Media described Roof as a shooter, not a white Christian terrorist.

Evidence

Clearly, Roof’s worldview was anchored in his self-understanding as a white Christian in relationship to a white Jesus. And although neither the press nor law enforcement described him this way, the most accurate term for him is a “white Christian terrorist.” Certainly law enforcement officials, politicians, and the public would have easily labeled him a “radical Islamic terrorist” if the notebook had been filled with crescent images, a portrait of Muhammad, and reflections on Islam as a “warrior’s religion.” — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 407

Categorization

• XREF: Directly parallels the earlier chapter’s material on how white Christians deflect scrutiny of their own religion; doubles as material for the reader’s existing exchanges with ‘against relativism’ and religious-deference discussions. — connects to: Roof’s Christianity was integral to, not incidental to, his violence. — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 408
• SEED: An essay comparing the asymmetric labeling of religious terrorism — white Christian vs. radical Islamic — across cases would be timely.