September 10th: A Day to Always Remember

In 1988, William Shatner starred in a commercial with the nifty jingle, “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile…This is the new generation of Olds.” It was not the presence of Captain Kirk that would make this commercial memorable.  Instead, it was the cheesy line, “not your father’s Oldsmobile” that would become a pop culture catchphrase, so much so that the word Oldsmobile could be substituted for any legacy topic to make a point about the need for change.

In this month’s issue of Police Chief I penned an article entitled “This is not your father’s terrorism” by highlighting how legacy thinking such as what the Oldsmobile marketing story represents is no match for the emergence of individuals acting out terrorism or violence based on a “salad bar ideology.”

While I would be thankful if you read that article, I would be much more grateful if you let me bring to your attention - on this historic day - that the “lights” are again “blinking red” similar to what had occurred in the months leading up to that fateful day in September of 2001.

The Threat Picture

Over ten years ago, the Program on Extremism at The George Washington University published a report citing a Federal Bureau of Investigation bulletin that warned “anti-government, identity-based, and fringe political conspiracy theories” were playing an increased role in motivating domestic extremists to commit violent acts.^[1] The report highlighted the emergence of individuals acting based on a “salad bar ideology” extremism, and cited FBI Director Christopher Wray describing at that time that some extremists “take a mish mash of different kinds of ideologies that don’t fit coherently together, and sometimes are even in tension with each other, and mix them with some kind of personal grievance to justify an attack.” The report went on to describe how other Western countries have also expressed similar concerns about mixed ideologies that are driving threats.

While as disconcerting as that report was then this past March Director Wray kicked it up a few notches. He testified at a Senate Select Intelligence Committee Hearing on Global Threats on the Annual Worldwide Threats Assessment and remarked that the threats from various groups have reached a “whole other level.” He added:

“Even before October 7, I would have told this committee that we were at a heightened threat level from a terrorism perspective -- in the sense that it's the first time I've seen in a long, long time…the threats from homegrown violent extremists that is jihadist-inspired, extremists, domestic violent extremists, foreign terrorist organizations, and state-sponsored terrorist organizations all being elevated at one time since October 7, though, that threat has gone to a whole other level. And so, this is a time I think for much greater vigilance, maybe been called upon us."^[2]

Why is Today Such a Historic Day

In the wake of the largest terrorist attack on the United States, the 9/11 Commission Report highlighted that a lack of imagination, cooperation among agencies, and legal restrictions led to a catastrophic failure to identify the threat actors, and their plots involved with September 11, 2001.

In the years following those dreadful attacks the tone and tenor of the nation was underscored by “Never Again”, “Lest we Forget”, and “See Something, Say Something.” Yet, despite those early rallying calls the years ticked on while at the same time apathy toward the threat of terror ticked up. This lethargy is often referenced in the hackneyed expression of a “September 10^th mindset” where regardless of the signs of a bad storm brewing on the horizon we become focused squarely on the sunny days both past and present.

Today, twenty-three years after that dreadful September day, owing to ideological fluidity, the threat of terrorism is peaking at the same time our nation’s stupor has seemed to reach its high point.

September 10th is historic for no other reason than it should serve as a stark reminder to all of us that no matter how safe we feel today the threats against our nation are always looming, and we need to pay particular attention to that horizon. As such, we will always be at a critical crossroads for the safety and security of this great country. Which path we take will again depend on our imagination, cooperation, and collaboration with one another.

Conclusion

Terrorism has evolved dramatically over the decades, transforming into a multifaceted threat that permeates societies globally.

This same threat has metamorphosed, adapting to the digital age and exploiting the interconnectedness of our modern world allowing terrorist networks to recruit, indoctrinate, and radicalize individuals across borders with unprecedented efficiency. The evolution of terrorism is marked by the rise of lone-wolf attackers who operate independently, inspired by ideologies disseminated through online platforms and social media.

The evolution of terrorism underscores the need for everyone to exercise continuous vigilance and innovation in their approach to the security and safety of this country.

On this September 10, this is not your father’s terrorism that we should fear!

“For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
The battle outside ragin'
Will soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'”

 ~ Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin

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^[1] Meleagrou-Hitchens, Alexander. Ayad, Moustafa. GW Program of Extremism, National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center, June 2023. https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs5746/files/2023-06/the-age-of-incoherence-final.pdf

^[2] Arthur, Andrew. FBI Director Warns ‘Dangerous Individuals’ Are Crossing the Border, March 18, 2024. https://cis.org/Arthur/FBI-Director-Warns-Dangerous-Individuals-Are-Crossing-Border