Politics and Religion

Do you personally fear being a victim of a terrorist attack?
Carrie of London 22605 reads
posted

I just read that 50% of parents in Scotland who took part in a survey said they worried about their children being hurt in a terrorist attack (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3601775.stm).

Given that Scotland is not likely to be at the top of a terror group's hitlist, I wonder how many other people, regardless of where you live, worry about being a victim of a terrorist attack?

I firmly believe London will be attacked at some point. But we have been bombed lots of times in the past and I've heard bombs going off and seen the dust and smoke rising into the air.  However, any attack now is likely to be on a bigger scale than anything the IRA did so it feels different.

The UK's most senior police officer said after the Madrid bombings that an attack on London was "inevitable".  I'm surpised it's not happened yet.  But I don't personally fear for my safety.  It's something I think about but I know that statistically, it's unlikely I'll happen to be in a tube station or wherever when a bomb goes off.

How do you feel?  Do you feel vulnerable where you live?  Does it effect your life at all?

StartThinking!20485 reads

than live in a country with fewer civil liberties.  

Americans fought and died in WWII to protect those civil liberties, and now many people are willing to give them up.  We praise soldiers for being brave.  Now it is time for we civilians to be brave too.  The civilians of London in 1940 were models of this type of courage.

Bush, Ashcroft, and the rest are wrong to think that Americans are cowards who will give up their freedoms in order to decrease their chances of dying in a terrorist attack.  Americans are a courageous people - but they just have to find their courage, and I am sure that they will.

The only way Terrorists can defeat us is if they enable craven politicians like Bush and Cheney and Ashcroft to play on our fears and sacrifice the fundamental freedoms that make this nation great.

I live in Boston and only ride the pathetic T train here which is hardly worth a terrorist attack so I don't fear for my wife or myself.  However, I have friends and family in NY who I fear for (the subway system there seems to be a potential target - among many others).

The fear of terrorism hasn't affected my daily life directly (If your gonna die - die with your boots on).  I have a much greater fear of our fearless leader Georgie and his kind.

I live in Boston.  We know terrorists started 9/11 from our airport, that they infiltrated into Boston on Oil Tankers, and they probably consider the Dem Convention as a target.  Hopefully, nothing will happen.  I think I am in more danger from an auto accident, but I am in danger none the less.

rb28821030 reads

Hey Carrie;
As a parent, I fear for my childrens involvement in an attack.
But not for myself.
When we as a society, give in to the threats and fears of a terrorist attack, they have already won and we are at their mercy.
Am I concerned about another attack occurring ? Yes
Am I going to change my life out of that fear or concern ? NO

The best we can do is to continue to live our lives free and without fear. If we do, no matter what they do, they can't win and will ultimately be defeated.

Just my opinion...

I live near DC, and travel frequently.

I do fear one.  But I also feared a nuclear exchange at one time.  Where do I put it on my ratings of fear?  I'm more likely to get cancer, die in a car accident, or fall in the shower, so I can't say it's a high priority.  And I try not to let my fears govern my life.  There are reasonable fears and unreasonable ones.  This is an unreasonable one.

I only hope that, if I am ever involved in one and have the opportunity, I have the courage to do something to stop it and/or take a few of the bastards with me.

Poopdeck Pappy21619 reads

I do not have time to worry about what might happen. I live the same as I always did, in fear of the moment that women no longer arouse me ;)

He lives in London and travels extensively on the continent. When asked if he was nervous flying and feared reprisals, he said "i flew 2 tours in Viet Nam. They didn't get me then - and they were aiming at me."

The odds are still in your favor - live your life.

I don't feel threatened by it now, but I think I will be threatened with it eventually, if not actually experience it.

/Zin

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