Americans fear random violence more than foreign terrorism: poll

Most Americans see the biggest threat to public safety coming from random acts of violence committed by other Americans, rather than foreign terrorism, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken in the two days since the Boston Marathon bombing.

The poll suggested that Americans have been left on edge following a string of attacks, at a Colorado movie theater, at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, at a Connecticut elementary school and now at the Boston Marathon, all since July.

Asked which events pose the biggest threat to the safety of average Americans, 56 percent of respondents said random acts of violence, such as mass shootings, committed by Americans; 32 percent said foreign terrorism committed by non-Americans; and 13 percent said domestic terrorism committed by Americans.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they believed an incident like the Boston Marathon attack could happen in their area. A minority of respondents, 42 percent, said the Boston incident had left them more fearful for the safety of themselves and their families.

Two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday in the worst attack on U.S. soil since September 11, 2001. The attack killed three people, injured 176 others and left 10 people with amputated limbs.

The incident followed three mass shootings that have shaken the country. In July, a gunman opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado; the next month, a gunman opened fire at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin; and in December, a man forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School where he shot and killed 20 children and six adults.

Also, more than half voiced concern that events like the Boston bombing would lead to infringements into their rights as American citizens. Reuters
FACTS & FIGURES
The FBI’s lead investigator into the Boston Marathon bombings on Tuesday made a passionate plea for information from the public, saying the “range of suspects and motives remains wide open” as the probe into who might be responsible for the attacks begins, according to NBC News.

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States has significantly expanded its security and intelligence capabilities. Congress authorized the establishment of massive new agencies notably the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) to deal with any future terrorist threats.
The Boston bombings, however, are raising fresh questions about the U.S. preparedness to deal with the rising number of attacks using homemade bombs in the country.

According to a new government account obtained by the McClatchy Newspapers on Tuesday, there have been 172 IEDs reported in the United States over the past six months alone.

President Obama declared it a “shameful day for Washington” on Wednesday after the Senate defeated an effort to expand background checks for people trying to purchase guns. LA Times

Obama blamed the gun lobby that “willfully lied” and senators who “caved to the pressure” after the senate killed the bipartisan compromise to expand background checks. Politico

The National Rifle Association fought the expansion of background checks, saying criminals would simply ignore them, The Associated Press reports.

The expanded background checks were aimed at closing loopholes and keep criminals and the seriously mentally ill from getting firearms. Currently, the checks only apply to purchases handled by licensed firearms dealers.