The Courant believes that terrorism, and the misconceptions
surrounding it, must be addressed.
The Courant has noticed that a common misconception about terrorism is that it is linked to radical religion, particularly Islam. However, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion. There is no mention of religion or race. Therefore, The Courant supports the notion that people should not be profiled as a threat due to their religion or race.
In regards to addressing the issue of terrorism, The Courant believes gun control should be tighter, but gun usage should not be abolished completely. In terms of gun control, people who purchase or possess guns should have to regularly undergo more thorough background checks.
When there is a mass shooting, it is often later revealed
that the shooter was mentally ill, or had affiliations with terror
organizations, etc. For instance, Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas shooter, had a
gambling addiction, and possibly other undiagnosed mental illnesses. With more
thorough checks, there may be a possibility of reducing mass shootings.
In the past few years, terrorists have targeted concert
venues. For example, in 2015, terrorists bombed a concert in France. More
recently, there was an attack after an Ariana Grande concert in May, and a
shooting during a concert in Las Vegas in October.
These attacks have led to a growth in awareness about concert safety. The Courant feels that concert venues should continue to implement security measures, such as metal detectors and bag checks. Additionally, these security measures should apply to all large public venues.
The Courant realizes that not all acts of terrorism can be predicted, such as those involving vehicles or homemade explosives. However, there are preventive measures and steps that can be taken to minimize the amount of terrorism.l
Published December 2017