• Far Fewer Americans Support Political Violence Than Recent Polls Suggest

    A series of recent events has sparked alarm about rising levels of political violence in the U.S. Some surveys have reported that a large number of Americans are willing to support the use of force for political ends, or they believe that political violence may sometimes be justified. But my research shows that Americans almost universally condemn the recent political violence. The recent poll results showing otherwise more likely stem from confusion about what the questions are asking.

  • Defending Against Mass Shooters

    The latest spate of mass shootings across America raises safety concerns, but there are some effective and efficient measures that can be taken to defend against such attacks. By implementing specific measures thoughtfully and comprehensively, security can be enhanced across a range of public spaces.

  • Texas AG Ken Paxton Announces Undercover Investigations of “Leftist Terror Cells”

    Paxton cited the recent attack on a Dallas immigration field office, though the shooter’s political affiliation was unclear and there was no evidence he was linked to organized “cells.”

  • Manchester Synagogue Attack: Why So Many People in Britain’s Jewish Community Felt a Sense of Inevitability That This Day Would Come

    Research findings show that while strong antisemitism remains relatively uncommon in the UK, the odds of Jewish people encountering neighbors with at least one antisemitic idea remains worryingly high. Small wonder then that so many felt this attack was just a matter of time.

  • Confronting Cartels: Military Considerations South of the Border

    Possible U.S. military action against Mexico’s drug cartels poses unique challenges. The situation is complicated, and the United States must be prepared for possible counteractions. Past government campaigns against the cartels led to soaring rates of criminal violence. Chaos in Mexico could have serious implications for U.S. homeland security. The United States needs a ‘Red Team’ to examine a range of scenarios.

  • Violent Acts in Houses of Worship Are Rare but Deadly – Here’s What the Data Shows

    Houses of worship are meant to be open spaces of peace and refuge. The challenge is balancing this higher purpose with practical security. By studying past tragedies, Americans may better prepare for the future –and prevent more families from enduring the heartbreak of recent weeks.

  • Speakers Use ArabCon Platform to Promote Antisemitic and Pro-Terror Views

    At the 45th annual ArabCon in Dearborn, Michigan, several speakers engaged in the promotion of antisemitism and the defense of terrorism, including the Hamas-led terror attack against Israel on October 7, 2023.

  • Protecting the Public from the Risk of Political Violence

    The nation’s strength lies in its ability to confront political violence not with despair, but with resolve and unity. Americans overwhelmingly reject political violence by a ratio of millions to one. Remaining vigilant, supporting one another, and refusing to succumb to online rage and despair can ensure that acts of violence do not define America’s future.

  • Upward and Onward: 2025 Preparedness Summit

    Public health preparedness in the United States has always had to learn on its feet. It was abruptly brought into the spotlight by the 2001 anthrax attacks and given a national security imperative.

  • A View from the CT Foxhole: James Stack, Director, Great Plains Diagnostic Network

    There are multiple definitions of biosecurity, and oftentimes it intersects with definitions of biosafety. But if we look at biosecurity in the sense of the unintentional or intentional introduction of an organism, we have a long history on the plant side in terms of protecting food systems and natural plant systems. But 9/11 did bring a focus on the intentional side.

  • Is Antifa a Terrorist Organization?

    The question of whether Antifa qualifies as a terrorist organization has been the subject of intense political, legal, and academic debate in the United States and abroad. President Trump’s 22 September designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization is problematic on legal and operational grounds.

  • On Trump’s Anti-Antifa Executive Order

    The 22 September Executive Order designating Antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization” is seriously flawed on multiple levels. The notion that an idea can be designated an organization is one. The fact that there’s no constitutional provision or statute granting any president the power to designate a domestic civil society organization a “domestic terrorist organization” is another.

  • Argument: Deal with Antifa Without Designating Them

    In an Editorial, the editors of the conservative National Review argue that “We’ve seen before what happens when there is an over-insistence by political leaders on supposed domestic political threats —you get cock-up investigations and confusing plots where it is unclear whether FBI agents and informers are investigating actual domestic terrorists, or merely seducing and entrapping people into plans mostly hatched by the agents and informers.”

  • Politically Motivated Terrorist Killings in the US: Answering the Critics

    My recent posts about politically motivated terrorist killings in the United States revealed surprising findings. There are a few politically motivated killings. If we examine politically motivated terrorist killings perpetrated by domestic terrorists (thus excluding the 9/11 attacks, which were perpetrated by foreign terrorists), the left-right political distribution of murders skews decisively right, even in recent years, but the numbers are minuscule.

  • Charlie Kirk Shooting Suspect Had Ties to Gaming Culture and the “Dark Internet.” Here’s How They Radicalize

    If Tyler Robinson does turn out to be a shooter radicalized through online gaming spaces, he would not be the first. Many of those attracted to video games are young adults aged 18-34. These are vulnerable young men, and extremist activists have long recognized this group as a demographic ripe for radicalization. The evidence suggests most radicalization takes place not through playing video games themselves, but through gaming platform communication channels.