According to the course material, terrorism is an act that intimidates the civilian population. Terrorism is a crime, the main purpose of which is a violation of public safety, which is expressed in encroachment on the life and health of citizens, critical infrastructure facilities, the natural environment, the information environment, government bodies, state, and public figures (Holbrook & Horgan, 2019). According to the information from the 14th chapter, if such an act is performed on the territory of the USA and violates the laws of the United States, it is then considered domestic terrorism. The information in the course materials about the legislation to fight terrorism was novel and thought-provoking for me. Investigating and examining how it changed over time was fascinating. It is especially interesting to trace how such acts are represented in mass media.
Terrorism is a serious issue with a potentially challenging solution. Buzzfeed posted an article about the act of domestic terrorism online on July 19, 2022. The article by Reinstein (2022) describes the event where a man started shooting at a public place. It mentions the victims of the accident and suggests the causes of it. According to the author, this accident occurred after the state’s new gun permit law went into effect. The article delivered information in a well-rounded way, starting with the providing information about the accident and continuing with the discussion of its outcomes. It contains both facts and opinions, as it states the certain number of people injured and then relates the cause to the new gun permit regulations. The author refers to the fact that the new law correction was implemented, but the point that it was a possible reason for the shooting accident is the author’s opinion and not fact.
This specific article caught my attention because it discussed terrorism, one of today’s pressing social issues. It speaks to its potential causes, such as governmental restrictions on gun ownership. I felt uneasy emotions with a sense of injustice when I was reading this article. The criminal’s recklessness is having an adverse effect on the civilian population. Since terrorism news is interesting to a wide audience of readers and viewers and, thus, generates a lot of revenue, one cannot, in my opinion, accept the presumptions that the media are interested in broadcasting a lot of it. However, I want to call attention to how the information is submitted. Unfortunately, when terrorist attacks are covered, the government is frequently the target of outrage rather than the terrorists and those who supported them (Williamson et al., 2019). Of course, there is some basis for criticizing the government for failing to stop a terrorist attack or deal with its aftereffects.
When discussing the article, it is useful to see it through the victimological lens. A national and, ideally, worldwide audience is necessary for a terrorist attack. The development of an information society is the first prerequisite for the growth of terrorism. Additionally, as media becomes more influential, society becomes more permeated, their influence on influencing public opinion increases, and the wave of terrorism grows. The area of the possible impact of terrorism on society rises, as do its possibilities, as the habit of reading newspapers and magazines is augmented by the habit of listening to the radio, watching TV, and “surfing” the Internet. At this point, it’s important to consider both political and technological criteria of media’s influence on the perception of the issue.
The state needs to improve the effectiveness of its information strategy for terrorist prevention. Law enforcement authorities must forge positive relationships with the media in order to stop the harm that terrorists do to society. Journalists should not attempt to defend or even partially explain the actions of terrorists. Furthermore, it is crucial that the media under no circumstances serve as a podium for terrorists since doing so turns them into a force for spreading terror propaganda.
References
Holbrook, D., & Horgan, J. (2019). Terrorism and ideology. Perspectives on terrorism, 13(6), 2-15.
Reinstein, J. (2022). Three people are dead after a shooting at an Indiana Mall Food Court. BuzzFeed News.
Williamson, H., Fay, S., & Miles-Johnson, T. (2019). Fear of terrorism: media exposure and subjective fear of attack. Global Crime, 20(1), 1-25.