Domestic terrorism is an ongoing threat to the homeland security of the United States. Homegrown terrorists, influenced by radical ideologies from international terrorist groups, top the list of hazards the citizens and U.S. law enforcement should prepare for. Most domestic terrorism strikes are conducted by one person or a small group. Domestic terrorists want to coerce or frighten a civilian population and disrupt a country’s government. Multiple causes influence domestic terrorists and their actions. The U.S. government needs to devise advantageous strategies to prevent domestic terror attacks and to protect its citizens. Because of all these factors, the biggest challenge to homeland security is domestic terrorism.
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This makes their situation extremely desperate and the poor are ready to do anything, even commit an act of terrorism, to change their lives. As Dipak K. Gupta said:
The assertion that poverty and economic deprivation cause terrorism has a long history and is based on one simple idea-it is a nearly universally accepted assumption of human behavior that aggression is the outcome of frustration. When we do not obtain something to which we feel entitled, we feel anger and frustration, which, in turn, lead to violent actions aimed at removing the obstacles to our achievement. (qtd. in Perry & Minteh 13)
Other significant causes of domestic terrorism include political, religious, and psychological causes. The United States’ political system is led by the Democratic and Republican parties. Therefore, minor political parties or groups have no chance to actively participate in elections or have any say in passing a law. Consequently, these political groups may choose to conduct a terrorist attack to convey their …show more content…
history. One particularly important event was the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. The shooting occurred on June 12, 2016, and 49 people were killed, including the shooter, Omar Mateen. The Pulse nightclub shooting was the deadliest mass shooting in American history. At 2:02 A.M, the Orlando police department received reports that shots had been fired at the nightclub. An off-duty officer was working there and “engaged in a gun battle with the shooter,” said Orlando Police Chief John Mina. More officers arrived at the nightclub and they were shooting at the attacker. At 2:09 A.M, the Pulse nightclub posted a warning on its Facebook page: “Everyone get out of pulse and keep running.” Many people were able to escape, but not everyone could. Some wounded people played dead on the dance floor, while others barricaded themselves into the bathroom stalls. According to the FBI, “about half an hour after the shooting began, the shooter made one of several 911 calls” (3 Hours). The shooter, identified as Omar Mateen, said “My name is I pledge my allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State” (Orlando Nightclub Shooting). Omar Mateen was shot by a policeman at 5:15 A.M and his death was confirmed by a police tweet. Spurred by the Orlando nightclub shooting, the Senate voted on four gun-control measures, but all four failed (3 Hours). The Pulse nightclub shooting changed the history of the United