Charlottesville Killing: An Act of Terrorism?
On August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia, a man intentionally slammed his car into a group of protesters, killing a woman and injuring others. Watch Cell Phone Video Shows Deadly VA. Crash. As you look at the video, think about other recent attacks where vehicles were used as weapons against civilians. Consider what you know of the assailants’ mental and emotional make-up at the moment of attack. Determine if this is domestic terrorism, a hate crime, or a crime perpetrated at the spur of the moment.
SLP Assignment
Do the following:
Watch a 5-minute video: Terror analyst on difficulty of thwarting vehicle attacks
Go to Terrorist Attacks by Vehicle Fast Facts to determine if the incidence of attacks using a motor vehicle has intensified worldwide. Using MS PowerPoint, graphically chart the incidence of attacks using motor vehicles from 2000 to present day.
HELPFUL HINT: Look at Date of Attack and Number of Casualties for each incident.
Since Homeland Security resources are limited, go to FBI Crime Data Explorer and download the U.S. Hate Crime Database.
Social media usage in the United States – Statistics & Facts. Does social media have the power to exacerbate polarized thinking leading to hate crime? Is there a correlation between hate crime and social media usage? There is no wrong or right answer.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Length: This Case Assignment should be 3-5 pages, not counting the title page and references.
References: At least two references should be included from academic sources (e.g., peer-reviewed journal articles). Required readings are included. Quoted material should not exceed 10% of the total paper (since the focus of these assignments is critical thinking). Use your own words and build on the ideas of others. When material is copied verbatim from external sources, it MUST be enclosed in quotes. The references should be cited within the text and listed at the end of the assignment in the References section (preferably in APA format).
Organization: Subheadings should be used to organize your paper according to question.
