The Politics of FEAR. Of 150,000 American killed by Guns since 911, only 33 died by Terrorists

Maybe if I had never left that farm I grew up on in Iowa I would be afraid.

Maybe if I had never left Texas where dad moved us (Lubbock, then Amarillo) I would be afraid.

Maybe if I was like millions of Americans who didn’t get to see what I did, I would be afraid after hearing the hateful comments about Muslims (and gays and Hispanics before that) by candidates for president and America’s media.

It’s called “fear of the unknown.” That is normal.

You conquer it by getting to know what you don’t know. I am an American who has gotten to know them --along with all kinds of people around the world--due to a lucky quirk of fate for an Iowa farm boy who ended up negotiating in over 50 countries on behalf of American companies and USA-made products and becoming a 911 terrorism analyst. 

We are a county of immigrants, who took it from Native Americans.  As Americans, we have to get to know ALL of our fellow citizens--white, black, Hispanic, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish—as I was fortunate enough to do the last 30 plus years, both home and abroad.

There are 1.6 Billion Muslims in the world. Three million of them already live in the United States. Most of the 30,000 ISIS fighters from 200 countries come from other countries. That is .1%, meaning 99.9% are NOT terrorists. Only about 100 are from the U.S. They aren’t our biggest problem.

Over 80% of our mass murders are by WHITE MEN, not foreign terrorists.  The San Bernardino shooters were CITIZENS.  Since 911 over 150,000 Americans have been murdered, only 33 of them were by terrorists.  Yep. Just 33 out of 150,000. THINK about that.

You have a better chance of drowning in your bathtub or winning the mega-millions lottery than being killed by a terrorist.

America is a nation of many colors and religions, yet they are people like you and me.

I can enlighten fellow Americans who are afraid and have not had that opportunity to see what I saw.  I met good people, just like the people I know who live on farms and small towns and places like Houston and Atlanta. It’s available online under Global American Values blog (and on Facebook). I wrote of my experiences globally in “Better Times Ahead April Fool.”

Educate yourself out of fear. We are American, tolerant of all people and home of the brave.