Don’t live in fear

Terrorists massacre 130 in Paris.

14 people dead in California.

11 injured and 3 dead in Colorado.

In a span of 20 days these three mass shootings and more have occurred. These terror attacks are led by single people, but also terrorists groups. The Paris attacks, the Turkey peace rally bombing, the Russian plane shot down in Egypt and more were all caused by the group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS.)

ISIS began as part of Al Qaeda in 2004, but in 2006 the group separated and created the name ISIS. Both terrorists groups started out with the same mission: establish an independent Islamic state. But ISIS has proven to be the more effective and violent group. Al Qaeda disowned ISIS in 2014, proving that even Al Qaeda is scared and doesn’t want anything to do with ISIS’ brutal violence.

While the main goal of ISIS is to create an independent state, their goal is also to terrorize. They want to instill fear in the public, they want to become well known and create a sense of world panic. We cannot give in to their wishes, like President Obama recently stated on Nov. 22 when he addressed the nation, “We do not succumb to fear.”  

In Obama’s speech he explains that if we give in to ISIS, by overreacting to the Paris attacks, we are “playing into the extremists’ hands.” Obama explains that the most powerful tool we have to fight ISIS is to say we’re not afraid. And we can do this by not changing the way we live. More and more people are realizing that mass terror attacks can happen any time and anyplace, but that doesn’t mean we should spend the rest of our lives in fear. Obama ends by comparing the recent attacks to 9/11; we survived that attack and became stronger as a nation. We did not let the terrorists win then by surrendering to their fear, and we won’t let them win now.

According to USA Today, there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States, and on average, mass killings happen about every two weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 11,780 Americans are killed by guns on average per year, which compares to The Global Terrorism Database estimate of 219 American deaths due to terrorism on average per year.

Sadly, many people have come to the realization that it is normal to turn on the news and find out about the latest person who went on an insane and horrible killing spree. And now adding to the norm of mass shootings, comes terrorism attacks. Although the recent ISIS attacks have shaken the world, it is important to take note that American deaths through homicides is greater than terrorism. This is not to downplay the threat of terrorism; terrorism is vicious and cruel and takes away innocent lives.

But we can’t let it stop us from living our normal lives. Reuters recently surveyed 1,483 Americans’ reactions after the Paris attacks and discovered that 63 percent of Americans are fearful that a Paris-style attack could happen near them. The attacks are leaving citizens scared to live their normal lives, even causing some citizens to want to avoid New York City. Around the time of the Paris attacks, Chris Gerage, a cook at a catering company, was given a job at 4 World Trade Center, which overlooks the spot where the original Twin Towers stood before. While Gerage planned to take the job, his wife begged him not to, in fear of another attack.

ISIS wants to create fear. If we give in to fear, they win. If we stop our daily life activities, they win. It’s hard to not be scared and most people can admit to feeling afraid and helpless by ISIS, but that doesn’t mean that we should stop living our lives. The most important way to fight back is by not giving in to their wishes. We can’t live in fear.