“We got the bubble headed bleached blonde comes on at five, she can tell you 'bout the plane crash with a gleam in her eye. It's interesting when people die, give us dirty laundry.” Dirty Laundry—Don Henley
Recent reports of terrorism and stories of terrorism have been greatly exaggerated, but that has not stopped Americans from buying guns, forgetting religious freedom and buying into a media-fueled frenzy that has a terrorist hiding in every closet. However, the fear of terrorist attacks in the United States is largely a media and political construct. Media outlets repeat the same stories day after day and make mountains from molehills. Meanwhile, politicians use the disaster to advance their standing and help promote more fear. Is there any reason for fear? Absolutely!
However, the clear fact is the chances of dying in a terrorist attack are about 1 in 20 million. A person is more likely to be killed by his or her own furniture, and more likely to die in a car accident, drown in a bathtub, or in a building fire than from a terrorist attack. In fact, the chances of a person dying because of an asteroid strike are 1 in 200,000.”[1]
“Despite propaganda to the contrary, the odds of any given person being killed by a terrorist attack are incredibly low. While terrorist attacks, in the end, are a near certainty, the odds of “you” getting killed are very low. It’s like the lottery: someone wins every time (eventually), but chances are it won’t be you. Worrying about preventing a terrorist attack is a good idea, but (unless you work in a high-risk job) worrying specifically about dying in one is not. Incidentally, you have about the same odds as being killed on an amusement park ride.”[2]
Today, the media uses an “If it bleeds, it leads” philosophy, which is part of a fear based reporting that constantly keeps the viewer or reader worried or in suspense about the reality of the news reports. Staying tuned into the televised news or newspapers keeps consumers on edge and picks at the viewers anxiety about current events. Most people forget that newspapers, television and radio are for-profit enterprises, with the key word being “profit.” One way to maintain profits is to keep a large readership or viewing audience, which directly translates into advertising dollars and ratings continuing the cycle.
“Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here. I just have to look good I don't have to be clear Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry” Dirty Laundry—Don Henley
Today's television news is geared to look to the spectacular, the stirring and the controversial as news stories. It's no longer a race to break the story first or even get the facts right. Fact checking comes in second to ratings. The race to be first and right are only Clark Kent and Jimmy Olson stories long ago swept into the fantasy trash can.
Even the annoying crawler across the bottom of the screen are designed to promote anxiety and raise viewership by increasing fear, which brings the subject of terrorism back to the forefront. Again, 1 in 200,000 people stands a chance being struck by an asteroid while persons expected to be killed in a terrorist attack is 1 in 20 million.
Then why the concern? Sadly, because of the nature of our political and media system, it is difficult to get any honesty in the news. Today, reporters are not the “muckrakers” of old where corruption and unfairness were exposed. Instead, the news works on a celebrity system, which is the same as having no news. Some media outlets are little more than propaganda machines for various political views, regardless of Party or their multinational owners. The United States’ political system is a collection of self-serving, rich and entitled men and women who bark at when their masters in big business or their lobbyist pull the leash.
The current posturing by politicians talking about banning “Muslims” from the country is premature and harmful for international relations, especially considering that of the more than 300 American deaths since 9/11 only 33 came at the hands Muslim perpetrators.
In addition, it dishonors the 14 people killed in the San Bernadino terrorist attack on December 2 of this year. Words are a poor comfort for the family of those killed that day, but their deaths is not a time for political haymaking and media speculation.
