A new Gallup poll released on Nov. 13 revealed that only 3% of Americans found terrorism to be the most important problem in the U.S. The results showed a stark fall from the amount of people worried about terrorism after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 -- which still only hit 46% of those polled.
The threat of terrorism was beat out by the economy, a dissatisfaction with government and immigration policy as the top three issues facing the country, according to those polled. In fact, America’s seemingly lax view on terror has been equal to or less than 5% since 2008, with a bump to 8% in 2010 after a failed bombing attempt and once again at 8% this year after the Charlie Hebdo attack. The number dropped back down to 3% in a matter of months.
The concern over terrorism is interesting when compared with the staggering amount of Americans who, according to a second Gallup poll released last February, found ISIS and international terrorism to be the most critical threat to vital U.S. interests, beating the development of nuclear arms by Iran and the military might of North Korea and Russia. A hefty 84% of those polled found ISIS and global terrorism to be the most critical threat to U.S. interests, followed by a nuclear-armed Iran at 77%.
While these polls don’t necessarily reflect America’s views on terrorism after the very recent tragedy that befell Paris last week, it’s still shocking that so many seem unconcerned with Islamic terrorism compared to other domestic issues. After all, America has not been without terror attacks in recent years, such as the Fort Hood shooting in 2009, the Boston Bombing in 2013, and this year’s attack on two military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee – all carried out by Islamic fundamentalists.
We’ve also seen the unforgiving brutality committed by ISIS militants all over the Middle East, read reports of ISIS successfully growing Islamic terrorists within our borders, and heard the threats made to Washington D.C by ISIS militants.
Islamic terrorism is real and you can bet all of France knows it. Maybe it’s time we as a nation acknowledged it, too.