What Is Domestic Terrorism - Term Paper Example

? Domestic Terrorism What is Domestic Terrorism. Scholars provide varied definitions for domestic terrorism. However, they all agree that domestic acts of terrorism constitute violent, illegal actions directed towards intimidating the local people. These acts result in the inhumane loss of human life and the destruction of property. Despite these being the immediate noted effects of domestic terrorism, the long term undesirable effects are what most terrorists seek to cause. These might include; economic collapse, hatred, elimination of tolerance causing the division of citizens initially bound by patriotism directed towards the development of their country. As a result, the disintegration of political, economic, and social functions occurs (McCann, 2006). Domestic terrorism continues to plague the USA because of the difference in perspectives between individuals partaking in acts termed as acts of terrorism and victims of these acts. Those involved in such acts use their ideologies as a basis of justification; however misguided their actions might be, they do not consider themselves terrorists. On the contrary, they view themselves as heroes ascribing heroic qualities to their actions. Despite this disagreement, all parties agree on the forms terrorist acts take, which include systematic or nonsystematic warfare covertly displayed. However, in some extreme cases, the display of warfare occurs openly, for example, in the cases of suicide bombing. Moreover, people also agree on the role played by political, religious, and, social ideologies as being the driving force behind acts of terrorism. This essay analyzes the historical context of domestic terrorism in America; compares and contrasts domestic and international terrorism and addresses the psychological impact of domestic terrorism (McCann, 2006). 2. Domestic Terrorism in America. Domestic terrorism in America refers to the perpetration of unlawful acts of violence by an individual recognized by the United State’s constitution as a citizen of the country towards fellow citizens with the aim of coercing or intimidating them and the government. An analysis of the history of terrorism in USA indicates citizen’s distrust of America’s system of democracy. With the institution of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the official introduction of the American dream happened and with this came the introduction of hope among citizens. However, as time elapsed, many begun to distrust the core values outlined by the Declaration of Independence (Don, 2010). This happened when individuals noted the disparities in equality compounded by the differences in race, religion, and, political ideologies among other factors. Increasing levels of distrust resulted in acts of domestic terrorism. People resorted to inhumane warfare tactics with the aim of raising awareness on their frustrations. The acts of terror can be classified according to the period in which they occurred. These include; post civil war, 1920s communist and anarchist violence, and, domestic terrorism (1960s & 1970s). Post-civil war acts of terrorism begun as early as 1622 when Native Americans waged war on the Jamestown colony, where they ended up killing 30% of the population. The Powhatan Native Americans rebelled because of the encroachment and forceful eviction of their population by White settlers. Their actions served to highlight their displeasure with the White settlers who showed little regard for the ancestral occupants of the land. However, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) formed in 1967, represented the first officially recognized terrorist organization in the USA. Led by former Confederate Nathan Bedford, the KKK initially sought to represent social issues, however, their goals got misdirected in 1868, whereby, its followers turned to violence. The KKK represented white supremacist ideologies, which looked down upon Black Americans. The 1920s saw the communists, and anarchist acts of terrorism spread through the USA. The USA’s ideologies are individualistic in nature, whereby, individuals strive to accomplish personal success while paying remarkably little attention to the success of the community as a whole. The American ‘robber barons’ helped to fuel the unrest among those who disagreed with America’s individualistic ideologies. They believed that these ideologies only encouraged the spread of wealth among one group. As a result, the ‘red scare’; a period marked by unrest among citizens and fear of communist ideologies causing a revolution in the USA, begun. An example of an act of terror during this period includes the 1920 Wall Street Bombing (Pamala &Griset, 2003). The 1960s-1970s saw the rise of domestic acts of terror within the USA. The expansion of plane travel to different parts around the world propelled the frequency with which these acts occurred through hijacking of planes. Political and religious disparities in ideologies were to blame for the domestic acts of terror during this period. The Civil rights movement resulted in the empowering of the American youth who rebelled against American imperialism. Terrorism took a different form with the invention of the internet, whereby, terrorists resorted to cyber terrorism (Don, 2010). 3. Domestic Terrorism versus International Terrorism Domestic terrorism resembles international terrorism with remarkably few differences contrasting them. Firstly, the area of jurisdiction determines whether an act of terror warrants the title of domestic or international terrorism. Acts of terror committed by an individual against the government and the citizens of the country which has granted him citizenship qualifies as a domestic act or terrorism. On the other hand, terror acts committed by noncitizens against a foreign country qualify as international terrorism. International terrorism occurs at a larger scale, and the effects it has on the terrorized country are devastating, for example, the September 11th terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Both international and domestic terrorism are similar in the causes, and the methods used (Pamala & Griset, 2003). Ideological differences in political religious or social spheres can be said to be the prime motivators of acts of terror. Throughout the years, an analysis of terrorists’ profiles indicates that individuals involved in terrorist acts share common ideologies. Furthermore, these individuals are staunch believers of the ideologies which define their cause (Sinclair, 2004). As a result, most of the individuals involved in acts of terror use their beliefs to justify their involvement in inhumane actions. To most of them, resorting to extreme forms of violence proves to be the only way of expressing themselves and direct people’s attention towards their beliefs. In the case of political ideologies, individuals in dictatorial regimes impose their false ideologies among their followers. Therefore, they do not expect their subordinates to rebel against them. As a result, authoritarian leaders result in the use of acts of terror to instill fear ensuring maximum co-operation from their subjects. On the other hand, subordinates might rebel be resorting to acts of terror against their oppressors (Pamala & Griset, 2003). Methods used in terror attacks keep improving with the changes in technology. For example, over the years, terrorists continue to use different variations of explosives in their bombs. The use of bombs will forever be the preferred way of instilling terror among a group of people, for example, the World Trade Center bombing in September, 2011. This is because, explosives are easier to use in populated areas as these bombs ensure maximum damage. The ability to alter the general physical and chemical composition of most bombs have also aided in its campaign to be the most preferred weapon by terrorists. Cyberspace terrorism is an upcoming form of terrorist attack. It involves the use of the internet as a medium for carrying out acts of terror. Cyberspace terrorism is slowly becoming the preferred way of committing atrocious crimes because of the anonymity of the culprits and the difficulty in tracking cyber terrorists (Pamala & Griset, 2003). 4. Psychological effects of Domestic Terrorism. Citizens of a nation depend on the patriotic bond between them to co-exist peacefully within a single nation despite the differences in ideologies, race or religion. Therefore, in cases where a citizen involves themselves in acts of terror against their own country, the psyche of a nation might be damaged irreparably. Looking back in history, the KKK group caused a rift between citizens based on their race. Presently, racism, however subtly expressed, still looms like a shadow in the US. The shooting of Arizona representative Giffords and fellow citizens by a young, white man also affected the psyche of the citizens. This is because US citizens possess stereotypes about the physical descriptions of a terrorist. Many individuals associate brown, olive-skinned, Middle-eastern people with terrorism. These stereotypes prove to be the undoing of US citizens because most domestic terrorists capitalize on them. Perpetrators rely on their ability to blend in to carry out their inhumane acts undetected (Tanielian, 2000). The psychological impact on citizens and the government has been particularly significant. Research shows that biological, emotional, cognitive and behavioral responses result from witnessing acts of terror committed by a fellow citizen. The prevalence of acute stress disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in witnesses to terror acts. Psychologists claim that high stress levels result from the state of incongruence within an individual’s psychological dispositions. Meaning, individuals suffering from PTSD and other stress related disorders are psychology incapable of coming to terms with traumatic experiences. In addition, the defense mechanisms formed, for example, denial or distortion; also prove futile in cushioning an individual against the trauma experience. As a result, stress symptoms develop which cause people to resort to extreme behavioral responses, for example, drug and substance abuse. Beaton and Murphy’s (1999) review of responses to acts of terror suggested that those directly affected by virtue of being a victim or a relative suffer from some degree of psychological impairment. In addition, psychologists agree that stress levels vary depending on the methods used, population differences and the nature of terror events. PTSD symptoms might not manifest themselves during the first screening of victims. This is because PTSD symptoms develop over time if initial problematic symptoms do not get the required treatment (Tanielian, 2000). Continuous irrational fears are also psychological responses to acts of terror. Citizens might develop anxiety disorders, for example, phobias, which might affect their day-to-day activities. Fears stem from a person’s innate need to survive which causes them to avoid situations that might threaten their existence. Therefore, people might avoid exposing themselves to areas where the terrorist attacks occurred. Research in psychology also shows that individuals might resort in copycat behaviors after major acts of domestic terrorism. These hoax perpetrators are psychologically dysfunctional individuals seeking to instill fear among the general public. For example, dysfunctional individuals began mailing non-infected envelopes to family planning clinics in the wake of the anthrax infected envelopes terror attacks. The psychological study of suicide also provides insightful information into the reason why copycat behaviors emerge in the event of a successful suicide bombing terror attack. Psychologists posit that the cases of suicidal attempts escalate after the media divulges information to the public about a successful suicidal attempt. This is because individuals contemplating suicide get the motivational reinforcement to follow through with their suicide plans (Tanielian, 2000). 5. Conclusion In conclusion, acts of terrorism in the USA will persist for as long as people continue to differ on social, political or religious ideologies. The difference in ideologies is also as a result of the culturally diverse population present in USA. Therefore, the only way in which the government can try to reduce terrorism within the country is by achieving a compromise between people with differing ideological perspectives. The government can also implement strict penalties for all those found guilty by a court of law for involving themselves in acts of terror. Hence, both present and future regimes remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism, in the USA. In addition, the government must also establish an effective way of counteracting the psychological impact of terrorism in the country. Addressing PTSD and other psychological disorders arising from domestic acts of terror must be done in order to ensure citizens remain calm throughout the stressful period. In addition, people must also be cautioned against hoax perpetrators and copycats in order to reassure them that strict legal action will occur against individuals seeking to instill fear in the public (Sinclair, 2004). References Don Nardo, J. B. (2010). The History of Terrorism. New York: Compass Point Books. Gerard Chaliand, A. B. (2007). The History of Terrorism: From Antiquity to Al Qaeda. New Jersey: University of California Press. McCann, J. T. (2006). Terrorism on American Soil. New York: Sentient Publications. Pamala L. Griset, S. M. (2003). Terrorism in Perspective. New York: SAGE. Sinclair, A. (2004). An Anatomy of Terror. New York: Pan. Tanielian, L. (2000). Understanding and Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism. New York: SAGE. Read More