Reject fear, hate that ISIS is fomenting to build terrorism

Why would a suicide bomber bring his passport with him to a terrorist attack? Why would he drop it on the ground before blowing himself up?

Fear is the primary methodology terrorists' groups use to spread their ideology and control populations. Allowing ourselves to react out of fear and be controlled by our fear would mean that we have lost the battle.

ISIS has taken over areas of Syria and Iraq by slaughtering native populations. They are controlling the people (primarily Muslim) in these regions with fear of torture and death. This has created the greatest exodus of refugees into Europe since World War II.

ISIS would like to create the narrative that the west is at war with Islam. Our invasion into Afghanistan and Iraq certainly supports that premise. They recruit by getting Muslims to fear westerners and fan the flames by getting us to fear Muslims. This is where that bogus passport fits in.

Those who planned and carried out the coordinated attacks in Paris were radicalized Muslim citizens of Belgium and France.

The bogus Syrian passport was meant to scare us into being afraid of accepting refugees from Syria or Iraq. They want the Muslim populations that they control to have no place to go, while at the same time nurturing their narrative of clashing civilizations.

Along with fighting ISIS militarily, we must fight the fear and hate they are spreading between Christians and Muslims. And we must reject the reactions to such fear within our own country.

Americans should take solace in the security systems put in place in this country since 9/11. Part of this is the 18- to 24-month comprehensive screening we do of refugees coming into this country.

Rejecting fear by accepting refugees is just as important as military action in winning the war against ISIS.

James Frazier

Bradenton

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Reject fear, hate that ISIS is fomenting to build terrorism ."