Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

February 16, 2010

Since 1995, fewer than 3,300 Americans have been killed by terrorists. Roughly the same number of Americans lost their lives in 2008 as a result of fires, and more that 34,000 perished in automobile accidents.

Despite the fact that terrorism is a statistically insignificant threat, observes commentator Thomas Englehardt, America is ?a country perversely convulsed by, and that can?t seem to get enough of, fantasies of being besieged by terrorists.?

A similar disjunction can be seen regarding the issue of violent crime. Writing in the Boston Globe, Joe Keohane points out that ?the vast majority of Americans ? nearly three-quarters of the population ? [thinks that]crime got worse in 2009,? despite FBI data demonstrating that crime of all kinds fell to levels not seen since the 1960s.

As H.L. Mencken pointed out decades ago, the entire point of practical politics is to keep the public perpetually frightened and constantly seeking the state?s protection. Although our nation?s manufacturing sector has all but disappeared, the government?s fear factory is working at full capacity

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.