The term terrorism invokes a wide range of concepts in that it also entails numerous definitions that are randomly applied given the type of terrorist attack, the intended target, and the overall goals of the terrorist group. This generalization also allows for the term terrorism to be associated with a number of political and civil rights movements that are inconsistent with the social norms or political goals of the government bodies. Such associations can frequently cause confusion between progression and terrorism. This is especially true in cases of domestic terrorism as these occurrences continue to rise and the media spins various connections between the actions and the message that the attacker is attempting to send or promote. This …show more content…
Not only does the threat become more of a reality as the attacks are occurring on the soil of the homeland, but the concept of peers and fellow Americans being capable of such heinous actions becomes a nearly unbearable recognition. However, Mantri (2011) notes that, not only is this association more deeply rooted in American history than the average individual is willing or able to accept, but also that the rise in domestic terrorism is not as clear cut as the media headlines would like to impress upon the viewers and readers as a result of the political ties that the media source may have formed. Mantri (2011) explains that the lone wolf concept in domestic terrorism is more closely tied to the international formats of the actions as these are often radical and without a foundation for protection under the Constitution of the United States. However, the author warns that these individual actions must be a direct attempt to instill fear for the purpose of an agenda if the association is to be made between the individual and …show more content…
Whether these groups are intentionally acting as a terrorist organization or they are simply trying to assert a message, Gould and Klor (2010) state that the strategies are similar and the outcomes are based on the perception of the threat. Consider the Civil Rights Movement as a group of individuals and their supporters aimed to change the ideologies and laws of a nation. Using large groups of individuals to march down city streets, take over diners, assert themselves against the social norms, and, when necessary, fighting against their oppressors, the groups were likely to have instilled fear in those who were so closely tied to their social norms that they were unable to see the purpose of the protests. From a law enforcement agency’s standpoint, this would have been considered a terrorist organization, but under the Constitution of the United States, this was protected as the right to gather and protest. The perception of fear is subjective and therefore care must be given when assigning a label of