Muslim-American Terrorism: Instilling Fear for the Sake of a Budget

Huffington Post

Does Muslim-American terrorism pose a significant threat to our nation? Do the alarm, alert and warning levels depicted by the heads of our Homeland Security apparatus and our politicians match the purported threat?

Dr. Charles Kurzman recently authored an interesting report: “Muslim American Terrorism in the Decade Since 9/11″ published by the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security, a project of Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and RTI International (Research Triangle Institute). This is the third yearly report of its kind published by the Center. One noteworthy finding is the fact that in recent years the nation has experienced a constant decline in violent plots as well as the number of Muslim-Americans indicted for support of terrorism and related crimes. Dr. Kurzman’s findings concluded that Muslim-American terrorism in 2011 continued to be a miniscule threat to public safety.

We bring the attention to this scientific study mainly to contrast its findings with the inconsistent, embellished and disproportionate warnings continuously issued by our Homeland Security heads, politicians and a new breed of self or media-monikered “terrorism experts.” Purportedly among them are national leaders such as attorney General Eric Holder, who happens to be the ultimate authority to whom the FBI director reports; and Janet Napolitano, the Department of Homeland Security’s secretary. The line-up of alarmist politicians includes Allen West (FL) and Peter King (NY), frequent automated instruments of paid public relations media professionals who make their living from orchestrating xenophobic campaigns against Islam and Muslims.

Robert Greenwald, in his article, “The Grave Threat of Homegrown Terrorism,” makes an assessment similar to Kurzman’s, in which he exposes our national security leaders’ flatulent and unsubstantiated warnings about alleged homegrown Muslim-American terrorism.

Full Article