Introduction
The USA patriot act came into law in 2001 and was created as a result of the September 11 terrorists attacks. The Patriot act empowers security agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use appropriate tools to track and prevent terrorists from committing terrorist activities (Torr, 2006). The law empowers investigators to search personal information of U.S citizens or detain foreigners who are considered a threat to national security. Some critics of the law argue that, the law infringes on people’s privacy or individual civil liberties but, the law ensures that the security of U.S citizens and their property is maintained. It is rational to obtain personal information of a suspected terrorist who may cause harm to the life and property of many people. Moreover, it is justified for law enforcers to use any available means to obtain information that may prevent a terrorist activity from happening in the country (Torr, 2006).
Domestic terrorism focuses on individuals or groups which conduct their criminal activities within U.S, and they are not influenced by foreigners. According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), domestic terrorism emanates from the increase in militia movement in the country due to increased influence of the United Nations in local affairs, gun-control laws, racism and classes between right and left wing groups.
The left wing group proclaims they are on a revolutionary mission to liberate people from imperialism and capitalism, an example of the left wing group is the popular Puerto Rican Army. Criminal statistics from the Southern Poverty Law Center indicate that these groups have been involved in numerous murders, drug trafficking, bomb making, kidnappings and planning to bomb government buildings. The right wing groups view the government as oppressive and unjust. They believe in white supremacy and racial segregation. Examples of these groups include the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Army. Current trends in domestic terrorism show an upsurge in these terror groups and terror activities with the latest incidence being on March 2014 when 38yrs old Robert James was arrested by FBA agents attempting to steal an armored car and blow government buildings, rob banks and kill police officers. Robert had also created an anti-government protest page on Facebook with the view of persuading other people to join him in killing government officials and Muslims.
The FBI also attributes the rising trend in domestic terrorism to the recent economic crisis. During the recent financial crisis, many people lost jobs and sources of income; these led them to direct their anger to the government by involvement anti-government terror activities. The article, “Effects of fear and anger on perceived risks of terrorism”, examines the results of a study that conducted to a sample of 973 Americans of between 13 to 88 years to comprehend how emotion affects citizen’s response to risks such as terrorism (Lerner et al., 2003). The findings of the study reveal that fear and anger changes people’s beliefs and attitude towards issues of national interest. More specifically, people who are experiencing anger hold more optimistic beliefs, while those facing fear are more pessimistic about the occurrence of a risk (Lerner et al., 2003).
Based on the findings of the study it is important for the government to formulate an effective counter-terrorism plan that addresses the emotions of the people. The government should sensitive the public on the need to take precautionary measures against risks of terror. The public should not be optimistic that the government is fully protecting them from threats of terrorism. Combating terrorism is not the sole responsibility of the government security agencies but, an all inclusive process that includes the citizens. For instance, citizens should volunteer any information that may help security bodies that to prevent any terrorist acts.
References
Federal Bureau of Investigation (n.d.). Terrorism in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terror_96.pdf
Lerner,, Jennifer, S., Gonzalez, Roxana, M., Small, Deborah, A., & Baruch (2003, March).Effects of fear and anger on perceived risks of terrorism: A national field experiment. American Psychological Society. Retrieved from http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/jenniferlerner/files/lerner_2003_ps_paper.pdf
Terror From the Right: Plots, Conspiracies and Racist Rampages Since Oklahoma City | Southern Poverty Law Center. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/publications/terror-from-the-right
Torr, J. D. (2006). The Patriot Act. Detroit, MI: Lucent Books/Thoms
