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M$1 January 14, 2009 12:27 AM

2009 Terrorism Calendar: Gimmicky, or useful?

The he National Counterterrorism Center has published an annual terrorism calendar every year since 2003. They claim that it is a useful tool on bad guys and bad chemical weapons, and can be a useful tool in the arsenal against the war on terror. It seems a bit gimmicky to me, like those terrorist playing cards.

What do you think?
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January 14, 2009 05:28 AM
While I am initially biased to think this is another fear-mongering tool, it does seem like a legitimately useful source of information (for those for whom it is relevant.)

Here are some of my thoughts:
-I feel better when I see it doesn't JUST list Islamic terrorist action (the Oklahoma City bombing is listed as an event in history on April 19th, 1995.

-It also doesn't seem like it's being heavily marketed (unlike some homeland security "what to do in this event"), which belies my mental attempt to make it out as fear-mongering, too.

-What it seems like is a highly niche-y document that might inadvertently increase fear among normal consumers but would be more likely to just feed into racial profiling with law enforcement and etc.

-It looks like the terrorist playing cards were far less professional looking, and had minimal information. This is definitely more useful and less gimmick-y seeming -- the planner itself is useful for those who need access to such information and would be a good way of organizing it. The website is accessible and professional.

So, in conclusion, it does seem to have potential downsides, but it also seems legitimately useful. It's nice to have a cumulative resource on a specific subject, and if you want to do a project on symptoms and treatment of anthrax for school, or want some dates to start on for a history paper, this could be a great resource.
Source(s):
http://www.nctc.gov/site/technical/index.html

http://www.nctc.gov/site/calendar/index.html

http://www.resourceshelf.com/2009/01/11/nctc-releases-2009-counterterrorism...

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS175992+02-Jan-2008+PRN20080...

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/318943/nctc_releases_its_new_inter...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Apr2003/pipc10042003.html



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January 14, 2009 12:34 AM
A cheap way to get money out of the everyday consumer. Exactly like the terrorist playing cards.

Someone capitalizing on fear mongering. Gimmicky and soulless.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

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January 14, 2009 12:55 AM - Fact Refuted
The calendar is 100% free. I did not make that clear in my question, I guess.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/13/killer-calendar-feds-release-terror-planner/

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January 14, 2009 01:25 AM
Free or not, I agree that it is gimmicky and soulless. :)

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January 14, 2009 01:58 AM
Yeah, you hadn't mentioned it was free; however, capitalization and manipulation based on fear is what my answer was based on. Not solely on the fact that they could potentially make money. The fact that it's free and distributed by the government makes it propaganda, which is just as bad in my opinion if not worse.

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