More details have been released in the tragic attack on pedestrians in Toronto, Canada that has exposed a dark and twisted world. Alek Minassian is accused of plowing a van into a crowd, killing 10 and injuring dozens. While news of the attack broke, investigators scrambled to find a motive. Plowing vehicles into crowds of people has become a popular tactic among terrorists around the globe because it’s one of the least expensive ways to cause the largest loss of life. While certain groups hold extreme religious views, there are also those on the fringe with extremist ideology.
Alek Minassian was part of a small online community calling themselves “incel,” which is an abbreviation for involuntarily celibate. The shady community consists of men who harbor extreme hatred towards women. They blame society for not being able to find a partner. Incels also have their own slang, referring to sexually active men as “Chads” and women as “Stacys.” Incel forums often contain violent content promoting rape and aggression towards women. Men have also used online forums to detail stalking women and getting excitement from their fear and paranoia. One user detailed how he walked behind women in the street until they became uncomfortable and scared.
In 2014, a man named Elliot Rodger opened fire on students at the University of California Santa Barbara, killing 6 people and wounding 14. It was later discovered that Rodger was a member of the incel community. He left behind a video titled “Retribution” where he expresses his outrage and violent anger towards all women for being rejected. He specifically addresses blonde sorority women, vowing to slaughter them all. Elliot Rodger had a strong desire to punish women and carried out his massacre before killing himself inside of his car.
It was discovered that Alek Minassian made posts to Facebook praising Elliot Rodger, referring to him as “Supreme Gentleman” as he called for an “Incel Rebellion.” Rodger has become somewhat of an icon among the incel community. The phrase “going ER” was coined to describe carrying out violent action similar to what Elliot Rodger did. Men often encourage each other to “go ER” on incel forums, saying they’ll become legendary in the same manner. This is appealing to many in the incel community because it’s made up of men who don’t receive any attention. The idea of becoming immortal through violence piques the interest of men consistently rejected by women.
Unlike Elliot Rodger, Alek Minassian was arrested following the attack on pedestrians. The majority of the victims were women. The online community of incels has already begun hailing Minassian as the new saint. Incel propaganda can be found throughout popular posting sites such as Reddit. While administrators sometimes take action, it’s hard to target every single inflammatory post. Men belonging to the incel community are also known to make racist posts, blaming black people for their loneliness and troubles in life. However, their primary target is women. The sick and twisted world of the incel community highlights a real need to address mental illness in the United States.
