News Media Changing Our Views of Security

This wave of  anti-terrorism has helped us to catch an attack upon New York Time Square where the man was ready to blow up his car and cause massive damage and trauma for the civilians of Time Square. This was personally the first time that I ever was exposed to the fact that we were still on the lookout for bombers, even in 2010. In this case, being over prepared helped avoid a complete disaster that would have resulted in further panic and stress. Other than this incident and the 9/11 attacks, terrorism has been downplayed into guilt by either association by religion, race, and identity. In Europe “1% of the attacks [were Islamists].” Why should an entire group be scapegoated for just one group’s actions? All Muslims were and still are in a sense being punished for this violence. Hate crimes increased and those fitting the “terrorist profile” were having their security compromised by the selfish needs of an “invincible” nation. This is when security was increased everywhere. Instant fear should not be an initial reaction when trying to define security, the news media makes us feel that we are still vulnerable and must overcompensate in worrying.

Home Safety: Changing

There is some positive side to this repetition of criminals and their tendency to become free. Sometimes I watch America’s Most Wanted and this show states those who need to be brought to justice, accused criminals who are at-large and the following has happened: they have received calls, arrests, and convictions. This show is child friendly and illustrates those whose crimes are unforgivable and appalling towards America and the FBI as a whole.  An example of this shocking exposure of crime and justice being beneficial is when a seven year old boy from California saves his home and little

sister from three armed gun men trying to raid their home. My first reaction after learning about this story was first pride and how younger children are not so “innocent” as we perceive them to be when it comes to the theme of safety. This child gave details of the getaway car which “was green” and one detail of one of these gun men who “had bald hair.” This generation prides itself on such instances of safety where even children who were easy victims are turning the tables on these culprits. As G.K. Chesterton once claimed, “Children are innocent and love justice,” therefore when these children have the chance to put the bad guy away, they take that chance, however small that chance may be, such as this seven year old boy.

A message illustrated from this boy was to shelter children too much. My family once realized, you can never stop the exposure form the outside world- you cannot always be right there. My oldest niece, Erica, six years old is an intelligent child who now goes to school but due to the lack of safety for children now, my family never lets her walk home. My sister forgot her once. We live near a creek. There is a busy street. She can be kidnapped. She could get hurt. She could get lost. There were a variety of possibilities that my niece would have been hurt in one way or another however she was safe. Luckily she is aware of the situation and walks to the park with her mom sometimes. She was prepared but as the number of children that walk home increases, the number of them never coming back, being kidnapped or even scared increases also.

There is a second story of relevancy about how my personal sanctum, my sanctuary, was broken. Normally you think that your life is unaffected by the proceedings of the outside world; however, I was wrong. My father’s truck was broken into and they took his speakers. I know what you are thinking “speakers, he could get them fixed.” It was not the speakers that made my Dad frustrated and angry, it was the fact that people were able to physically take what they wanted with no consequences. At least once in one’s life someone else will take something from you at their whim and this will lead into a knowledge that you cannot protect yourself. My security at home was broken, I could not believe it. As a kid I idolized my home as a “fortress” now I know it is only a house, I am only human; this has made my family increase our security measures against other intruders. We never caught them therefore leading into a statistic of burglars going free or theft happening.

Conclusion: Security is no longer defined in the same way

All in all, the news media has changed the definition of security. Due to unorganized defense against terrorists, paranoia set in and changed our perspective on the world, against the “terrorist” group which hurts the innocents sense of security, not everyone from a set group is the same, but there was an instance where we did stop an attack. From exposure to that paranoia children are now ready to protect themselves against those who would hurt them however it is still sad when that child is thrust into that world when their home is the battleground to protect themselves, especially against those trying to steal from their parents when they usually worked hard to get what they have when those children cannot make accurate descriptions of these criminals-the criminals go free but sometimes children can help. Terrorists and criminals are at the heart of the problems of society- children and homes are expected to be safe and protected but sometimes the news tells us that they are open to violence, pain, and desolation. I have been witness to how news media can help my and the next generation, my family was exposed to the workings of lack of security but knowledge of that lack has shaped us into a working force that can protect ourselves from those who would do us harm.

Resources:

1. http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/articles/prison-110642-escape-written.html

2. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1059.html

3. http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/4886442.Home_raid_terror__Crime_figures_are_hidden/

4. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/06/world/la-fg-pakistan-shahzad-20100506

5. http://dawudlindewei.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/the-statistics-on-terrorism/

6. http://www.september11news.com/

7. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmafp/is_200405/ai_kepm471659/

8. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03616t.pdf

9. http://www.amw.com/

10. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/year-california-hailed-hero/story?id=10066387

11. http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=San+Jose&state=CA