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Americans hold polarized views on terrorists but the threat is minimal
Key Excerpts from Article on Website of San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco's leading newspaper)
Posted: September 5th, 2017
http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/America...
Whos a bigger terror threat to the United States right now: Islamic extremists or white nationalists? Thats been a big question on Americans minds. Democrats are more worried about white nationalists, while Republicans are more likely to identify Islamic extremists as the greater terror threat. But heres what neither side will tell you: In both cases, the threat is negligible. Americans radically exaggerate the danger of radical terrorism. And that speaks to the real problem here, which doesnt have to do with terrorism at all. Its the hyper-polarization of our politics, which leads us to demonize the other team. Most Muslims are not Islamic extremists, any more than most supporters of President Trump are white nationalists. But the bogeyman of terrorism blinds us to these distinctions, transforming our political opponents into existential enemies. But guess what? In the grand scheme, all of these threats are infinitesimal. Since 2001, your chance of being crushed to death by an unstable television or piece of furniture has been greater than your chance of dying at the hands of a terrorist. There are plenty of bigots in the United States, of every creed and color. And yes, we have to be vigilant about identifying and neutralizing the real terrorists among them, whether Muslim or white supremacist. But imagining everyone in the other camp as a potential terrorist - or as an apologist for the same - is the ultimate red herring. Its bipartisan, infecting liberals and conservatives alike. And its time for it to stop.
Note: For more along these lines, see concise summaries of deeply revealing news articles on terrorism and the manipulation of mass media.
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