Listening to the news, one would get the idea Americans   shake in their boots over every possible danger and  threat.  Is this a media driven thing, or are we really a fearful people?
126730
I think that it is largely a media driven thing. I'm not saying that we don't have a reason to be fearful because we do but I think that the media keeps reminding us that we are supposed to be scared of everything.\n\nBush was RE-ELECTED due to 9-11 but being fearful as a nation has nothing to do with his getting elected the first time. I voted for him both times because I felt that he was the BEST man for the job. (BTW, I'm a registered Democrat.)\n\nI typically don't think about the National safety and security issues for the most part, except of course when I watch the news at night and they are always running some sort of story about it.\n\nAs for PERSONAL safety and security issues, I think about those a lot. I don't obsess about them tough. Our house has been broken into twice and our vehicles four different times. So we now have a security system for our house and alarms on all of our vehicles that are set whenever we're not in them. We used to leave one of our doors unlocked for convenience but not anymore. Every family member has a set of house keys and are required to take them whenever they leave the house or chance sitting outside until someone else gets home to let them in.
216853
It is so important to be informed.  You can't make decisions based on the junk that is shoved at you from every media angle.  Every news station has an agenda, and they know what demographic is watching, and what they want to hear.  It's all about ratings for them.  This is why you need to be in the know yourself.  It is a responsibility we all have as Americans, and alot of people fought very hard to maintain this, the very least we can do is care about the land in which we live enough to involve ourselves in its betterment.
560313
I think a lot of people's worst fears were realized....\n\nAnd now I watched just the first few minutes of the video.\n\nYou know what, this is even WORSE than what the general media pulls.\n\nThe definition of "explosion" is very loose here.  It could explain the sounds of individual levels of floors slapping together, starting a chain reaction that could not be stopped as the gravity of Earth pulled the buildings toward it.  Thinking of how many hundreds of gallons of fuel spilled out and down into the buildings along with all the remaining flammable materials, there would be LOADS of explosions.\n\nIt is just stupid, selfish, and cowardice for people to blame anyone else than the retards that hijacked and flew the planes into the buildings.  But, if you feel the need to hold the government accountable, especially Bush, then go ahead.  He doesn't care, not one bit!!!  And most think that he is too stupid to notice.....RIIIIIIIIGHT!!
676310
As I understand it. You Brits are scared due to the terror alerts and such. I say Phu**em. Fly your Flag. Get a HUGE Flag and fly it proudly!! Don't let the bastards steal anymore from those of normal thinking and reasoning.
613124
I'm going to have to politely disagree on the grounds that the mainstream media, in Bush's corner, has deceived most everyone, in the US at least. Which isn't going to last forever, might I add.\n\nMountains of evidence supports that the "war on terror" is just a big farce!\n\nIf you have time, you may want to listen to some alternative views on what's actually going on:
655520
That's a good question. And an easy one to answer. The single most important, vital thing to do is to just talk about this stuff.\nNot online, but in the real world. With family, and friends, and co-workers, etc. Even though the Zogby poll shows that a full 50% of Americans believe that something very, very wrong has happened in this country on and since 9/11, it's still a very, very hard thing for people to talk about. The media has people so well conditioned to accept the official line on things and denounce everything else as "wack job conspiracy" that people are afraid to speak their mind. If all of this stuff simply came out of the back closets and internet chat rooms and quiet whispers, and instead was discussed at the family dinner table, or Starbucks, or in classrooms, or at cafeteria tables, etc., we'd be in infinitely better shape. It doesn't take long. I'd suggest that people call into their local radio morning shows on the way to work or school, write a quick letter to the editor of your local newspaper, give a presentation in class, etc. Simple little things like that go a long, long way, and they take very little time.\n\nIt take only ten minutes to write a letter to an editor of your newspaper, but that letter can be seen by thousands of people, especially if you live in a big city. But again, the single most important thing is to talk about these things. Talking has the ability to make things real and concrete. It's not an easy subject to talk about, believe me I know, but you'd be shocked as to how many people are already harboring the exact same feelings and doubts inside. If it becomes part of regular discourse EVERYWHERE, than the talking-heads and mass media can longer pretend like it's some kind of a minority belief, especially when all polls show that it's the majority opinion. It genuinely seems like things are getting urgent. If everyone puts 10 minutes a day into discussing the harsh reality of what's going on in America, there can be a HUGE difference made - massive. What's happening in this country simply COULDN'T happen if Americans didn't sit idly by and let it get worse by the day.\n\nRome fell because its people were too soft and unmotivated to stand up for themselves and instead trusted that someone else was taking care of their problems.\n\nAnd America succeeded 230 years ago because citizens took action themselves.\n\nGod Help America.
53137
I don't think all Americans are like that, but certainly many are.  Our public education system leaves a great deal to be desired, especially the last 30 years or so.  And the media's influence on everyday life in America has become so pervasive that it threatens to completely choke off any possibility of real rational thought.\n\nBut there are those who do think for themselves.  There are many Americans who care deeply about this nation and want it to continue to be a place where the freedoms our ancestors fought and died to earn will still live and breathe.  It's a shame that so many ignorant Americans don't understand what they risk when they just go along with what someone says--especially when it involves trading your freedoms for anything.
667171
Quite frankly,its not an everyday Republican or a Democrat that is always in the headlines.Its people like Bible thumpers on the right and hippies so stoned out of their minds to know what they are protesting that get the headlines.I am a Republican.Not because I am ultra conservative,but I see them as a class of action and ideas.They are proclaimed as the group who listens to nobody but really all they do is listen and actually act upon it.I am a firm beleiver in the powers that be work for us,not us for them.So when something is wrong.It seems the right is more of the party not afraid to get some dirt on the hands to help while others sit there still trying to find something wrong with what my side is doing.Im not all for my side.Alot of bad people in it and I know that.The President is not one of them to my notion.It is his staff in which he trust too much and have got him into alot of thick water.All political areas have their own agendas,but it just seems the Republicans are actually more in line with what matters rather than what gets you the most face time on CNN or Fox news.
38848
Well, I think that the US people are mostly to blame. We always get fixated onto our own 'domestic' issues, and hardly ever look outside the box. Our media giants never feed us the true news, and we have to spend hours searching on the internet to find the true story, but I still think we are too naive. There ARE much more important things than Iraq, like the genocides in Africa, but we never really care. Sometimes, it just gets me so mad. Then again, i'm only 13... PS. Thanks for helping me on my WWII question. I think yours was the best answer, but I accidentally clicked on Start a Vote. It's my first time using Yahoo!Answers,
588909
Hey there. I'm a Malaysian (a country in South East Asia) and I may have a different perspective among other answerers (I do live outside of America, don't I?) Anyway, most people would view Americans as rich, well-educated, and sadly, trigger happy. Yes. Nobody here ever thought of Americans having troubles with drugs, illegal immigrants, and so forth, because the only news that we get about America in our news papers are about Bush's policies against the world, about Hollywood actors, and American sport. As a proof, give me a minute as I fetch today's paper.\n...\nOkay, from the Borneo Post on American related news:\nHome: None (for obvious reasons, haha)\nClassified: None\nSports: "Storms douse action at US Athletics championships"\nWorld: "US warships successfully shoots down warhead in test"\n"Poll finds great divide between West, Muslims"\n"FBI arrests seven in Miami"-suspect netted in raid over alleged plot to attact Chicago Sears Tower skyscraper\n"US Senate rejects Democratic deadlines for quitting Iraq"\nTV Guide: None\nPeople&Places: A lot especially on Keith Urban's and Nicole Kidman's wedding\nBusiness: None\n\nNo news on drugs. No news on illegal immigrants. We don't know anything about the real life of Americans unless we surf the internet and actually search for American news. America equals to Hollywood. If I were to tell my neighbour that I am going to New York, she would say "Are you going to Hollywood? Americans must be very handsome and pretty and rich. How can you afford to stay there? Don't they hate Asians and Muslims? You'd better not go if you want your mother to have a grandchild." Some also view that Americans are living in their own world. When the whole world is crazy about football (soccer), Americans would watch NFL. When the world is against George W Bush because of what he did to the world (such as invading Iraq without UN's permission and refusing to pay back US' debts), Americans kept supporting him. CNN controls the mind of Americans. Nevertheless, the American Dream is always on most pauper's mind, hence creating the illegal immigrant problem. I'm not suprised because before I saw your question, I came upon a question where someone asked "Which country is the richest?" and most answerers replied "USA". Americans are also vein for thinking that other countries are poorer eventhough most countries here have a lower unemployment rate and a higher buying power. Well, that's only from my humble opinion. I'm sorry if I made anyone angry but it is reality, and that is what we really think about Americans. I hope I helped out in a way or another.
299031
Hey guys,\n\nI read your comments and agree with most of them, however, since I found this question under the “POLITICS & GOVERNMENT >> IMMIGRATION”, I figured I would stay on subject. \n\nThis is concerning. If history repeats itself (as it usually does) “The Media” can shape norms that provide a strong reaction from the general public, that can eventually motivate many forms of extermination. It can be dangerous when the role of the media is transformed from a neutral purveyor of fact, to a corporate sponsored monster that satisfies the psychotic and pathological appetites of the masses. \n\nThe basis for freedom of press is to PREVENT governments from regulating fact, to impose politically motivated information to the general public, and/or punishing those who surpass those imposed regulations. Disestablishing freedom of thought (via any media type) is the intention of manipulating the media. In today’s news, we are now seeing major corporations taking control of media sources and creating their own precepts and opinions on global and local issues (and yes even personal appearances as stated above). It’s becoming severe.\n\nSo with the oxymoron of freedom of press that we have in this country (and most others) the responsibility falls on the people to sift through the information provided and expose these tendencies. It is OUR responsibility to prevent these influences on the media that can lead to bogus information on very important matters like……Immigration Reform and the present situation our country is facing with the Mexican border. I doubt we will ever know the real issues by watching just the news. We can however guarantee the opinions we have are based upon what CNN or MSNBC has stated as fact.\n\nI suggest reading newspaper articles from other countries on these issues, and using the internet to understand Immigration Law and the legal ramifications of building an  armed wall to keep them out (or if you really think about it.......keep us in!) \n\nBe good guys.\nIt was nice talking with ya.\n\nThanks,\nAndre M
479616
If your not American than why are you so worried. It's the American public that has to be worried, we will deal with it in our own way.
568497
absolutely! we know that the average person is just not very educated, particularly in politics, so they do not know any better but to get their news from TV. Fox news, run by wealthy right-wing rupert murdoch, has done enough marketing to figure out how to be hugely popular, and now has become a mass propaganda machine for the ruling party -- damm! this sounds like the old USSR doesn't it? if you want some details of this see the references below. they are disturbing but i believe it is important for people to understand the MSN and exactly how much news is skewed in this country. It's not that Americans are stupid, they are just victims of a faulty system of news which feeds them misinformation; think of it as a bad side-effect of capitalism.
232876
Why not?Are not we Americans civilized people?I feel "we the people" are going to catch it,just because the "DECIDER" is deciding to be the playground bully,and everybody likes to to see the bully get it,but this time he will drag all of us down with him!The problem is as I see it, our government is just trying to a real prick about things,but us Americans just want to live and let live.Why does BUSHCO want to give them crazy mad as hell peckerwoods a reason?Those guys are not,like those other guys,them boys look dangerous as hell!
399335
americans should be scared. and brave.
295893
The French, British, and Japanese did it too have you ever watched any of those. My point is that it's been going on all a long. I don't think watching crazies at work is going to sway America anymore with fear tactics. A few people don't rule the World.
576375
When it comes to communists and dictators, nothing is too hard to believe.  It's scary, and unfortunately, most Americans will turn a deaf ear to the idea that this sort of thing is even possible.  You'll hear all about the US/Bush conspiracy of 9-11, but the prospect of foreign countries uniting against us?  They'll say it's hogwash....scary, isn't it?