NationStates Jolt Archive

Inspired by AB's current thread about paranoid Americans:

Americans, are you more afraid of threats from outside America (other nations or foreign people), or from within (the American government, the American people)?

Non-Americans, do you think Americans are (on average) more afraid of threats from outside America, or from within their own nation?

EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION: Threats do not necessarily have to be physical. A person could feel more afraid of losing their freedoms than of losing their life. Just something to keep in mind.

Inspired by AB's current thread about paranoid Americans:

Americans, are you more afraid of threats from outside America (other nations or foreign people), or from within (the American government, the American people)?

Non-Americans, do you think Americans are (on average) more afraid of threats from outside America, or from within their own nation?
*Awaits poll impatiently*

Well, apparently we're terrified of homos getting hitched.

As an American, for the time being, I am more worried about threats from the outside. After all, I'm not too keen on getting killed ot be part of someone's political statememt.

But on the long term, I'm more worried about internal threats from our own government. There is the old story about the frog in the kettle. We need to be watchful so that government power does not encroach upon freedom in a bit-by-bit manner.

Jellyfish have always freaked me out.

I fear nothing, except for everything.

As an American, for the time being, I am more worried about threats from the outside. After all, I'm not too keen on getting killed ot be part of someone's political statememt.

But on the long term, I'm more worried about internal threats from our own government. There is the old story about the frog in the kettle. We need to be watchful so that government power does not encroach upon freedom in a bit-by-bit manner.

that too

I took FDR's advice and I only fear fear itself. I also think superstitions are bad luck.

As an American, I am more afraid of the present administration and where it will take the nation. As a German resident looking at it from outside, I am also afraid of where it will take the world as a whole. So you could say I see America more as a danger to other nations than other nations as a danger to America.

I presume that for many Americans, it's an equal share of both. It's different things they are afraid of of course (gay marriage for some, patriot act for others), but I guess they are all worried about the state of their domestic policies.

Inspired by AB's current thread about paranoid Americans:

Americans, are you more afraid of threats from outside America (other nations or foreign people), or from within (the American government, the American people)?

Non-Americans, do you think Americans are (on average) more afraid of threats from outside America, or from within their own nation?

I think most of western society, and probably particularly American society perpetuates unreasonable fear all the time. Why else would we meed spf 50 sunscreen, and taser guns marketed to the general public? Really, those of us that live in regular-type urban areas don't have much to worry about in terms of health or safety if you take reasonable precautions. The media spreads panic all the time....so chill out, grab a beer, and put that gun away.

i can't speak for anybody but myself.

I for one am much more afraid of my Govt.'s possible future actions than I am of any other countries.

Afraid for my nations people as well as the rest of the worlds people.

I'm afraid of our current administration much more than I have ever been before of previous administrations. I never liked any of them but they seem to be taking a much more dangerous path with much more heinous goals.

I am afraid that the money and power hungry "elite" are using the media to shape peoples views to to fit into their twisted reality and keep us from advancing to be the best we can be for the betterment of ALL rather than the welfare of the govt and the corporate nation to the detrement of the majority.

Inspired by AB's current thread about paranoid Americans:


Ooh, I just became a muse. (If that term can be applied to men inspiring women?) :)

Ooh, I just became a muse. (If that term can be applied to men inspiring women?) :)
as long as you are willing to wear a low-cut toga, i've got no problem with that ;)

As an American Im scared of getting a nuke dropped on us which will probably happen in my lifetime.

There scared of a gernally non-physically/greatly over stated threat, the attack on the twin towers was a very dedicated and well funded group getting lucky nothing else, its all just been the millitary industrial complex and the right wing ingeneral pulling the capet from under the american people and their loving it, its all exaclty what happed to republican rome. there trying to do it here to but unlike american i and a lot of my fellow countrymen will take to arms before it gets to a police state.

There scared of a gernally non-physically/greatly over stated threat, the attack on the twin towers was a very dedicated and well funded group getting lucky nothing else, its all just been the millitary industrial complex and the right wing ingeneral pulling the capet from under the american people and their loving it, its all exaclty what happed to republican rome. there trying to do it here to but unlike american i and a lot of my fellow countrymen will take to arms before it gets to a police state.
The attack on the twin towers had nothing to do with luck. Anybody with enough cash for flight training and an airline ticket could have done the same at any time. Airline personell were had been trained to cooperate with hijackers prior to 9/11.

The attack on the twin towers had nothing to do with luck. Anybody with enough cash for flight training and an airline ticket could have done the same at any time. Airline personell were had been trained to cooperate with hijackers prior to 9/11.

true, true. But in reality there is no global al-quida network, not saying their arnt a few terrorists out their, but there’s as many fractions as there are terrorists.

And lets face it the proper way to deal with this is largely just a good police force and to generally ignore it. That’s what semi-worked for the IRA. Besides this whole global terror threat should be transparent bullshit considering the u.k has had a huge terror problem for the last 200 years, if not more, and we are still probably in the top 5 countries for civil liberties.

Inspired by AB's current thread about paranoid Americans:

Americans, are you more afraid of threats from outside America (other nations or foreign people), or from within (the American government, the American people)?

Non-Americans, do you think Americans are (on average) more afraid of threats from outside America, or from within their own nation?

EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION: Threats do not necessarily have to be physical. A person could feel more afraid of losing their freedoms than of losing their life. Just something to keep in mind.
In all honesty, fear is almost a foreign emotion to me.

true, true. But in reality there is no global al-quida network, not saying their arnt a few terrorists out their, but there’s as many fractions as there are terrorists.

And lets face it the proper way to deal with this is largely just a good police force and to generally ignore it. That’s what semi-worked for the IRA. Besides this whole global terror threat should be transparent bullshit considering the u.k has had a huge terror problem for the last 200 years, if not more, and we are still probably in the top 5 countries for civil liberties.
Al Quaeda is more of a training, logistics and ideological base for the many different islamofascist organizations. Yes, they did have a global network. Now it's fractured. The best way to stop a terrorist organization is to stamp out the current terrorists, and educate the children so they won't become terrorists when they grow up.

Spiders. :(

:D As an American, for the time being, I am more worried about threats from the outside. After all, I'm not too keen on getting killed ot be part of someone's political statememt.

But on the long term, I'm more worried about internal threats from our own government. There is the old story about the frog in the kettle. We need to be watchful so that government power does not encroach upon freedom in a bit-by-bit manner.


Your government already has complete control of you, like they had create and harnessed the CIA resource "Al Queda" and their CIA resource "Saddam Hussien"... I read about BOTH of them in the 80's, both were great weapons against "Russian Aggression"...

Your government has stripped away almost half of your liberties with Patriot Act 1 and 2 and your military has been training since before 2000 in "policing their own people".

Your government attacked you in 93 when the Times reported that the "terrorist" was given the bomb by the FBI against the Trade Towers, but he himself moved the van away from the pillar to avoid destroying the building, nice Feds. In 94 in OK, I watched hours of local footage detailing the MUTIPLE BOMBS in the building and the FBI and ATF agents which remove the "unexploded bombs". Multiple explosions, the whole nine yards.

Now, on 911, you guys seriously think the government has nothing to do with 911, considering the FANTASTIC amount of evidence to the contrary? Building 7, plans to invade afghanistan prior to 910, Expert Pilots, and of course the "CruiseMissile" version of a plane that hit the "unpopulated" section of the Pentagon.

You are being played for fools, I'm glad I don't live there. I didn't think black helicopters were supposed to exist? Ever watch what your children watch on Saturday Morning? (Retinal Scans, Involuntary DNA tests, and messages to tell on people who might be terrorists?) Your kids are much faster to be indoctrinated into a new "World Order", faster than you. I wonder why every home and school MUST have a TV huh?

So, in short, theres is not much going on outside that your country does not have its hands in... And since no other country can "go to war" without bankrupting itself, you will always be the "renegade aggressors" supressing and invading whereever you go. Most of you do not even seen the suprising resemblance to a fascist dictatorship you are living in. You don't see that your grandfathers DIED in WWII to prevent exactly what your country is doing, a complete business and miltary invasion of the world.


Krackonis
"I am not a corporate slave or consumer whore."
"and how!" :D

I'm much more frightened by the possibility of internal threats. George Bush is reason enough to keep me awake at night...

I'm an American and I am much more afraid of domestic than foreign threats. The Patriot Act is stealing my liberty, The No Child Left Behind Act is leaving me behind, and The Clear Skies Initiative is polluting my environment. These are just to name a few.

Al Quaeda is more of a training, logistics and ideological base for the many different islamofascist organizations. Yes, they did have a global network. Now it's fractured. The best way to stop a terrorist organization is to stamp out the current terrorists, and educate the children so they won't become terrorists when they grow up.

I agree, but your would have to define terrorism. Taken from a 1984 US Army Manual, Terrorism is "The calculated use of violence, or the threat of violence, to obtain goals that are political, religious or ideological in nature."

Unfortunately, the pracitise is twofold. Since the American government is pretty heavily invested in terrorism and terrorist networks, It goes so far as to hire terrorist states to do it for them. Nicaragua, East Timor, Guatemala, Lebanon, Palestine, Iran, Grenada and of course, the infamous acts of armed military aggression against soverign nations Iraq and Vietnam. (Which, by the way, if you are found guilty of armed aggression, you get "hung". I just thought I would point out the whole Nuremburg trials, since no one else seems to recall what 60 million humans died for about 60 years ago.) All have been preformed by funding from the US.

So... They will stop trying to kill you, when you stop trying to kill them. I think that's pretty much as clear as it has to be. This is not a complex issue.

Basically the United States job in the last 50 years has been "take money", "make threats" and "bomb brown people". You might have a corporate slanted world view because of all the media feces you watch, but I am certain you should be able to come to terms with those basic facts.

In the end, maybe if you stopped stealing from and killing people, the world would be better? Just a thought about Education... It starts at home.

I'm an American and I am much more afraid of domestic than foreign threats. The Patriot Act is stealing my liberty, The No Child Left Behind Act is leaving me behind, and The Clear Skies Initiative is polluting my environment. These are just to name a few.
Just four more years. Keep that in mind.

I agree, but your would have to define terrorism. Taken from a 1984 US Army Manual, Terrorism is "The calculated use of violence, or the threat of violence, to obtain goals that are political, religious or ideological in nature."

Unfortunately, the pracitise is twofold. Since the American government is pretty heavily invested in terrorism and terrorist networks, It goes so far as to hire terrorist states to do it for them. Nicaragua, East Timor, Guatemala, Lebanon, Palestine, Iran, Grenada and of course, the infamous acts of armed military aggression against soverign nations Iraq and Vietnam. (Which, by the way, if you are found guilty of armed aggression, you get "hung". I just thought I would point out the whole Nuremburg trials, since no one else seems to recall what 60 million humans died for about 60 years ago.) All have been preformed by funding from the US.

So... They will stop trying to kill you, when you stop trying to kill them. I think that's pretty much as clear as it has to be. This is not a complex issue.

Basically the United States job in the last 50 years has been "take money", "make threats" and "bomb brown people". You might have a corporate slanted world view because of all the media feces you watch, but I am certain you should be able to come to terms with those basic facts.

In the end, maybe if you stopped stealing from and killing people, the world would be better? Just a thought about Education... It starts at home.
They won't stop trying to kill us until we either completely witdraw all support for Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Quatar, Israel, and Kuwait, or become a devout (according to their interpretation) muslim country. Their goal is to remove US interferance from the middle east, topple middle eastern govenrments, and install a taliban-like government that would use it's wealth, military power, and control over oil to spread their violent islamofascist ideals throughout the world.

I am an American, and I am not afraid.

I do not think that nonwhites are ruining the country; in fact I think intolerance and ignorance have a better chance at that than hardworking people getting grief from anachronistic folks with no grip on reality.

I do not think that my rights are being destroyed -- if you look at the cycle of history, you will see that rights superceded in wartime invariably have been reinstated in times of peace.

I do not think that outside forces are a huge danger; attacks will happen from time to time. I live in NYC, and I know that it's a target. Since I can't control what's going to happen, I refuse to worry about it or fear it.

About the only thing I DO fear is that the impression people on this forum get of Americans is that of the most extreme and not of the majority of the people here.

I'm on the neither side of that Bob.

I'm not American (Yet), but I think there's more fear of internal threats. Whether justified or not, most Americans (Hell, most Westerners) don't give a second thought to terrorism unless the news is on, but they do care about domestic issues a great deal. Seeing a domestic policy that one disapproves of will make one feel threatened by it. This isn't the same exact thing as fear, but whether or not people actually <i>fear</i> this stuff as opposed to disliking and distrusting is a very difficult matter to figure out.

I do think there is more danger from inside the US to the US itself, but I think there is more danger from the outside with regards to lives and resources.

I fear Ninjas.

Well, apparently we're terrified of homos getting hitched.
No kidding, Homophobia runs rampant in this contrey.

I must completely agree with Katganistan. I'm worried that Americans are either being seen as extremist white neocons, or flaming angry liberal commies. We rarely get a middle picture on Nationstates, because the General Forum provides people with extremist POVs to post their thoughts. The other three extremists that think like them post "I completely agree!!!", and then the forum's perception of Americans shifts. The vast majority of people on these forums are perfectly rational, even-handed people that just happen to favor some political views over others. You'll find, in fact, that Americans favoring opposite sides of the political spectrum tend to be friends. They don't really live according to the beliefs of their party, so it doesn't really get in the way.

This doesn't just apply to Americans. UKers, Germans, French, Scandinavians: they all tend to get misrepresented because a couple of guys come right out and say "I'M EUROPEAN AND AMERICANS ARE STUPID!!!" Living overseas in Beijing (and given that my dad works for Siemens), I'm very good friends with Germans, Brits, Swedish, Japanese...once again, political ideals really are a non-issue.

That said, I doubt there's anything to fear. Unless somebody manages to smuggle a nuclear weapon into America, I think that our hearts (and our institutions) are fortified against any terrorist attacks in the near future.

I must completely agree with Katganistan. I'm worried that Americans are either being seen as extremist white neocons, or flaming angry liberal commies. <snip>.
You want to know what's weird? I've been accused of being both a neocon and a flaming liberal on this board in the past.

The vast majority of people on these forums are perfectly rational, even-handed people that just happen to favor some political views over others. You'll find, in fact, that Americans favoring opposite sides of the political spectrum tend to be friends. They don't really live according to the beliefs of their party, so it doesn't really get in the way.

Couldn't agree more. I live in NE Ohio and have friends from both sides of the spectrum. When anything political comes up in casual conversation, we just change the subject. Debates only start if we want them to.

We need to be watchful so that government power does not encroach upon freedom in a bit-by-bit manner.
Ahh Robbopolis, don't you know that that's been going on for many years? (not only in America either :()

I'm worried about racism, and violence. We just need some folks to take initiative and try and revitalize these communities. I don't like those Wal-Mart commercials talking about reviving white suburbs in Arizona or something. THOSE AREN'T REAL GHETTOS, GUYS. I especially like it when they show the palm trees, as though it's Hollywood boulevard or something.

You guys who are scared of President Bush are real jokers. You say he's an idiot and then claim he's going to break into your home in the same breath. If he's an idiot, he won't have a crack team trying to destroy America through suppression of rights. If he's having a crack team trying to destroy America, can he be an idiot? I suppose so, but not IQ wise. I don't think so, anyway. I'm sure I'll get rebutted.

So I guess in answer to the poll, I'm an American, and I most fear domestic threats. Although I wouldn't say it's fear, more of a concern.

....I live in NE Ohio....

Hey me too. Although I was born on the East Coast. Keep it real, homey.

You want to know what's weird? I've been accused of being both a neocon and a flaming liberal on this board in the past.
It's because you are liberal on your domestic issues, but on some foreign policy issues your opinions are more neocon!

I'm worried about racism, and violence. We just need some folks to take initiative and try and revitalize these communities. I don't like those Wal-Mart commercials talking about reviving white suburbs in Arizona or something. THOSE AREN'T REAL GHETTOS, GUYS. I especially like it when they show the palm trees, as though it's Hollywood boulevard or something.


Walmart is a good argument for socialization of industry. The only good argument.


You guys who are scared of President Bush are real jokers. You say he's an idiot and then claim he's going to break into your home in the same breath. If he's an idiot, he won't have a crack team trying to destroy America through suppression of rights. If he's having a crack team trying to destroy America, can he be an idiot? I suppose so, but not IQ wise. I don't think so, anyway. I'm sure I'll get rebutted.


Bush certainly isn't an idiot. He has a respectable degree from Harvard. Most of the people who post on here are too young to have gone to any college... although most of them do have a lot of potential.


So I guess in answer to the poll, I'm an American, and I most fear domestic threats. Although I wouldn't say it's fear, more of a concern.

The only real concern I have about our country is the slide into moral abysss, which has been long in the making.

I'm an American, and I am most scared of the direction this country is headed, from the top down. In short, I am scared of what the current political enviorment is doing to this country.

As a USian I do not fear internal or external threats. I refuse to worry all the time. Life will go on and things will work out.

i guess the next step of the question is to ask what people think Americans SHOULD be more concerned about; should Americans worry more about the internal problems in their country, or are they right for putting more efforts into protecting against outside forces?

You want to know what's weird? I've been accused of being both a neocon and a flaming liberal on this board in the past.
me too...odd, that.

Know what I think Americans are afraid of? Me and my friends.

Once we went to Detroit and one of my Friends pulled the middle finger out the bus for one whole hour. What happened? Nothing, that's what's so funny.

But actually, on a more serioous note, I think they're more scared of internal threats.

And lets face it the proper way to deal with this is largely just a good police force and to generally ignore it. That’s what semi-worked for the IRA. Besides this whole global terror threat should be transparent bullshit considering the u.k has had a huge terror problem for the last 200 years, if not more, and we are still probably in the top 5 countries for civil liberties.

However, it was the government being prepared to talk to the IRA which brought about the peacefires, rather than the threat of their destruction as a working organisation by the police... which is hardly a case of ignoring the threat, is it? Obviously the situation with AQ is different as they are based outside the nation and their demands remaian somewhat unclear at present.

Know what I think Americans are afraid of? Me and my friends.

Once we went to Detroit and one of my Friends pulled the middle finger out the bus for one whole hour. What happened? Nothing, that's what's so funny.

But actually, on a more serioous note, I think they're more scared of internal threats.

He should've pulled his pants down and stuck his ass out the window.

I may not be american (in fact I'm canadian) but I've noticed that the news is different than here in canada.To empisize my point I will give an example, news in canada "The priminister gets married, Everyone happy" and in the U.S. "Married couple strangled to death, as their children" or "sniper kills ten high school students" and in jolly ol' canada "Lost puppies found more at eleven". And I can suport my answer, we get U.S. news in canada so my points are valid (belive it or not).

I am afraid that the money and power hungry "elite" are using the media to shape peoples views to to fit into their twisted reality and keep us from advancing to be the best we can be for the betterment of ALL rather than the welfare of the govt and the corporate nation to the detrement of the majority.

I think thats already well underway... *Men in black sinister looking suits come into room* "No please I was only..."*takes five shots in chest and two in the head*

I may not be american (in fact I'm canadian) but I've noticed that the news is different than here in canada.To empisize my point I will give an example, news in canada "The priminister gets married, Everyone happy" and in the U.S. "Married couple strangled to death, as their children" or "sniper kills ten high school students" and in jolly ol' canada "Lost puppies found more at eleven". And I can suport my answer, we get U.S. news in canada so my points are valid (belive it or not).

Thats cause the US Media is so pessimistica and loves to dwell on people's misery, The negative news in America easily outnumbers the possitive news 100/1

:D


Your government already has complete control of you, like they had create and harnessed the CIA resource "Al Queda" and their CIA resource "Saddam Hussien"... I read about BOTH of them in the 80's, both were great weapons against "Russian Aggression"...

Your government has stripped away almost half of your liberties with Patriot Act 1 and 2 and your military has been training since before 2000 in "policing their own people".

Your government attacked you in 93 when the Times reported that the "terrorist" was given the bomb by the FBI against the Trade Towers, but he himself moved the van away from the pillar to avoid destroying the building, nice Feds. In 94 in OK, I watched hours of local footage detailing the MUTIPLE BOMBS in the building and the FBI and ATF agents which remove the "unexploded bombs". Multiple explosions, the whole nine yards.

Now, on 911, you guys seriously think the government has nothing to do with 911, considering the FANTASTIC amount of evidence to the contrary? Building 7, plans to invade afghanistan prior to 910, Expert Pilots, and of course the "CruiseMissile" version of a plane that hit the "unpopulated" section of the Pentagon.

You are being played for fools, I'm glad I don't live there. I didn't think black helicopters were supposed to exist? Ever watch what your children watch on Saturday Morning? (Retinal Scans, Involuntary DNA tests, and messages to tell on people who might be terrorists?) Your kids are much faster to be indoctrinated into a new "World Order", faster than you. I wonder why every home and school MUST have a TV huh?

So, in short, theres is not much going on outside that your country does not have its hands in... And since no other country can "go to war" without bankrupting itself, you will always be the "renegade aggressors" supressing and invading whereever you go. Most of you do not even seen the suprising resemblance to a fascist dictatorship you are living in. You don't see that your grandfathers DIED in WWII to prevent exactly what your country is doing, a complete business and miltary invasion of the world.


Krackonis
"I am not a corporate slave or consumer whore."
"and how!" :D

Its ok to be jealous. :)

I think most of western society, and probably particularly American society perpetuates unreasonable fear all the time. Why else would we meed spf 50 sunscreen, and taser guns marketed to the general public? Really, those of us that live in regular-type urban areas don't have much to worry about in terms of health or safety if you take reasonable precautions. The media spreads panic all the time....so chill out, grab a beer, and put that gun away.

Amen.

Fear is an industry in the US. (I don't know about elsewhere - bad ignorant American, bad.)

BTW, these are an excellent books on the subject: The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0465014909/qid=1111812359/sr=2-3/ref=pd_ka_b_2_3/102-7229765-1727302) and Creating Fear: News and the Construction of Crisis (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0202306607/ref=pd_sbs_b_2/102-7229765-1727302?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance)

I am an American... And I am afraid of neither domestic nor foreign threats. Hehe.


And no, I don't buy into our fear shit we have (yes, the global warming threat, our environment is dying, our skin will flashboil in two years, and whatever else they can think of). And some one needs to take control of our media... Holy shit.



But, the only thing I have to fear is if we ever go into nuclear war, because likely, North Dakota will be among the first to go, HAHA! A true rough rider, North Dakota will go down in a blaze of glory as the world's third largest nuclear power, behind the United States and Russia.


America's heartland, where your doors are unlocked, your keys are in your car, you've got millions of dollars worth of equipment sitting outside, and you don't have a neighbor. Where your drive way is a half mile long and there isn't a native tree to be seen, except in shelter belts. Where everyone wonders "What the hell does the rest of the world think its doing?" And where Info 89 AM radio plays polka... Yes. Polka. At 5 AM. In the morning. I'm listening to it right now. And I wish I wasn't. Why the hell am I listening to AM radio in the first place? There. It's off.


Yeah, anyways, I'll quit my incessant babbling, not enough sleep... But remember, North Dakota kicks your ass.

You wouldn't need a constituation that allows every Tom, Dick and Harry own tons of guns if you wouldn't have a society that's brainwashed to fear nearly everything.

I think X-Files proves everything. Look at all the weird shit going on in it. You MUST fear living over there!

I'm much more afraid of what kind of affect the US Government will have on my life than I am of any kind of terrorist attack. Hell, I know many people the government would consider criminals that I'd trust with my life before I'd trust that the government would care to look out for my best interest rather than find ways to exploit me to serve their own self-interest.

Dirty bomb.. Dirty bomb. Dirty bomb.

Kim Jong Il's going to sell a bomb to Saddam Hussein, and Saddam's going to fund terrorists in Afghanistan to Mr. Osama Bin Laden.

Then Kim Jong Il's going to invite all the world leaders and the Actors guild to North Korea for a little show, while he destroys all the major cities in the world.

We need Team America!

Krackhead, you are really a paranoid wierdo.... Sorry about the name calling, but I couldn't help it. You really should stop reading so much whacko conspiracy theory. Prison planet is not the best place to read up on current events. I live a free and happy life in NC. I, like most americans would never allow anyone to take any freedom from me or my family. Political debates and freedom of the press is healthy in this country and our ELECTED leaders know their limits. You should relax and read something less apocalyptic for a change. I have this great book that I recommend, its called " How to grow up and stop being a paranoid freak so you can enjoy your short life".

I'm an American.

I fear and loathe the misuse of power in all its varied forms. Internally, externally, by people who would call themselves my government, my allies, my eneimes, anyone who misuses power.

Power used for the wrong reasons destroys countless lives, ruins entire nations, fractures families and smashes economies. It can be found in everything from Enron to Al-queda; both of which have affected me personally.

I fear that it will continue to be a problem in the US and abroad, with governments and companies growing more corrupt. I fear that my means are now too limited to stop it, and it scares me to think that I could have done more in the past but did not out of convenience.

I think X-Files proves everything. Look at all the weird shit going on in it. You MUST fear living over there!

That show creeped me out so much(especially since I watched it when I was eight years old). I haven't seen it since then though. I thought it got cancelled.

External threats. Internal threats are in check.
And btw, fyi, Freedom House ranks the US as a free nation. Even better, on their scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being the most free, they rate the US a 1 in both political and civil freedoms. That's even better than other "free" countries, like Italy and Japan.

This is what I would fear...

http://www.starterupsteve.com/swf/JibJab_SecondTerm.html

I'm not exactly afraid of domestic issues or of outside threats. Mostly what worries me is how paranoid other Americans are and how willing they are to blindly follow anyone who promises them security.

I think X-Files proves everything. Look at all the weird shit going on in it. You MUST fear living over there!
Yes, X-files proves everyone is conspiring against me. :p

I think most of western society, and probably particularly American society perpetuates unreasonable fear all the time. Why else would we meed spf 50 sunscreen, and taser guns marketed to the general public? Really, those of us that live in regular-type urban areas don't have much to worry about in terms of health or safety if you take reasonable precautions. The media spreads panic all the time....so chill out, grab a beer, and put that gun away.
Amen. We really need to chill out. Worrying about the boogeyman has 0 effect on whether or not the boogeyman eats your face. If I were a worrier I'd piss my pants over internal shit.

I'm an American and I fear nothing.

How's that?

I may not be american (in fact I'm canadian) but I've noticed that the news is different than here in canada.To empisize my point I will give an example, news in canada "The priminister gets married, Everyone happy" and in the U.S. "Married couple strangled to death, as their children" or "sniper kills ten high school students" and in jolly ol' canada "Lost puppies found more at eleven". And I can suport my answer, we get U.S. news in canada so my points are valid (belive it or not).
yeah, i've noticed that trend during my various travels. US news really does seem to revolve around fear, almost to the point of hitting satire...i keep waiting for a news story like, "Time: The Silent Killer! The ravages of time are stalking you and those you love! Details at 11!"