“The Austin bombing suspect was a quiet, ‘nerdy’ young man who came from a ‘tight-knit, godly family,'” The New York Times tweeted, quoting a family friend.
Two people are dead. Six others injured. And for three weeks the people of Austin, Texas were terrorized, warned by police to stay in their homes if possible, and to not open or even get near any suspicious packages.
It all ended in the early hours of Wednesday morning, when Mark Anthony Conditt blew himself up as police approached him.
Now, the interim police chief of Austin has revealed a 25-minute taped confession was found on Conditt’s phone.
Here’s what The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
“Conditt never discussed terrorism or hatred as a possible motivation,” Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said. “Instead, the recording appeared to be ‘the outcry of a very challenged young man, talking about challenges in his personal life, that led him to this point,’ according to the police chief.”
The Intercept’s Shaun King posted a series of tweets:
Conditt was white, 23-years old, described himself as a “conservative” on a blog he wrote as part of a college course, although he had been homeschooled until college. He also explained why “gay marriage should be illegal,” including because it is “not natural.” Conditt also believed women should not have sex unless they have the financial ability to raise a child, but he did think sex offenders should not have to be registered.
On Tuesday, the White House announced the bombings – five in total from March 2 to March 20 – were not terrorism, despite the very nature of a crime designed to terrorize an entire city.
Once Conditt was dead and his identity revealed, The New York Times did what it often does when the criminal is white:
Social media exploded with anger at the Times, which last month hired a new editorial board lead opinion writer who, it turns out, acknowledged being friends with Neo-Nazis. The New York Times, it should be noted, also came under fire for normalizing a white supremacist Nazi sympathizer this past November.
Here’s how some reacted to The Times’ generous profile of Austin terrorist bomber Mark Anthony Conditt: