Suspicion Breeds Confidence

There has been a lot of hue and cry about the "radicalization of Islam in America." New York Representative Peter King, who is not the Sports Illustrated writer, would like to continue a discussion about homegrown terrorism. Mister King believes "Homegrown radicalization is part of al-Qaida's strategy to continue attacking the United States." He has also suggested that it would be a whole lot easier, if you happened to be a Muslim, that you would take the time to turn all your radical, suicide bomber friends and associates. In Terry Gilliam's film about homegrown terrorists, "Brazil," you can see posters that remind us: "Don't suspect a friend, turn them in."
We are assured by National Intelligence Director James Clapper 2010 saw more plots involving homegrown Sunni extremists, those ideologically aligned with al-Qaida, than in the previous year. Just exactly what "more" means is a closely guarded secret. On the other hand, a two-year study of this phenomenon showed that terrorist threats from inside our borders is a concern, it is not the epidemic that many envision. The researchers, from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, concluded that anti-terrorism policies that alienate American Muslim communities may make the problem worse.
Meanwhile, Ted Kaczynski and Scott Roeder sit in jail cells as part of an unrelated issue. A lot of people are angry out there. Some of them happen to be Muslim. Some of them are Christian. Some of them are armed. Keep your heads down, folks.