[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 20526-20527]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        DO NOT GIVE IN TO FEAR, THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF TERRORISM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about terrorism from my 
perspective, both as a Member of the Congress and as a scientist.
  It is very clear that the purpose of terrorism is an effort by a 
nongovernmental agency or group of individuals

[[Page 20527]]

to disrupt the activities of legitimate governments and to do so by 
instilling fear in the citizens of that particular government. We have 
to recognize that that is the main purpose of terrorism. The cause may 
be hate, the cause may be a simple interest in vandalism, but the 
purpose is to disrupt and to cause fear.
  There are various ways to respond to that. One, of course, is a 
military response, which this country is doing in response to 
terrorism. But equally important is to defeat terrorism by not letting 
the terrorists disrupt our country, by not letting them generate fear 
in our country, but rather by recognizing what their purpose is and to 
defeat them by not yielding to the terror and to the fear that they 
want to instill.
  Obviously, when the terrorists attacked our Nation and killed roughly 
6,000 people in a horrible, horrible attack on the New York World Trade 
Center, we as a Nation became very disturbed, as we have every right to 
be, and we are responding to that action militarily. But I am concerned 
about the response of fear that we also see, the fear of flying, the 
fear of going places, and the withdrawal into our homes. That is 
precisely what the terrorists want, and I encourage the citizens of our 
country to overcome that fear. Most of the Members of Congress fly 
every week as I do. I have found absolutely no reason to be fearful of 
flying. It is safer to fly today than it was before September 11, 
because the security is much better.
  Our latest fear is anthrax. But it is very important to put these 
issues in perspective, and to look at them from the aspect of relative 
risk. Every day of the week, every day of the year, 120 people, on 
average, die in automobile accidents in this country. Very, very few 
people have died from anthrax; very, very few have died, until 
September 11, from terrorist activities. And so let us keep that in 
perspective.
  We should be no more afraid to fly than we are afraid to get in our 
automobile and drive. We should be no more afraid of contracting 
anthrax than we should be afraid of getting in our car and driving. In 
fact, the probability of incurring anthrax is far less than the 
probability of winning the Power Ball lottery, and we know that is very 
very small.
  Now, why am I saying this? Am I not afraid of anthrax? Yes, I am, but 
I am not going to live my life in fear of contracting anthrax. It is 
very difficult to make biological weapons. It is even more difficult to 
disperse the biological material. In spite of the efforts made by the 
terrorists, very few people have been injured or have acquired the 
disease of anthrax. In spite of the efforts of the terrorists, it is 
simply very difficult to circulate enough biological material that 
actually causes someone to become ill, particularly to the point of 
death.
  There are other fears we might have. I am more concerned, frankly, 
about chemical terrorism than about biological because it is easier to 
make and spread toxic chemicals and it is easier to kill a large mumber 
of people with it.
  The main point, I want to make is that we should live our lives 
without fear. We should try to go about our normal paths but to be 
vigilant. Everyone in this Nation should be watching for terrorists who 
might be trying to do evil things. They should report these activities 
to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

                              {time}  1700

  Do not live your life in fear. Be vigilant but live a normal life and 
be grateful that you are living in the United States of America, the 
most wonderful Nation that has ever existed on this planet. Enjoy the 
blessings and benefits of this Nation. Do not succumb to what the 
terrorists want you to succumb to. Be brave, be bold, but be vigilant.

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