The Center for Strategic and International Studies has reported that the incidence of domestic terrorism attacks are on the rise. These attacks come from the far right and the far left. The center emphasized that the words right and left do not refer to the Republican or Democratic parties but rather indicate a small group of individuals on the extreme fringe.
Violence in America has risen to alarmingly high levels, corroding our political processes, substituting force and fear for debate and compromise. Increasingly bellicose language from our national leaders, lawmakers and television personnel creates an atmosphere of grievances, resentment, fear and anger. The level of threats and intimidation to our public servants, election workers, nurses and doctors, teachers and librarians has reached new heights.
The center indicated that between 1994 and 2020, we had 893 terrorist attacks and plots; 57% were perpetrated by extreme right-wing white supremacists. Two-thirds of the terrorist attacks and plots in 2019 and over 90% between Jan. 1 and May 8 of 2020 were perpetrated by extreme white supremacists, as were 93% of terrorist fatalities in 2021.
Our government must do more to deal with hate speech and acts, and law enforcement must have better tools to handle these corrosive situations.
Michael Garing
North Huntingdon