UP Ibalon Bicol: Terrorism, economic meltdown and other problems facing Americans and the world

Terrorism, economic meltdown and other problems facing Americans and the world

9/24/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

There is a lulling effect of media's downplay of other important problems affecting Americans. As an example, in a Gallup poll taken in March 2008, only 2% worry about terrorism---as though it's a problem of the past.

This is partly an effect of liberal media's dismissal that those who are bothered by terrorism are essentially "war mongerers" and "alarmists." Many media people are averse to paying the high cost of security to a point of misleading the public. They ignore that enemies determined to harm us take their time and they wait. There are those who believe diplomacy is often effective and terrorists and Al Qaeda can be appeased in the name of friendship.

The hard reality is terrorism only needs one occasion to succeed. And terrorists are determined and clever. They pulled through in 911 at the World Trade Center (WTC) and in the cowardly killings in Spain, Bali, Kenya, Pakistan, UK, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Philippines, and in other parts of the world. Being friendly with terrorists is therefore a risky business.

The problem issues that citizens (with changing and short attention spans) have grown. But would you believe, only 2% of Americans as of March 2008 Gallup Poll thinks terrorism is a problem?

The new economic woes in Wall Street divert the nation's attention away from other equally significant problems. The world reacts the same way---finger-pointing on who is to blame after foolishly ignoring the danger signs of the economic meltdown before they blew in the people's faces.

Reckless buying of houses that they couldn't afford wasn't a problem until the mortgage crisis took its toll. Many who were stuck to what they erroneously believed were gripped with panic. Denial, complacency and short memory proved to be dangerous to the security of these individuals, the nation, and the world.

The Most Important Problem(s) Facing America, March 2008

Economic Problems.........................35%
Iraq War..........................................21%
Health Care & Costs........................8%
Fuel, Gas Costs...............................8%
Immigration & Illegal Aliens...............6%
Jobs & Unemployment.......................5%
Gov't Corruption & Incompetence.....5%
Moral Decline....................................4%
Education..........................................4%
Inflation & Cost of Living....................4%
Poverty & Hunger...............................3%
National Security................................2%
Terrorism...........................................2%

Source: Gallup Poll, March 2008/Fleeced (Morris, D; McGann E; Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2008, pp. 46-47.) Photo Credit: Mario Zuccal. =0=

Labels: 911, Corruption, economy, Education, gasoline price, illegal, immigration, inflation, jobs, media, oil, politics, poverty, terrorism, USA

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