Terrorism Can be Defined

Terrorism can be defined as the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilian's, in the pursuit of political aims. It is forever evolving. It can also be described as a product of the free market in a world of high technology by Bruce A. Ackerman in his book titled Before the next attack: Preserving civil liberties in an age of terrorism (Ackerman, 2006, p. 13). Meaning that the government can no longer suppress the lucrative trade completely if a technology has escaped a state monopoly. I believe the internet and social media have an impact on terrorism.

Cyberterrorism did not really exist or become prevalent until the past decade. It is not just about explosive devices anymore when you can cause catastrophes from a laptop. The internet aids to help terrorists communicate with each other and the rest of the world. Due to how common it is for propaganda videos being published by terrorist sites and rebroadcasted on the world's new networks, western governments have actually intensified surveillance on such sites as these but their prosecution of site operators is hampered by concerns over civil liberties, the internet's inherent anonymity, and other factors. Stated on an article published by Eben Kaplan. (Kaplan, 2009, p. 1)

The internet has become so powerful. This can be used to their advantage to share information's, coordinate attacks, spread propaganda, raise funds, and recruit people to their organization. These groups have become so sophisticated that they have developed creative techniques to make the internet an efficient and relatively secure way to correspond with each other, transmitting information through emails that is accessible to anyone with the password. Included in an article on www.cfr.org, According to Haifa University's Gabriel Weimann, the number of terrorist sites increased exponentially over the last decade. From less than 100 to more than 4,800 times two years ago. (Kaplan, 2009, p.2).

These websites that terrorists build can be used as propaganda which is the most effective way in which these terrorists use the internet, and host messages to expand their organization and recruit more people. In the book Reasons of Contemporary Terrorism: An analysis of Main Determinants, Sebastian Wojciechowski mentions the sense of membership is another significant element of human personality. R. Luckabaugh emphasizes it, observing that the true reason to become terrorists is the need for membership of some group of people (Wojciechowski, 2017, p. 52-53).

With even chances to fundraise for their efforts due to the internet acting as a potential global pool of recruits and contributors. These organizations are actually able to accept donations to the terrorist fundraising via the payment service PayPal due to how commonplace they have become. Virtual training for recruited people can also be found on these sites. including tutorials on how to build bombs, firing surface-to-air missiles, shootings as U.S. soldiers, and sneaking into Iraq from abroad.

When fighting terrorism comes into play, it can become difficult to protect your civil liberties. These include your right to free speech, privacy, to remain silent, free from unreasonable searches, fair court trials, to get married, and to vote.
My two proposals for combating terrorism would be to enhance homeland security. Homeland security was created after the September 11 terrorist attacks of 2001. It was created to ensure that our homeland that is safe and security and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive to the national effort to present terrorist attacks within the united states.. Clearly somewhere in the system present now, something is failing. Along with that, I believe we need to have stricter border control along with a closer watch on the internet. Strict gun control all around the world could help tremendously with terrorism due to it being easily accessible for them.

Gun control is a very sensitive subject to our civil liberties to bear arms, the second amendment. Although this was intended to help people with self-defense from home invaders and local criminals not to cause more crime which is exactly what it has been doing. Strictly gun laws would ensure that the right people do not own guns and have no access them to. I also believe there is no need for an automatic gun for self-protection in one's home or car. The government needs to come together and make these things happen. As stated by Ackerman, When terrorists strike, all we really know is that they managed to slip through a crack that the government failed to close. (Ackerman, 2006, p.14).

Home-grown Terrorism pertains to terrorism inside the US from our own citizens. As a country that has more hate than ever within itself, it has become an easy target for terrorism. This has grown a very noticeable amount lately. There is always something on the news about a threat at a school or a post on social media, or even bombings in large cities or shootings in schools. Americans do not associate these things with terrorism because I think they believe terrorism means threats and acts from other countries but there have been plenty of terrorist attacks, or planned ones inside the United States.

For instance, In the 51 terrorist plots carried out by jihadists in Europe and north America in the past three years, 73 percent of attackers were citizens of the country where the attack took place, according to a report released by the George Washington university's program on extremism and another 14 percent were either legal residents or legitimate visitors from neighboring countries, and 5 percent were refugees or asylum seekers at the time of the attack. 6 percent were residing in the country illegally at the time. stated on an article published to the GWtoday website by Kristen Mitchell. (Mitchell, 2017, p. 1-6)

Melissa Falkowski, A teacher from Marjory Stoneman Dougas High School who was present during the recent attack said, I feel today like our government, our country, has failed us and failed our kids and didn't keep us safe. During an interview that was posted online (Phipps, 2018, p. 9) The senator for Connecticut also spoke out about school shootings at the site of Sandy Hook School shooting, where 26 young children and adults were killed stated, This happens nowhere else other than the United States of America. This epidemic of mass slaughter, this scourge of school shooting after school shooting. It only happens here not cause of bad luck, but as a consequence of our inaction. We are responsible.. (Phipps, 2018, p. 13).

To sum up his comments, I too believe we could be doing much more to stop homegrown terrorism. Too many lives have been lost to let it continue on without a fix. Angry citizens have come forward to say that the president has not done enough efforts to fight these terrorists within our country. President Trump tweeted his prayers and condolences to the people affected by the shooting but that is not enough and not what will stop this in the future. The kids of the United States deserve much more than to go to school scared if they will make it home. March for our lives is an organization that was created after the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School that's goal is not allow the normalization of gun violence to continue. This should be something on every American's mind as it has not only happened in schools, but in the streets every day. Gun violence includes much more than mass shootings but also suicides, domestic abuse, violence on the streets, and more.

Terrorist organizations can be described as a military made up of criminals. They are often involved in warfare as that is their ultimate goal. They also engage in it just as every other military in the world has to do from time to time. Although terrorist groups are also largely criminal because they do not follow war laws. This is what differs them a lot with another military's as they are very inhumane. Their war crimes include gruesome killings or torture and filming it to either post online for the world to see or sending it to the families of the victim. A war crime is an action taken place during war that violates laws of the international rules of war and if one is carried out, a severe punishment should be in place. Whether you are a victim or supporter, there is a fine line between crime and warfare. Every act made by a terrorist can be defined as crime, war effort, or unrelated if you are one of the terrorists or not. For example, the beheading of someone is illegal and also a war crime. Having a merit to declare war on a state is a war effort not a crime. Both of those statements are true whether you're a terrorist or an accountant.

To summarize, terrorism has evolved over time dramatically. Fighting these efforts of violence and intimidation to acquire political, religious or ideological objectives have made it increasingly difficult to maintain civil liberties while doing so. Especially when these terrorist organizations are so inhumane to civilians. Shockingly enough, the United States has also fell victim to these attacks and threats. We have seen shootings, bombings and even potential bombings a lot more recent in the past couple years. With so much harm done and loss of lives, the best way to combat these terrorists would be in increase homeland security and keep a closer eye on the internet. Whether it be for suspicious people, recent searches, or websites where you can buy guns or materials to build these homemade bombs.

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