In posts on X following the incident, Tesla CEO Elon Musk called the incidents “terrorism” and said the company “just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.”
OK buddy.
The cars suck, but he’s right that the company hasn’t done anything to deserve this. He’s the one who chose to make himself the face of Tesla, though, so however people feel about him, they’ll feel about any business he owns.
Terrorism, though? Hardly. It’s protest. He’s the one doing terrorism by dismantling the government.
The cars are poorly designed to the point of being dangerous. They deserve it a little.
Terrorism, though? Hardly.
Pretty much the definition of terrorism. Doesn’t necessarily make it wrong.
That’s what was so terrifying about the Patriot Act for so long.
Violent, criminal acts
Property damage is not violence and nonviolent protests are not terrorism. They will claim it is. They are lying.
Gonna disagree with the anarchist viewpoint because physical damage to inanimate objects can still cause PTSD, battered spouse syndrome with enough incidents over time, etc. It’s the threat of danger that matters.
Just because it doesn’t fit your ideological view doesn’t mean people are lying by looking at it differently
Yep the idea of terrorism bad is honestly kinda overly simple. Can it be bad? Sure especially if you don’t have a specific target but well the IRA, American Revolutionaries, and Zapatistas have shown that there is a good way to go about it. The term of the day is damage minimization.
Surprisingly, Star Wars is a great example of this. A rinky dink political group (rebels) blowing up a military installation (death star) is terrorism. That does not mean the action was unjustified.
It’s not terrorism if it’s war.
Terrorism that succeeds is called revolution.
But they’re at war though, aren’t they? I suppose the Empire would still spin it that way.
Yep. Nobody (okay, very few people) want to burn Teslas, or make car bombs, or dress up as indians and throw a shipment of tea into the Boston harbor, but when you live in a state where the government is no longer governing for the people (even if the people knowingly, or unknowingly selected that government), ignores it’s citizens or even actively harms them, then you don’t have much choice. You have to defend yourself.
It’s the threat of danger that matters.
Correct! It is the threat of danger that matters. Domestic violence as you described is threatening and abusive, and therefore violent.
Is it the same thing when the property is owned by a company, not a person?
Is graffiti terrorism? It’s property damage. It can be ideologically motivated. If someone had spray painted the cars, instead of lit them on fire… would it still be terrorism?
Who was threatened here?
Property damage is not violence
Every definition that I can find says it is but maybe you’d like to provide one that says otherwise.
Spraypaint a traffic camera, violence.
So what I’m hearing is, if you burn Tesla because their CEO is a scum-sucking useless billionaire who is dismantling the social services that you and your family rely on (and paid for!), in order to cut taxes for the 1%, you’re a terrorist.
If you set shit on fire because you like to watch stuff burn, you’re just a plain ol’ arsonist.
If that’s what you’re hearing, you should have your ears checked. It doesn’t matter who the offending person is or what they do. It only matters what the perpetrator does.
Yes, I believe that is what I wrote.
No, what you wrote is:
If you set shit on fire because you like to watch stuff burn, you’re just a plain ol’ arsonist.
Ah, so any property destruction is terrorism, got it. Thanks for clarifying.
Not sure why some people are disagreeing - it for sure fits the definition. I’m not exactly sad about it - Musk is helping to rip apart the country and I have a hard time blaming people who feel that helping to rip apart one of his companies is about all they can do - but committing arson to further an ideology is terrorism.
Not sure why some people are disagreeing
They don’t like the connotation. Which is fair. Nuance is hard and if you say “yes, we’re terrorists” there’s no way that’s not going to be wielded against “your people” in the court of public opinion.
But facts are facts.
It’s property damage that was done specifically to avoid hurting people. By that interpretation, Banksy could also be classified as a terrorist.
Man that’s some podium level mental gymnastics.
ZACHARY, La. (BRPROUD) – The Zachary Police Department says they arrested a former student after Zachary High School was tagged with graffiti.
Police say that Shyron White was arrested at his home in Livingston Parish for drawing a triangle with a symbol in it on the exterior doors. Graffiti was found in several locations around the building, and police were alerted on Tuesday.
“It’s always important to not damage someone else’s property. It costs money and time to, you know, to actually fix,” Zachary Police Department Chief Daryl Lawrence said. “And then you’ll have people like us out looking for you.”
Lawrence said an incident like this is not common for the Zachary community. White is booked in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, charged with terrorism, criminal damage to property, aggravated assault and criminal trespassing.
This is the Orwellian shit you’re advocating when you start classifying vandalism as terrorism.
Yes, it is. I don’t know what “a triangle with a symbol in it” is but if it’s associated with an ideology then that fits the definition, yes. Judges and juries are allowed to exercise discretion, and I hope that they do. That has no bearing on whether it is or is not terrorism.
criminal acts
With this definition, a government can do anything it wants without it being terrorism because it gets to decide what’s criminal. So while it may be terrorism by definition, that definition is pretty useless without a lot of context.
This is resisting, not furthering, ideological goals.
Could you state the ideological goal of these attacks?
Could you state the ideological goal of these attacks?
fuckelon
I’d say that’s an ethos rather than an ideology.
lifestyle baby
This is resisting, not furthering, ideological goals.
It’s the same thing.
Could you state the ideological goal of these attacks?
Seriously? You need that explained to you? How much time do you have? Eccentric billionaire seeks to destroy democracy, manipulate the public, oppress and marginalize it’s people, consolidate wealth in the elite class, dismantle federal institutions that check him, defy the law, for starters. You haven’t heard about any of this? The “ideological goal” is to end it.
Sorry but I really don’t think it’s the same thing. People are motivated to do this to oppose an ideology, not to promote one. They could come from almost any ideological starting point, and all they want, essentially is a return to the status quo.
Again, which ideology does this action promote?
Sorry but I really don’t think it’s the same thing.
There’s no need to apologize for disagreeing. Just explain yourself.
People are motivated to do this to oppose an ideology, not to promote one
How can you not see that those are the same thing?
Again, which ideology does this action promote?
I just explained that in great detail in the comment you replied to…
Opposing the construction of a highway is not the same as trying to construct a highway.
The board needs to remove Elon today.
You can remove him from the board but he’ll still have all of his shares. And I’d bet he’s not really doing much as Tesla these days anyway.
Not much except getting their dealerships torched.
My point was that they’re doing what they’re doing to hurt Elon. Removing Elon from the board does not prevent them from hurting Elon.
Even if they do, protests and boycotts need to continue past it. A lot of his wealth is in Tesla stock, and he’s going to benefit from the shadows if the public moves on and TSLA recovers.
It’s not terrorism. They were just peacefully touring the dealerships. Just like January 6. Peacefully touring.
“Evil attacks”, like we’re killing puppies, or something.
It’s vandalism against machines, and the only victim here is the insurance companies.
“Evil attacks”, like we’re killing puppies, or something.
Leave the puppy killing to the expert, Kristi Noem.
Problem with setting Teslas on fire is we can’t know if it’s an act of protest or if they just did that on their own.
The incident in Kansas City genuinely does sound like one just caught itself on fire.
In Kansas City, Police Captain Jacob Becchina said in a statement that an officer first observed smoke coming from a Cybertruck parked in a Tesla parking lot. “The officer used his fire extinguisher, however, KCFD was still needed as he could not put the fire out,” Becchina said. “The fire spread to a second Cybertruck parked next to the original burning one. The circumstances are under investigation, but preliminarily, the fire is being investigated for the potential of being an Arson.”
They’ve become sentient, and are committing suicide.
This made me laugh out loud at my desk. Thank you
Could be insurance fraud too.
Probably a lot of the time it is. Nows a great time to do it if you’re gonna.
Saw a post earlier where a guy was 42,000$ underwater on his and wanted to offload it at that big of a loss before his insurance dropped it entirely.
*$42,000. You saved no time in typing it wrong and look stupid. Congratulations.
Nah, 42,000$ is more natural and consistent with other units.
deleted by creator
I was JUST about to say; how do we know they didn’t just do that? or that this wasn’t a buggy firmware update that just did that? or a malicious firmware update that did this?
LoL 😂
Exactly 🤣🔥
Oh no. Anyway…
Been thinking about this a lot. They can say it’s terrorism. History is written by the winners.
But…
Rebellion is constitutional, but not legal. If you rebel, you die a terrorist or live a hero. Not much middle ground.
Jan 6ers were pardoned, so by this logic all the car vandalisms are legal too.
Rebellion is constitutional, but not legal.
Sure, “we the people” control the government, so technically we can destroy it when we want. However, “we the people” also want a stable government that prevents the minority from ruining things for the majority.
So if you’re going to rebel, you need be very careful that you’re on right side, otherwise I think the rest are justified in calling you a terrorist.
Exactly!
Scary.
Welcome to reality
How americans see themselves after cowardly vandalising some idiot’s car
Hahaha 😂 10/10 meme
I’m not a big fan of that but I did notice there’s a new 2025 model y. At this point if you buy a Tesla you have it coming. If I saw someone destroying that I would look the other way.
Then I’m using plastic straws again, it’s on you buddy!
I don’t really get your point, but I think that’s a UN thing. I actually like paper straws. More nucleation points make the drink taste fizzier. Unless it’s a smoothie….
obvious sarcasm is not obvious enough?
Sorry m8te, I don’t know who you are so not sure when you’re being sarcastic! I rely on “/s” these days but I hear ya now load and clear. Hope you have a sick/awesome day!
Same to you, good night
Intelligence is faster than you.
Too bad roasted CEO isn’t on the menu yet
that I would respect
I like that the picture doesnt show his belly. Yeah minus the muscles that could be me for sure.
Not me, I’m not getting on a horse if that bottle isn’t full of beer.
What about the Germans and the French? Are they cowards too?
They know how to riot if they have too.
Oh no. Anyways.
I have never, and will never, see anyone vandalize a Tesla. 🙈
I didn’t see nuffin
“Trump administration looking to categorize Tesla vandalism as domestic terrorism” Because Republicans are cowards without principles who can never even think of opposing him.
Can’t believe the Insurrection Act is gonna be used because of homie’s swasticars
Some advice for demonstrations (including propaganda of the deed):
- Wear a ski mask. Wear rubber gloves.
- Wear anonymous clothing.
- Don’t trust phones. Don’t use them to plan, and leave them turned on at home.
- Use a cell structure to organize, and share info on a need-to-know basis only.
- Assume there are not only cameras but microphones.
- Don’t drive anywhere near the location of the demo. Ride-haining services are even worse. Don’t even cycle in unless you can go off-road.
- Distinguish individuals’ property from corporate property.
- The goal is to live to fight another day. A fair fight is one in which you don’t get hurt.
Not having the phone with you is critical. But I assume planning is done on a laptop or desktop that is obviously not taken with?
Yep, anonymous browsers, burner accounts, and a VPN if you can. Privacy.sexy is your friend too.
You just want to set yourself up as best you can for the defense of “you can’t prove that was me.”
Tor browser/ I use a VPN most of the time. But for REALLY sensitive shit I turn Tor on. A lot of stuff can be purged off your computer. I use Windows 11 (haven’t migrated to Linux yet! Ugh!) but I have some failsafes to reduce my location data and the amount I am exposed. It isn’t perfect (nothing is) but it is better than nothing.
Man, if I had the poor luck/foresight to have purchased a Tesla earlier, I would be driving like the politest mofo in existence these days.
I’d set it on fire and make an insurance claim.
Ohhhhhh nooooooooooo! Let me grab my very tiny violin.
Oh no!
Anyway…
