Is our level of fear high enough to prevent a terrorist attack? Yes I am talking about fear(s) surrounding the watching and waiting for of a terrorist attack here on American soil. Have we become too complacent or are we becoming paranoid about the threats ISIS has been making about an attack here in the United States proper.
The Boston Marathon took place just a few days ago without any problems and yet it is only a few years since the terrible domestic terror attack by the Tsarnaev brothers. They did it to punish the people of this country for interfering in Afghanistan and Iraq. While our level of fear was high in 2001 with the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers in New York City, now known as 9/11, it had calmed down in the intervening years. Did this calming down cause us to not notice important little details that would have alerted someone to what the Tsarnaev brothers were up to?
Least we should also not forget the Oklahoma City bombing that killed so many that happened around this time about twenty years ago.
I am not advocating that we all should be in fear all the time about a possible terrorist attack, just that it seems to me that our protective services like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the police and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) sometimes key off the fear level of the public more than from their intelligence sources.
Why am I even talking about this topic at all, well ISIS has been threatening to attack us on US soil for a little while now and I want you to be more aware of your surroundings. You just might notice that something is off about a friend or relative or an acquaintance that might help prevent a terrorist attack. You never know what you might see in your day to day travels either. Keep your eyes and ears open. Here is a link to help you do just that and I hope you read it.
In no way am I saying that you should live your life in fear of an attack, just be alert and report anything that might be suspicious to the authorities. Hopefully we will not experience an attack here in the United States, but if we become too complacent then it makes it easier for the terrorists to carry out their plans.
Remember what President Roosevelt (FDR) said “You have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” What he said is still true today even though he was talking about the economic depression. It can be applied to how we as a people view terrorism.
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
