Terrorism in our own Backyard
America is said to be the strongest nation in the world with a passion to provide a culture full of opportunities, freedoms and a land free of terrorism! Recently, we’ve all watched in horror as our country’s dignity was compromised. The 9-11 acts of terror will always be remembered not only for the number of lives that were lost and for the damage done, but because our safe haven was invaded and that is unimaginable for most Americans. Now more than ever, security measures and extreme precautions are being taken to avoid further attacks on America, but are we over-looking the terrorism that is happening everyday among American to American?
Terrorism is defined as the “unlawful use or threatened use of force; violence by a person or organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating.” We often think of the word terrorism as an act of violence against America by another country, but as you can see terrorism can be done by anyone at any time, anywhere.
Terrorism can be traced throughout history. An innocent man, beaten and then hung on a cross was an act of terrorism. Millions of Africans, kidnapped from their homes and brought to America could be considered an act of terrorism. The use of foul language intended to intimidate and the use of bodily harm on another because of their race or religion is an act of terrorism. Terrorism happens in our homes between family members, in our schools among our children, in the workplace among the workers and on
our streets. These examples show that the harmful act of terrorism is human and not just a cultural influence. What kind of a world can we expect to live in if we model this behavior and teach our children these ways? Where there are people, acts of terrorism can be found as an extreme method for making a statement, but there are other ways of accomplishing this task. Humanity has had its ups and downs, but we have overcome those downs by pulling together and standing up for what is good and true and passing that on to the next generation. We must take this responsibility seriously if we desire to go in a positive direction as a country.
America’s leaders are trying to figure out the true motive behind these senseless acts of local terrorism. They are doing extensive research to try and determine if this behavior is caused by a traumatizing past, such as divorce that caused the child to be torn between two bickering parents, or an abusive father or mother.
Before the events of 9/11 the US had been attacked before and we were aware of possible threats. However, these threats, specifically those of Al-Qaeda were not taken seriously by American foreign policy makers or regular Americans alike, so on September 11, 2001 Americans were truly shocked by the scale of devastation and loss of life that occurred. The effect these attacks had on America was incredible. In the years that followed Americans became fearful and discriminatory of religious groups; the government created the Department of Homeland Security and enacted stricter search and seizure laws, and America’s foreign policy became defined by unilateral decision making and preemptive war.
Host: On September the 11th 2001, the notorious terror organisation known as Al-Qaeda struck at the very heart of the United States. The death count was approximately 3,000; a nation was left in panic. To this day, counterterrorism experts and historians alike regard the event surrounding 9/11 as a turning point in US foreign relations. Outraged and fearful of radical terrorism from the middle-east, President Bush declared that in 2001 that it was a matter of freedoms; that “our very freedom has come under attack”. In his eyes, America was simply targeted because of its democratic and western values (CNN News, 2001). In the 14 years following this pivotal declaration, an aggressive, pre-emptive approach to terrorism replaced the traditional
Terrorism is a leading issue in American society and stated by Peter Gasser “Terrorist attacks have brought suffering and distress to individual victims” (Gasser). Terrorists could care less who they kill or how many because “terrorists strike indiscriminately.” (Gasser). Because of this we Americans must secure our borders tighter. Terrorists want to push their purpose onward but as Peter Gasser says “The purpose of terrorists attacks is to create fear to further their cause” (Gasser). Terrorists strive to maintain a political goal which is why “Terrorist attacks are often perpetuated against persons who have no direct influence” (Gasser) just so they can prove a point.
...de Americans on September 11, 2001. Now we are being told this number is possibly three times higher than originally reported, adding to the horror in America’s citizens. Society has been indoctrinated in the belief that there is continuously a worldwide threat. Paranoia and anxiety has been the key focal point and the American way of life.
Being the oldest daughter of a Senior ATF Agent, I have been exposed to domestic terrorism all of my life. My father has investigated thousands of bombings, fires, and explosions for more than twenty years now. Many of these incidents were examples of the terrorism that I speak about. His experiences have taught me countless lessons and informed me of many current events. The information that I have obtained from him is far more valuable than anything that the media could ever possibly convey. Though he is always strictly guarded with the confidences of his profession, he has always provided me with a firsthand knowledge of the impact that domestic terrorism has on the citizens and law enforcement. Through him, I learn the facts of these incidents without the media’s exaggerations. Today I will share with you some of these facts. I will talk to you about the impact that domestic terrorism has on our citizens. These impacts include: the monetary damages that terrorism inflicts, along with the injuries to the victims, the shocking repercussions that are embedded into the minds and souls of the people who come to sort through the rubble to find the survivors and the remaining evidence.
Terrorism represents a continuing threat to the United States. It is the most significant threat to our national security. Terrorist attacks have left many concerned about the possibility of future incidents of terrorism in the United States. Since the events of September 11, 2011, Americans and much of the world have been afraid. Americans are at war with terrorism and no longer feel comfortable.
Within the world today, there are many organizations with varying opinions about specific ideals. But some of the organizations will take things to the extreme, and will do almost anything to prove that their view is the right one. This extreme act to further an objective is known as terrorism, but what exactly is a formal definition of terrorism? Frank Schmalleger defines it as “[a] violent act or an act dangerous to human life, in violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any state, that is committed to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (Criminal Justice Today, 2013 p.560). The American way of life and other aspects such as policy and the criminal justice system have been impacted by terrorism in many ways over the course of the twenty first century.
America has had 21 terrorist attacks, from 2000 to 2009 consisting mostly of al-Qaeda and suicide bombers (infoplease.com). Osama Ben Laden, leading al-Qaeda’s attacks is fed up with the way America treats the world. Blaming America for global warming and determined to stop them by sending suicide bombers and hijacking planes. After the 9/11 attack America changed the way they looked at security, putting into effect; Airport Security Federalization Act of 2001: To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools (The Library of Congress).
What is terrorism? What is it used for, and why does it occur? As Meierrieks and Krieger state in their article, “Since the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001,
In Module one, I learned that terrorism is a result of physical harm or deadly acts of force with the intent of a political outcome by the use of terror for coercion. There are various types of terrorism such as international terrorism and domestic terrorism. International terrorism occurs outside of the United States with a purpose to influence the policy of a government by intimidation. International and Domestic terrorism both involve violent acts dangerous to human life that violate federal and state laws. Domestic terrorism occurs within the United States with the intention of coercion or intimidation by way of mass destruction, etc. Some forms of terrorism include Improvised explosive devices (IED), kidnappings, suicide bombings and
Americans have considered terrorism as a horror that occurs in other countries and not as a real threat to America itself. As the recent terrorist attacks on our nation shows, this opinion was gravely incorrect. There are several policies in both the private sector and our government, which contributed to our vulnerability to terrorism.
We constantly see it on the news, hear about it on the radio, and read about it as we scroll through timelines on our smartphones; shootings, bombings, and other similar acts of terror have taken over the media. It makes me wonder sometimes what kind of human being would do such horrific things, which leads me to the question, what exactly does it mean to be human? Conveying emotions, being self aware, and pursuing happiness is what make us human. It’s interesting how sometimes, we tend to act a lot more like animals and animals tend to act a lot more like us.
The word terror dates back to the French Revolution. “A terrorist was, in its original meaning, a Jacobin who ruled France during la Terruer” (Moeller 20). Terrorism has clearly become much broader in the years since its origination. Since the concept was first birthed in France it has been used for separatist, nationalistic, political and religious ends, etc.
Terrorism can take many different forms. Tragedies like 9/11 and domestic terrorism can both be prevented with increased homeland security. To prevent attacks like 9/11 from happening in the future, addressing issues with domestic terrorism, and the growth of homeland security, the U.S. still needs to be concerned with terrorism. Disasters like 9/11 still need to be prevented in the United States. The U.S. needs to be more involved with terrorism in general to keep domestic attacks from happening. Homeland security needs to be studied and improved in order to prevent terrorism. In conclusion, is it imperative that the United States continue its fight against terrorism.