if you're afraid of terrorists, you're stupid

Ok, maybe that’s an overstatement,

but let’s say that your fear is definitely misplaced…

IF YOU’RE SCARED OF TERRORISTS,

YOU’RE STUPID

According to recent statistics,

if you’re a US citizen, you have a

1 in 20,000,000

chance of being killed by a terrorist

over a 5 year period…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/16/eight-facts-about-terrorism-in-the-united-states/

The current population of the US

is around

316,000,000…

http://www.census.gov/popclock/ - As of July 29, 2014

That means that over 5 years,

we can estimate that

approximately

16

US citizens will be killed by

terrorists…

16

Really?!? 16?

Even at 16 a year, what are we so

afraid of?

Maybe it will help to put this in

perspective…

In 2001, approximately 3000 US

citizens were killed on 9/11…

It was a huge blow to the US

national psyche…

However, in that same year,

13,290 were killed in drunk

driving accidents.

3000

13290

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/06/the-irrationality-of-giving-up-this-much-liberty-to-fight-terror/276695/

In 2001, approximately 3000 US

citizens were killed on 9/11…

In that same year, 29,573 were

killed by guns.

(That’s almost 10 times as

many…)

3000

29573

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/06/the-irrationality-of-giving-up-this-much-liberty-to-fight-terror/276695/

In 2001, approximately 3000 US

citizens were killed on 9/11…

In that same year, 71,372 died

of diabetes.

(That’s over 20 times as many

people!)

3000

71372

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/06/the-irrationality-of-giving-up-this-much-liberty-to-fight-terror/276695/

Ok, so 9/11 was

a point off the curve.

What about terrorism in general?

Chance of dying in a

terrorist action…

Chance of

suffocating in

your sleep…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/16/eight-facts-about-terrorism-in-the-united-states/ & “The Odds: What are the Chances?” by Thomas J. Craughwell

Chance of dying in a

terrorist action…

Chance of

accidently

hanging

yourself…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/16/eight-facts-about-terrorism-in-the-united-states/ & “The Odds: What are the Chances?” by Thomas J. Craughwell

Chance of dying in a

terrorist action…

Chance of

dying by being

struck by

lightning…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/16/eight-facts-about-terrorism-in-the-united-states/ & “The Odds: What are the Chances?” by Thomas J. Craughwell

Chance of dying in a

terrorist action…

Chance of

dying by your

pajamas

catching on

fire…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/16/eight-facts-about-terrorism-in-the-united-states/ & “The Odds: What are the Chances?” by Thomas J. Craughwell

So, maybe that last one

wasn’t such a great example.

However, you get the point…

You should be worried

about getting enough exercise…

You should be worried

every time you get in your car…

You should be worried

about getting shot,

or hanging yourself,

or getting hit by lightening…

But you should not be worried

about terrorism.

Period.

Because, here’s the thing…

Your fearis power

for other people.

The terrorists use your fear

to change your mind about

things like whether it’s worth

the US being a player on the world

stage.

Even worse,

politicians use your fear

to get elected, and to push

through their own agendas.

(NSA, anyone?)

If we all agree today,

that the fear stops,

that we won’t be awed by

terrorist actions,

that we won’t let our leaders

use our fear against us…

…then their

power over us .

Liberty & freedom

are the anvil upon

which American society was forged.

It’s time we invoke our liberty

to be free from

terrorists and politicians

using our fear against us.

Our founding fathers knew this…

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to

purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve

neither Liberty nor Safety.”

--Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin in a Pennsylvania Assembly reply to the Governor - http://franklinpapers.org/franklin/framedVolumes.jsp?vol=6&page=238a

So, the next time a famous building

explodes from a terrorist bomb…

…or someone pushes through more

“anti-terrorism” legislation

under a name like

“The Patriots for Freedom & Liberty

Act”…

… understand that

they are preying on your fear.

Don’t let them!

Take back the power!