Politically Motivated Violence Is a Small Threat     

Alex Nowrasteh

Politically fueled panics rise and fall in the United States with amazing rapidity. Something rare happens, and everyone pretends it’s common—a terrorist attack, a specific kind of crime, a freak death, or inappropriate behavior by a teacher, politician, or police officer. Sometimes, there are even copycat crimes that seem to reinforce fear. The media will often report on different tragedies, implying that they are somehow similar. After a few days or weeks of panic, it dies down.