Americans’ Fear of Foreign Terrorists Is Overinflated

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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Americans’ Fear of Foreign Terrorists Is Overinflated

One thing is clear from this presidential campaign: many Americans are scared of terrorists and immigrants. Donald Trump has managed to capitalize on that fear by conflating the two phenomena. The refugee crisis emanating from Iraq and Syria as well as recent attacks like the one in San Bernardino, Calif., have prompted calls for heightened immigration restrictions to keep our country safe. But is it really true that immigrants pose a unique terrorist threat?

No, actually. In a new analysis I just published at the Cato Institute, I look at every single terrorist attack committed on U.S. soil by an immigrant or tourist from 1975 to the end of 2015 and apply some basic risk analysis. Turns out, Americans should not be so worried: the chance of being killed in a terrorist attack committed by a foreigner is about 1 in 3.6 million per year.

That number includes the terrorist attacks on September 11—a dramatic statistical outlier bigger than any terrorist attack in history. The 19 hijackers entered the U.S. legally on visas—18 masquerading as tourists and one as a student. But 9/11 accounts for a whopping 98.6% of the 3,024 people killed on U.S. soil by foreign-born terrorists in the past 41 years.

Since that fateful day until the end of 2015, 24 people were murdered by foreign-born terrorists on U.S. soil. Fourteen of those 24 were killed by Saudi Arabian-born Tashfeen Malik in a December 2015 attack in San Bernardino.

These are brutal tragedies. But the number of murders, sad as each one of them is, doesn’t warrant the public alarm. In December of last year, 47% of Americans said they are “somewhat worried” or “very worried” that they or someone in their family will be a victim of terrorism. About 26% of Americans worried about immigration are most concerned with national security.

Americans' Fear of Foreign Terrorists Is Overinflated | Cato Institute
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
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And Canadians. We's a-skeered of Canadians too.

Cuz they're a buncha dope-smokin', gay-marryin' socialists that don't love the red white and blue. Just the red and white.

Whadday'all got against blue?
 

relic

Council Member
Nov 29, 2009
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Fear has been fed to americans since before the British got tired of carrying their sorry ***. They'd go crazy if they had nothing to be afraid of, commies,reds,beaners,muzzies,******s,slopes and SOCIALISM .But lucky for them, trump will save them from all the bad things,and make them all rich.
 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
21,155
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There isn't one person in North America that worries about terrorism when they leave their home. It's all hyped political baloney.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
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Toddlers have killed more Americans than terrorists have. Millions have been killed by the US military, so who are the real terrorists?
 

davesmom

Council Member
Oct 11, 2015
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Southern Ontario
Anyone who believes that foreign terrorism is no threat to North America is in denial.
When terrorist acts first began many years ago, they were mostly carried out by Iranians. Now see how Terrorism has spread to other countries. There is no doubt that ALL countries will suffer from foreign terrorism as it is the Islamic Terrorist's goal to dominate the world eventually.
Maybe you all think it should just be ignored until it is too late to defend against it.
 

MHz

Time Out
Mar 16, 2007
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. . . and under-inflated for the domestic terrorists like the Government and Big Bis and the Banksters.
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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There isn't one person in North America that worries about terrorism when they leave their home.

Except for Loc, Walter, Das, ES..... basically most people on this forum.


But yes, it is indeed Breitbart Baloney.

Ban all toddlers until we figure out what the hell is going on.

We need to build a Trump Daycare until we figure out what the hell is going on.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
192
63
Nakusp, BC
Oh yes, I forgot to add Durry to that list.
All of the above + Davesmom:



 

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
33,676
1,665
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Northern Ontario,
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me




Notwithstanding toddlers and ladders.....:rolleyes:
 

Curious Cdn

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 22, 2015
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Americans’ Fear of Foreign Terrorists Is Overinflated.

Americans’ fear of domestic terrorists is greatly underinflated, even though the thousands of potential Timothy McVeys out there probably represent a much higher threat to he average American. They are much harder to track and identify, too.
 

HarperCons

Council Member
Oct 18, 2015
1,865
74
48
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me




Notwithstanding toddlers and ladders.....:rolleyes:
oh you posted something that wasn't total crap