Wednesday, May 22, 2013

What long-term impact will the terror attacks at the Boston Marathon have on western civilization?


It is not new that throughout history religious ideas have been used to promote violence. It is difficult for Americans to accept that Islamic radical fundamentalists are living amongst their warm and welcoming communities. The Boston Marathon attacks may not drastically alter anyone’s lifestyle however I fear that it will only intensify racism towards Muslims who call the U.S. home.

We are used to reading about wars and political unrest in the Middle East and elsewhere abroad, but since 9/11 we have realized that we are vulnerable to terrorist acts as well.  Attacks can happen anywhere at any time – even at the Boston Marathon…

So, the question is “Does terrorism challenge the liberty of democratic states?”  Yes - in the long term it will be difficult for Western democracies to find a balance between terrorist countermeasures and the protection of civil liberties.

2 comments:

  1. I agree that the Boston Marathon bombings will have a long-term impact on Western Civilization. The fear and panic that has been inspired by these attacks will not disperse rapidly and it definitely will affect event planning and security in all corners of North America.

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  2. My greatest concern in terms of the Boston Marathon's effect on civilization is that it further harshens stereotypes of the Muslim religion. I do not feel that it's fair to generalize a specific religion based on the poor decisions of few within it; however, this may be the harsh result of terrorist attacks in the Untied States, or elsewhere.

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