In the United States, the reality of childhood mortality from preventable accidents far outweighs the risk of terrorism. For instance, in 2016, four children lost their lives due to lightning strikes, while gun violence tragically claimed 637 young lives under the age of 11. Over a decade, from 2002 to 2011, more than 9,000 American children under 12 died in car accidents. Suicides among children aged 10 to 14 reached 425 in 2014, and unintentional injuries led to the deaths of 2,696 children under 14. The CDC reports that daily, about ten people die from unintentional drowning, with two of those being children aged 14 or younger.
In stark contrast, no American children were killed by terrorists in 2016. The last significant incident was in 2013 when one child died in the Boston Marathon bombing. Prior to that, the toll has been minimal, with only a handful of children affected by acts of terrorism since 2001, including the eight children lost on 9/11 and 19 from the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.
As we engage in heated debates over the admission of Syrian refugees, it’s crucial to consider these statistics. While children in war-torn areas like Aleppo face grave dangers from conflict, the focus on our children’s safety at home often overlooks the more pressing threats they face daily.
The vetting process for refugees is exceptionally rigorous. According to government sources, it involves nine steps, each with opportunities for re-evaluation, before a refugee can enter the United States. Once here, they must obtain a green card, subjecting them to further scrutiny. Only 1% of global refugees meet the criteria for entry, making the likelihood of a terrorist slipping through this process exceedingly low compared to the everyday risks our children face, such as drowning or homicide.
Media narratives amplify fears of extraordinary risks, while neglecting the more common dangers. Rare events like shark attacks and mass shootings dominate headlines, overshadowing the alarming rates of child drownings or fatalities in car accidents. This skewed perception of risk, as noted in The Political Science of Risk Perception, highlights how personal experiences and biases can distort our understanding of actual dangers.
The portrayal of refugees, particularly those from Muslim-majority countries, often fuels irrational fears. Public figures and media outlets continuously associate these individuals with terrorism, diverting attention from the real threats that lurk closer to home. For instance, the 9/11 hijackers were primarily from U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia, challenging the notion that terrorism is always linked to countries with active conflicts.
As of August, the U.S. had welcomed its 10,000th Syrian refugee, part of a broader effort to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Since the civil war began, nearly 12,000 refugees have settled in various cities across the country. Importantly, the number of American children harmed by these refugees remains zero.
Instead of fearing the unlikely threat posed by refugees, parents should be more concerned about hazards like unlocked guns, improperly installed car seats, or even the dangers of an unattended swimming pool. Worry about the risks that are prevalent in your surroundings, such as childhood cancer or complications during pregnancy, which are far more pressing issues than the fear of terrorism.
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In summary, while the media and political discourse often emphasize rare risks like terrorism, the actual dangers that children face daily demand our attention. It’s time to shift our focus to the more common threats in our lives and ensure we take proactive measures to protect our children.