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10.31.2001 Fighting the War at Home Listen Listen


Forums: Do you feel that the government can protect you from terrorism?

 

The anthrax attacks have claimed their fourth victim, a 61-year-old New York City woman. This latest case is the most troubling yet, since the woman had no known connection to any of the facilities where anthrax-laced letters were known to have been sent. Her case has raised concerns that anthrax may be more easily spread than authorities first believed.

Amidst another general warning of a possible terrorist attack and new anthrax cases surfacing daily, Americans are left wondering: are we losing the war at home? Is there anything that we can really do to shore up homeland security?

Guest:

  • Ernest May, Professor of American History at Harvard University and former consultant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other government agencies

     

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    Could the American right be behind the anthrax attacks? Let us know in the forums.

    Read what some far right groups have to say about the events since September 11th.

    The Far Right's Response Listen Listen

    "So let's punish Osama bin Laden for killing all of those innocent Americans, but then let's go after the real criminals -- the traitors in Washington -- who really are the ones responsible for the September 11 attack. And then let's send all of the Middle Easterners, including those now controlling Hollywood and Madison Avenue and our television networks and the rest of our news and entertainment media, back to the Middle East for good." -- William Pierce, Head of the National Alliance

    While the viewpoints being heard in the media may debate whether airstrikes on Afghanistan is the best idea, there is another segment of the population with a radically different view on the events of the past two months. For some, the terrorism is a welcomed sign of the Apocalypse. For others, it is another reason to hate the government. This hour, we examine how the far right elements of America are interpreting recent events.

    Guests:

  • Daniel Levitas, expert on rightwing hate groups and the author of a forthcoming book about militia groups in the U.S.
  • Vicki Saporta, Executive Director of the National Abortion Federation

    Plus WBUR's Jonathan Saltzman on the pacifist movement in the U.S.

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