We now live in an age whereby the complete over-reaction to terrorism, that has always been going on but never highlighted, ensures that we live each and every day in fear. Whether we step on a bus, wait for a flight or any other daily activity, we have seen some media campaign that makes us think, “what if…”. This plight of media delivered, politically-driven sensationalism is striking fear into more parts of the world than terrorism has ever reached. There’s no such thing as a plane crash any more without the press release stating that so far terrorism has been ruled out, why not just an unfortunate and tragic plane crash without disturbing the minds of those who lost loved ones in an unthinkable event? Today I read an article about a campaign being launched in the UK that basically says if you suspect somebody of terrorism then grass them up! The angle that is being pitched is literally if you see somebody with multiple mobile phones then report them. I’m sure that there are Irish builders who are quaking in their boots at the sound of that – they might be cowboys but not terrorists. In this shallow world in which we live, mud truly does stick and calling the police to report your mobile crazy neighbour as being a terrorist will have a very profound and unwanted effect on some innocent person’s life. I know that vigilance is important and community/neighbourhood watch is a somewhat good idea but the backlash that we have seen since the US assault on terrorism began is that many, many innocent by-standers of differing creeds are being labelled as terrorists by those who can’t get out of the Hollywood mindset. A very worrying development indeed. source: The Register