Over the past week, left-wing critics have pointed an accusing finger at the Right, asking why Charleston killer Dylann Roof hasn’t been called a terrorist. Some have gone on to argue that “terrorism” is simply the term we use to describe any mass murder committed by a Muslim, whereas other mass murders — particularly those committed by non-Muslim whites — are likely to be attributed to mental illness.

While that last point is as mendacious as it is factually incorrect — James Holmes, Adam Lanza, and Jared Lee Loughner really were crazy and Aaron Alexis is not exactly white — the question of why Roof isn’t considered a terrorist has a point. His crimes certainly seem to meet the everyday sense of the word, as well as the legal definition.

Fortunately for our liberal friends, news came yesterday that Roof is being charged with committing a federal hate crime. As Reason’s Jacob Sullum points out, this is an utterly superfluous and symbolic act. Murder — if you didn’t realize — is actually quite illegal in South Carolina and its widely expected that prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Roof (as well they should).