We’re are not talking whether or not one should compare fears and pick the ones that happen most- we are talking whether or not a fear of dying in a plane crash is irrational. It’s not. Now if if keep you from flying or you have to be heavily medicated or something, then sure.
But being “somewhat” worried? Nope, that’s OK by me, and not irrational.
(for historic reference)
Looking at the OP’s linked poll I notice that there are 5 choices.
So who’s worried?
51% are very or somewhat worried but 79% are worried to some degree.
It is not clear that most of the respondents implicitly understood this poll to be about foreign terrorism instead of terrorism in general. Besides changes to immigration visas, respondents were asked about banning gun sales to those on the no-fly list, passing new laws making it harder to buy assault weapons, and requiring U.S. Muslims to carry a special ID. “Terrorism” seems to mean terrorism in general.
The OP asks why terrorism gets such “undue” concern. “Undue” according to who? 79% of the respondents are worried about terrorism to some extent. The majority of people are worried about terrorism. Is the vast majority “irrational”, or are those who are not worried at all being irrational? IMHO, both sides believe that their views are rational.
It’s the Muslims who have the PR problem. I believe it’s up to Muslims to make the effort to calm the fears of others. Of course, you can assist them but they should shoulder most of the load. IMHO, of course.
Are you attempting to justify terrorism?
You’re entitled to your opinion. As I understand it, xenophobia works both ways. Radical, fanatical Muslims are calling for the deaths of foreigners because they have different customs and different religions. :eek:
xenophobia
noun uk /ˌzen.əˈfəʊ.bi.ə/ us /-ˈfoʊ-/
-extreme dislike or fear of foreigners, their customs, their religions, etc.
Do you consider all zenophobia to be irrational or just the zenophobia of one side?
*rational
adjective uk us /ˈræʃ.ən.əl/
-based on clear thought and reason:
There must be some rational explanation for what happened.
a rational act/course of action
a rational argument/decision
He was too upset to be rational.*
*irrational
adjective uk us /ɪˈræʃ.ən.əl/
-not using reason or clear thinking:
It’s totally irrational, but I’m frightened of mice.
His parents were worried by his increasingly irrational behaviour.*
Most of us, however, recognize that radical fanaticism exists only among a tiny minority – on both sides – and we don’t wish to be defined by them, either as radical Muslims or as radical Islamophobes. You, apparently, have no problem with either characterization. Since the characterization is not supported by evidence, it’s not rational. Go check your dictionary again.
It looks like it’s the xenophobic Muslims who are responsible for the anti-Muslim xenophobia in the West, in Europe, in the U.S.A., in the Middle East, and in Asia.
Hopefully, the rest of the Muslims, the non-xenophobic Muslims, can do something to end the xenophobia on both sides.
White guys shoot up movie theaters. If you go to the movies, do you require that white guys get patted down? Should people fear white guys? And should the good white guys do something about these movie patron hating white guys?
When I go to the Afghan grocery to buy Naan I don’t need for them to tell me that they aren’t going to kill me or that they don’t have anything to do with the Taliban. They are just nice businessmen who bake great bread.
Or should they put a “We’re against terrorism” sign in their window to assure you?
How this makes any sense as a reply I can not see.
But you appear to be attempting badly to justify gross religious prejudice and a deep ignorance of the history.
It seems to me he is talking about the Aurora type shootings as mentioned in my cite. 62 in the last 30 years.
Your interpretation is not supported either by the OP’s first mention of the specific issue of mass shootings:
Or indeed by Hank’s own references to the topic
The problem in the U.K. is that the three main political parties are guilty of misleading the public and in some cases telling outright lies all in the name of political correctness and diversity. As with all liars the truth will out, all the warnings from the right that were rubbished by Parliament are now being proved true. This has caused a break down in trust. Ordinary people know that there is an enemy within, mainly Asian and Muslim by religion but they do not know who they should fear so they end up distrusting all Muslims. Muslims do not help themselves, there are to many willing to make excuses and are in denial, there are not enough Muslims willing to stand up publically and say enough not in my name.
The political parties in the U.K. have a great deal to answer for because it is thay who have created the distrust in the U.K.
If it’s a PR problem, then you agree with the OP.
I think we could safely say that Islam has one of the worst PR images possible
1,229 out of the 5,885 prisoners in high-security jails follow the Islamic faith
The figure equates to 20% compared with 5% Muslim population in Britain
At Whitemoor prison, Cambridgeshire, 44% of the 447 inmates are Muslim
Some experts warns jails are ‘ripe’ to become extremist recruiting grounds
By Steph Cockroft for MailOnline
Published: 10:38, 25 January 2016 | Updated: 13:40, 25 January 2016
Read more: Revealed: How one in five inmates in maximum security prisons is Muslim | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
ISIS is planning more attacks on Europe, warn EU police
Europe’s elite police force warns ISIS has a new ‘combat style capability’
Report said ISIS was preparing more attacks to be executed within the EU
Europol said there was threat of both lone actor attacks as well as group
Islamic State claimed responsibility for Paris attacks which left 130 killed
By Alex Matthews For Mailonline
Published: 14:34, 25 January 2016 | Updated: 14:48, 25 January 2016
Read more: ISIS fanatics have set up secret camps INSIDE Europe | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
‘Soon in Champs Elysees’: Chilling threat of Paris terrorist brandishing head of man he has just decapitated in martyrdom video – before ISIS claim Britain will be next target
ISIS have released a video showing the Paris attackers preparing in Syria
The fighters are each shown beheading a prisoner and giving a speech
Paris mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud calls for further attacks
In one sickening moment, a fighter smiles after beheading prisoner and says: ‘Soon in Champs-Elysees’
The video ends with footage of London and threat of an attack in the UK
For more of the latest ISIS news updates visit ISIS: Latest news, breaking stories and comment | Daily Mail Online
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
By Tom Wyke for MailOnline
Published: 21:00, 24 January 2016 | Updated: 12:24, 25 January 2016
Read more: ISIS video shows Paris attackers carrying out beheadings | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
This is daily reading for a lot of people in the U.K. and it is understandable that people are showing great concern. We will continue with our lives we will not allow the threats to stop us. but the threat is still there and we know that there will be a attack and people will die and their race, creed and colour will not protect them.
It is not irrational xenophobia it has become a fact of life.
First, we’re not talking about the UK. Secondly, nobody with half a brain takes anything in the Mail seriously.
“People from poorest segments of society more prone to being jailed for crime” is not exactly a surprising statistic.
And the reason Islam has such a PR image is because unfortunately a large number of people are stupid enough that they read papers such as the Daily Mail without critical examination of the narrative that its owners want to maintain.
“I urge all British young men and women to study closely the progress of the Nazi regime in Germany. They must not be misled by the misrepresentations of its opponents."
I am talking about the U.K. because that is where I live. I believe it to be relevant and could show how public opinion in America could become anti Islamic
“Become”?
You are a splendid cautionary example.
You should have read the article properly we are talking of hardened criminals who are in high security prisons for crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and terrorism, they are certainly not stealing to put bread on the table and your comments about the poorest segments of society is an insult to hardworking people on low pay and suffering hard times, they manage to get through life without robbing and killing.
I cut and past the Daily Mail because they do not charge a subscription. The subjects in the daily Mail are also normally reported the same day or next day in the other national news papers and are also reported on BBC TV, Sky, ITV etc. The article you dredged up by Lord Rothermere was from 1930 at a time when many found Hitler to be both a charming and charismatic host. Germany had never recovered from their defeat in ww1, it was hoped that Hitler would get Germany back on their feet, we all know how the storey ended