The Unabomber case was a significant bombing time period for the United States. Lasting an enormous span of 17 years, mainly targeting universities and airlines. While the Austin bombings took place during a short span of time (ten days), no direct target was specified. Aside of time span, both left a great impact on society. Both cases were costly, killing a few and injuring many. This leaving questions on if the two could possibly be connected.
Ted kaczynski was a childhood genius with an IQ of 167 at just the age of ten. By the time he was 25, he received a PhD in mathematics. With an outstanding IQ, Ted became academically successful, and became the youngest professor hired at University of California, Berkeley, the same year receiving his PhD. Ted held an awkward and a reserved social nature, in which he left his position.  After returning home in 1969, Ted moved to an isolated cabin in the wilderness, located in Lincoln, Montana. In his cabin, there was no running water, or any source of electricity. He strayed away from modern technology, in which he believed everyone should live this way.

Later on, Ted began to live self-sufficiently. This meaning, he lived in the most natural conditions possible, in hope to stop the progression of technology.  After living isolated for quite some time, Ted began to notice some of his favorite spots being demolished by construction and industrial growth. Ted later came to the conclusion that the only way to put an end to technological and industrial advancement was to violently rebel against the system with action and force. He felt that activism doesn’t meet the mark for people to grasp the threat.
Although he had a towering IQ, Ted was socially kept to himself. Thus, he had a mental illness known as paranoid schizophrenia. This illness was discovered by the many psychiatrists and psychologists who looked over Ted. A forensic psychiatrist known as Dr. Park Dietz suggested that Ted was rather suffering from a different mental illness called Schizotypal personality disorder or STPD. Perhaps these illnesses could have led him to his bombings that he commended.

Ted Kaczynski sparked his first strike into ecoterrorism in order to act against local developers. Ted made all of his bombs and materials by hand, in which he was self-taught. The explosives were made of scrap material and wood. He would cast metal parts by melting things on his wood-burning stove in his cabin. All of his store-bought purchases were made long distance, to steer clear of any ways to get caught, and to stay under disguise. Ted didn’t send out his first bomb package until May 25th at Northwestern University. The package was sent to a professor and was reported to authorities. It was later detonated and small wounds were suffered. Ted had a journal where he would write notes and keep a map of hidden food supplies. The notes had a detailed description of where he would hide, as well as his surroundings. These notes and plans would be used as Ted would carry out his bombings.

Overall, Ted’s bombs in total killed three people, and left 22 injured, within a span of about 17-20 years. Ted began to become known as the Unabomber, short for “University and Airline Bomber.” He gained this name because his bombs were mainly directed towards scientific universities, airlines, and businesses. Thus, he felt there was over-industrialization of society and demolition of nature.

Ted’s bombings started to come to end, twenty years later. Ted sent an in-depth essay or manifesto known as “Industrial Society and Its Future” to authorities under a familiar name. The essay contained statements that said the bombings would go on further unless his declaration was declared was printed and published. In the essay, one of the points Ted was making was that, in order for industrialization, there must be a strong society to operate. It must be able to provide structure, guidance, and basic needs. Society has eliminated the option for people to make their own decisions, to have goals, accomplish them, or even to struggle. It has made most things that anyone wants, and controls one’s life. Because of this, people may experience low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority. In an industrial society, the good parts rely on it’s bad parts. As the advancements can be pushed back, they can’t be avoided. Society must do something about the sub-societies such as criminal gangs, militia, ghettos which are endangering its control. In order to make destruction easier, social stress must be increased.

Ted Kaczynski felt that the only way to bring technological and industrial advances to a halt is to have some sort of revolution or destruction. The revolution would be either violent or nonviolent, sudden or gradual. For those  who hated the industrial system should prepare for a revolution.  It will not be political, but it is rather to overthrow the economic and technological basis of society. Ted felt that the industrial revolution was a disaster towards the human race, and demolished society. It has also caused mental suffering, drastic damage to the world, as well as shame of human beings.The Industrial Revolution has brought low human aspects in which are forms of leftism. Ted says the article has vague statements along with some false statements, but with that being said, the article expresses a more natural truth. He felt that the general basis though are overall correct.
On January 23, 1998, Ted kaczynski pleaded guilty to the series of deadly incursions , as an exchange for a sentence to life in prison, without possibility of parole. The unabomber case was declared the costly pursuit in history.  After a whole year, Ted got himself out of the death penalty.  After Ted released his manifesto to authorities, Ted’s brother, David Kaczynski said he recognized Ted as a possible suspect. While he did turn him in, he wasn’t expecting the death penalty to come of it. After a long span of time figuring out who a possible suspect was, Ted finally admitted to the following: killing three people and injuring  23 others, planning and executing all 16 unabomber events, starting with the first at a college located in Chicago, killing Hugh Scrutton (computer store owner) as well as Murray (timber lobbyist) in 1985 and 1995. In addition, he also admitted to the bomb-slaying of Thomas Mosser (advertising executive) in 1994, injuring David Gelernter and Charles Epstein in 1993. Ted then campaigned for his life because of the mental illness he was diagnosed with. This in which, he received 8 counts of life in prison. The deal with Ted was indeed unconditional meaning the rest of his life was guaranteed to spent behind bars. The likelihood of any federal charges is very since the sentence was made.
Moving forward about 20 years in time, a similar case took place on March 2nd, 2018. An unmarked box package was left outside of 37 year old Anthony Stephan’s house. The taken inside, killing Anthony. Just ten days later, two bombs explosions were reported in the same day, on a Monday. The 1st blast was reported in the morning in the 4000 block of Oldfort Drive.  The 2nd was reported around noon in 6700 block of Galindo Street. The second bomb killed 17 year-old Draylen Mason and drastically injured a 75 year old elderly woman.
The bombs shook neighbors houses houses and left an adult victim covered in glass. Neighbors began to grow fearful to check their their mail, worried to receive a bomb. A $15,000 reward was put out for information involving the identification of the person. Also, additional information leading to arrest. There was a $100,000 police reward  as well to catch the suspect.

When comparing the two, I noticed that they have their similarities and differences. In the span of the austin bombings, two people were left dead,  while in the Unabomber time period, three were killed. Either way, both still left many injured and worried. When coming into terms of being caught, Ted sent a manifesto which was recognized by his brother, while the Austin bomber had a bomb bound for austin, which then exploded at a FedEx facility. Fortunately, the scene was caught on camera, capturing the bomber. Later, people began to compare the Unabomber case and the Austin bombings because they were both described similarly. As each bomb began to progress and continue on, the difficulty level of catching the suspects would increase. Both scenarios had rewards placed on them in which authorities were eager to put an end to the bombings. The unabomber bombings were mainly targeted towards universities and airlines, in which the targets were directs. On the other hand, the Austins bombings killed two african-american individuals, and injured a hispanic woman.  While the targets aren’t exactly clear, many came to believe that the bombs could’ve had some sort of racial influence.

The unabomber case did actually have decent motives in which I can understand how Ted Kaczynski’s thought process was going to a specific standard. Perhaps, there should have been a different solution to this matter. Nonetheless, the bombings were unnecessary and very devastating. However, the Austin bombings motives have gone unnoticed. With a mail bombing case to happen so long ago, and then for it to happen 22 years later, does history really repeat itself?