Vanilla ISIS or American terrorists: Extremism by another name will still be extremism

When US intelligence expert and author Malcolm Nance tweeted how Vanilla ISIS needs to trend, not everyone clearly understood what he meant. Vanilla ISIS did he say? As FBI foils the plot by extremist militias to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, people have dubbed the group accused of plotting to kidnap the governor as 'Vanilla ISIS'. Is that too creative a name for a white extremist terror group? That depends on how you look at it.

Extremism and terror is extremism and terror, and to put it bluntly, white supremacist groups aren't any better or justified than their counterparts in any other corner of the world. But still looks like racial discrimination of the reverse kind exists when it comes to white supremacist groups.

Vanilla ISIS or American terrorists; the same difference!

The term VanillaISIS trended on Twitter throughout Saturday after author Malcolm Nance's appearance on a television programme where he discussed the details of the unsuccessful attempt on Gretchen Whitmer and how such groups in the past have committed similar crimes. However, Nance said, these groups are not referred to as domestic terrorists or American terrorists but sugar-coated with terms like, 'the far-right,' or 'armed militias'.

The term gained traction not just in respect of the 13 men (known by the name Wolverine Watchmen) arrested in the context of plotting against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, but the private militia groups in general.

"But technically, they are domestic or American terrorists. There is no difference between an Islamic and extremist terrorist and a western terrorist or a former communist terrorist. They commit acts of violence, they plan to commit acts of violence, intending to influence the audience, they operate with an ideology. What makes the American terrorist, which goes back a long way, any different. They are terrorists and they operate as terrorists," said Malcolm.

The Twitterati was quick to react to how there is an existential threat from such groups and how that needs to be remedied right away. Many right away traced such acts and groups to politics and the impending elections, as they always can be traced to politics in any country of the world. This is why many pointed fingers led to Trump and Republicans, both of whom are not new to being held responsible for such acts of terror.

Meanwhile, Wolverine Watchmen
Almost unknown so far and now suddenly an internet sensation. Wolverine Watchmen may sound like a good superhero group but the largely Michigan-based militia group is anything but that. Attorney General Dana Nessel informed while speaking at a news conference that the group was founded by Joseph Morrison and Pete Musico. Not much known is about them save for their Facebook page which was taken down earlier this year due to its violent content.