As I was Saying About FUD...

It was pointed out to me after I put up the FUD post, that Steven
Clemons (of the Washington Note) recently posted an href="http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001502.php">excellent
example of the use of fear-mongering:

June 25, 2006

NATIONAL SECURITY FOR FAMILIES: IT'S
FOR KIDS TOO -- ESPECIALLY KIDS!!

Visit www.FamilySecurityMatters.org
-- a site seemingly devoted to convincing a large cross-section of
Americans that they must fear terrorism -- really fear it, now --
tomorrow -- and in the many years to come. It's high-fear exploitation
of the worst kind candy-coated with slick pictures of mostly white
women and their children (though I just found a graphic with an
attractive Asian family on the site as well) in front of sparkly white
picket fenced homes...

Even though I knew better, I went ahead and checked the FSM website.
 It is every bit as bad as Clemons says it is.  And
the worst thing about it: the've appropriated the acronym "FSM."

Perhaps I should not try to be satirical or lighthearted about
something as serious as terrorism.  But I think it is
important to keep the risk in perspective.  Terrorism is but
one of many risks that we all face.  Anyone who tries to
elevate it to a postion of primary importance is doing a serious
disservice to our Country.  

Clemons points out that we cannot ignore it:

I understand that terrorism is serious, and I think
America should deploy a multi-pronged strategy to curb terrorism,
protect America and its citizens, and take serious steps to connect
with the "audience" -- the global silent majority -- that terrorists
are attempting to appeal to by exploiting various grievances held by
people around the world.

But getting back to the perspective issue, it is important to keep in
mind that drunk drivers every year kill more Americans than have ever
been killed by terrorists.  Compared to the war on terror, we
could protect Americans more effectively, and for a lot less money,
simply with tougher enforcement of traffic laws.  



Likewise, money spent on developing bunker-buster nukes could be
directed to biomedical research, and a lot more lives would be saved.
 Cutting back on air and water pollution might help, too.
 Why worry about al-Qaeda poisoning us with chemical weapons,
when our own companies poison us every day?  



The point is, we have to have balance, and consider terrorism for what
it is.