The Threat Of Lone Wolf Left-Wing Terrorism

Don’t expect formal terror groups like the Baader-Meinhof Gang

Leftists are targeting Tesla dealerships nationwide to attack Elon Musk’s foray into politics. In most places, it takes the form of mere protests. In others, angry leftists have taken to vandalism and even arson to show their disgust with Elon. The actions prompted President Trump to declare these acts “domestic terrorism.”

Despite the furor of these anti-Tesla demonstrations, they still pale in comparison to the scale of anti-Trump protests in 2017. There may be some sort of Resistance, but it’s not the mass phenomenon that it once was in the first Trump term. But the violence could be a preview of a new wave of domestic terror in America. Some fear that “left-wing underground terror waves are coming” and it will have significant social support. But these terrorists won’t belong to any groups or real movements. They might not even have much of a clear ideology besides hating Trump and the establishment. They will be lone wolves radicalized by the media and the internet into violence. It will be hard for authorities to do much about them.

When one thinks of left-wing terrorism in the modern era, the Weather Underground and the Baader-Meinhof Gang are what come to mind. Young people, infused with Marxist ideology and wild fantasies of revolution, form together terror cells to achieve their dreams through assassinations, kidnappings, and bombings. They didn’t pose a threat of toppling the government, but they did sow chaos and fear in their societies. These groups were able to carry sophisticated attacks, such as taking embassies and airliners hostage.

There’s little chance of those types of groups returning. With the decline of ISIS, pretty much all forms of terror–whether Islamist, left-wing, or right-wing–have been lone wolf operations. Much of them weren’t the product of thorough planning. The terrorist simply brought a gun to a location and started shooting. That’s it. These acts in some ways are more frightening. How do you stop lone maniacs who decide on their own to kill for a cause? Unless they tell their e-friends in a Discord chat about their plans, authorities will never know about them beforehand. There isn’t some group for them to infiltrate to disrupt these plots. Lone wolves act on their own. They could go off at any time and in any place.

There’s little difference between them and mass shooters. The former claim a cause for their action while the latter don’t. That’s the only difference.

The terror wave could take two primary forms: individual leftists commit arson against hated facilities or individual leftists try to commit assassinations. The first is already starting to happen against Tesla products and it has precedence.

In 2021, Indians and leftists burnt down several Canadian churches in response to false claims made about the country’s Indian residential schools. The government and media accepted and promoted unfounded assertions that these schools killed several “indigenous” students. While the evidence for that was never offered, individual actors were inspired to retaliate against the supposed perpetrators, vandalizing and torching many churches to send a message.

There was a similar wave of incidents in the US after the Supreme Court cast down Roe v. Wade. Some pro-life pregnancy centers were attacked by individual leftists as a result of the outrage over the SCOTUS decision.

The Tesla arsons could spread to other targets. Leftists could target Republican offices, Trump properties, and other locations. If people feel they can get away with it and receive adoration from deranged online libs, they will do it.

The second form of violence is more serious, and was fairly common last year. Trump was nearly assassinated twice by two different lone gunmen. The United Healthcare CEO’s murder was the biggest news story in December. In 2017, a deranged liberal nearly killed several Republican lawmakers as they practiced for the congressional baseball game. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise almost died from the wounds he suffered. More of them would have been wounded or even killed if the gunman were a better shot and police weren’t there.

Mangione’s fandom following his slaying of the healthcare CEO illustrates how this could become a “popular” sport in the second Trump term. Many people feel alienated, many feel like they have nothing to lose, and the media many consume tells them to direct this frustration towards specific targets. Luigi became an internet hero rather than a despised criminal. Losers may seek the same status for themselves through violence. “Right-wing” terrorism would ensure they’re hated by everyone, while left-wing terrorism offers the chance to become a hero to some. Many may take this opportunity.

Some say the youth don’t have it in them to do this kind of stuff. Nemets, a Highly Respected guest, argues: “This generation is smaller than previous, and phones plus games are more addictive, so I don't think that even lone wolf terrorism will be much of an issue.” There’s truth to that, but this isn’t limited to the youth. Unlike terrorists in the past, many of these lone wolves won’t be young. The congressional baseball shooter and the second Trump assassin were both old men. Much of these acts could be carried out by middle-aged men (and women) with nothing to lose.

There’s a good reason why Elon and Trump want tough penalties for those attacking Tesla facilities. They know if they get a slap on the wrist, others will see that there’s no risk in choosing violence. If they become causes célèbres, others will see validation in choosing violence. One must make examples of those who start with the small stuff of damaging vehicles before others venture into taking lives. It’s the only way to dissuade would-be terrorists.