Terrorism: Political Violence at Home and Abroad

by Ron Fridell

Discusses issues of terrorism, including its history and future, the motivation of terrorists, and the effects on politics worldwide.

112 pages, Library Binding

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

Fridell earned a Master's degree in radio, television, and film from Northwestern University. He taught English as a second language while a member of the Peace Corp in Bangkok, Thailand. He currently lives in Evanston, Illinois.

Reviews

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

[*7/10*. Writing is widely accessible for high school and up, can be read in an afternoon]. Material is underwhelming in depth, but broad enough to serve as a review to those either only cursorily acquainted with the more infamous names and events, or as a general introduction for Millenials, for whom most of the attacks described were before their time, and who have largely grown into an atmosphere where such violence has been felt to be a stain on their generational weltbild, and a brooding cloud over their private sense of self and safety.
Young readers, especially, looking for reassurance for either their political fear or their optimism, will be disappointed the same. The chapters reiterate a point and counterpoint that has become the background noise in American life; Yes, security is getting better, but so are the means of destruction; No, theses sorts of things are not new, but nor too will they pass; and, yes, they are retaliating against our foreign policy, but no, they are not policies to be apologized for. The chapters "How Terrorists See The World" and "Victims" demonstrate that, perhaps reassuringly, nobody is entirely senseless, but affirms the fear that not everybody need be reasonable. From Timothy McVeigh, to the men behind the Iranian hostage crisis, to the Nairobi embassy bombers, the attackers rarely are without some outspoken motivation, and even more rarely is it not rooted in a perverse hatred or suspicion of some mass of people (African Americans in the first, Westerners in the second, and secret Jewish cartels in the case of all three). And to complicate matters further still, their ideals are frequently in discord with their actions; real victims are almost never the same group they name as their target; The lines between enemies and allies are black and white, but the violence indiscriminate.
The book, despite or because of its most glaring flaw, an unfortunate date of publication just months before 9/11, leaves the chapters scattered with sinister loose ends for the reader, clues for a crime already committed: "In the meantime, bin Laden and other terrorist leaders are believed to be planning new attacks on Americans at home and abroad" (78). Nevertheless, it carries some prescient contributions, principles, to the public dialogue over recent resurgences in domestic and international attacks, not least of all being some assuagement to the rise in liberal masochism circulating in every daytime news segment on the latest jihadist faction and their grievance against American foreign policy (read: intervening against jihadists and their dictatorial benefactors).
Some time soon when you will hear a politician or news anchor wonder whether perhaps we have brought this on ourselves, or if we have driven moderates into the arms of extremism with the lash of imperialism, readers may find themselves reminded of a certain passage: "Terrorist want the media to portray them in a sympathetic light. They try to be seen as the underdog, as brave little Davids, fighting mean, lumbering Goliaths. They want to be seen as concerned human beings fighting cruel forces far more powerful than themselves in the name of a noble cause. They want the public to see their criminal violence as a last resort, a tactic they are using only because they have no other way to achieve their goals."
One would do well to remember this whenever the specter of guilt or sympathy creeps across our mind, as it often does for the "little guy." Very often the "bully" they are fighting is a woman's right to learn, a Sikh's and Shia's right to pray, or a Jewish people's right to exist.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book I read was called Terrorism Political Violence at Home and Abroad. I though this book was very informative. I think that's what the authors purpose was too, to inform the reader. I think the theme of this book is how bad terrorism is. This book was a description. The book described the ways of the terrorists and why terrorists sometimes acted this way. I thought the book was wrote for a very good reason. It informs people of what terrorism is. There was nothing I really disliked about it. This kind of was similar to the other book I read because it informs us of something bad that is happening in the world. If you are curious about terrorism I recommend reading this.