As we mourn the lives lost — and sort through our fears after acts intended to inspire them — we must also remind ourselves that it was an exceedingly rare event. There is a strong tendency to inflate the dangers presented by, and the capacities of, the terrorists who may be lurking out there. But, despite the fear these events tend to inspire, terror attacks almost never happen.
The annual chance of being murdered in a terror attack on U.S. soil committed by a foreign-born person stands at 1 in 3,808,094 per year from 1975 through October 31, 2017.
While violence from terrorism presents a concern for the United States, the scope of the hazard is so limited that it is a considerable stretch to even label it a “threat.”
Immigration enforcement falls within the federal government’s prerogative, regardless of one’s opinion on current immigration laws. However, that does not make every single enforcement action wise or justifiable.
Inherent suspicion of police is dangerous to a community’s well-being, whether that community is comprised of immigrants or the native born.
Non-cooperation makes police officers’ jobs harder by emboldening and enriching criminals who, consequently, may operate with impunity where people are less willing to help investigators.
Not only does a lack of trust make policing harder, a mistrustful community puts police officers at risk.
Lately, the media has been in a tizzy about synthetic or “designer” drugs. These produce physical and psychological effects similar to traditional, mind-altering substances like marijuana, cocaine and heroin. But they’re different in a crucial way. Not only are they frequently marketed as potpourri, pet food, air freshener and other legal products, but because they are artificial substances, even a slight change in the chemical composition can make the targeted drug no longer covered by existing law.
Dire warnings about our uniquely dangerous world are ubiquitous. But do we actually live in a uniquely dangerous world? And, if we do not, why do we believe that we do? In the new issue of Cato Policy Report, Cato scholar Christopher Preble puts today’s threats in perspective, and argues, “Tragic, even horrifying, stories of human suffering do not portend that we are living in a more dangerous world. In most respects, we are living longer, better lives.” Also in this issue, Cato chairman Robert A. Levy looks at the expansion of executive powers under President Obama.
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