parade around in camo or brandish guns; they blended in, planned carefully and committed acts of true terrorism. (Pro tip: you can't commit an act of terrorism and get away with it by drawing attention to yourself). In comparison, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, at least so far, are just performative cos-play social clubs. And long may that distinction continue.