AOL poll on terrorism

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

Hi Folks,

my fiancee has aol and so while I'm waiting for her, I'm looking around on it, and lo and behold what do I find but that they're running a poll on domestic terrorism...here are the results so far - and I remind everyone how the DWGIs in the govt and media have been referring to most of us who are preparing... Be sure to scroll down to the question about surrendering civil liberties!

Arlin.

How likely is a terrorist act in the U.S. now compared with 10 years ago? Much more likely 3775 60.6% Somewhat more likely 1804 29.0% Somewhat less likely 364 5.8% Much less likely 142 2.3% Not sure 143 2.3% Total votes: 6228 If something were to happen, are you confident that U.S. officials and law enforcement authorities are prepared to handle the situation? Very confident 728 11.7% Somewhat confident 2464 39.6% Not very confident 2884 46.3% Not sure 151 2.4% Total votes: 6227 Who do you think is more likely to make the United States a target of a future terrorist attack? Foreign groups or individuals 3064 49.2% American radical organizations or individuals 762 12.2% Neither 103 1.7% Either 2201 35.3% Not sure 97 1.6% Total votes: 6227 How willing would you be to surrender some civil liberties if the result was a guarantee of safety from domestic terrorism? Very willing 666 10.7% Somewhat willing 1650 26.6% Not very willing 1848 29.8% Never 2043 32.9% Total votes: 6207 As an American, do you feel safe traveling abroad? Yes, always 501 8.2% Most of the time 3478 56.7% Not usually 1016 16.6% No 1134 18.5% Total votes: 6129

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 27, 1999

Answers

rats, it lost all the formatting, *sigh* I guess aol html isn't real html either...

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 27, 1999.


I'll tell you Arlin, the whole 'domestic terrorism' language to me has seemed like code words for "we want to instill more fear, and gain more ground by manipulating people into begging for military intervention."

Since the last Iraq thing, and the whole weapons of mass destruction WMD,..is that the acronym...I've heard the loudspeakers turned up...Sarin in the subways in Tokyo translate to increased big brother surveillance in the US, and troops and agencies practicing for bio/chem attacks with the expectation that everyone is just going to say...wow...this is great...protect us, Great Ones. I, one woman, am not buying it. I'm not sure if this is off-thread...sorry if it is..just had ta vent.

But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia. Political language--and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists--is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearnace of solidity to pure wind." -George Orwell, Politics and the English Language (1946)

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), February 27, 1999.


Not fancy .. but effective .. here's the table again:

How likely is a terrorist act in the U.S. now compared with 10 years 
ago?

Much more likely 3775 60.6% Somewhat more likely 1804 29.0% Somewhat less likely 364 5.8% Much less likely 142 2.3% Not sure 143 2.3%

Total votes: 6228

If something were to happen, are you confident that U.S. officials and law enforcement authorities are prepared to handle the situation?

Very confident 728 11.7% Somewhat confident 2464 39.6% Not very confident 2884 46.3% Not sure 151 2.4%

Total votes: 6227

Who do you think is more likely to make the United States a target of a future terrorist attack?

Foreign groups or individuals 3064 49.2% American radical organizations or individuals 762 12.2% Neither 103 1.7% Either 2201 35.3% Not sure 97 1.6%

Total votes: 6227

How willing would you be to surrender some civil liberties if the result was a guarantee of safety from domestic terrorism?

Very willing 666 10.7% Somewhat willing 1650 26.6% Not very willing 1848 29.8% Never 2043 32.9%

Total votes: 6207

As an American, do you feel safe traveling abroad?

Yes, always 501 8.2% Most of the time 3478 56.7% Not usually 1016 16.6% No 1134 18.5%

Total votes: 6129

Dan

-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), February 28, 1999.


Dan - thanks for redoing the table

Donna - you are so right! One of the real blessings of y2k is that a lot of Americans are being awakened to a number of rights which we have come perilously close to losing - 2nd Amdt, 4th Amdt, and just generally the right to be different and to disagree with the government.

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), February 28, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ