Michael L. Rothschild

Michael L. Rothschild argues in the following viewpoint that the steady stream of media stories about terrorist threats following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks has caused people to overestimate the risk that terrorists pose to Americans’ security. He claims that Americans have a greater chance of dying in an automobile accident or from heart disease than they do of being killed by a terrorist. This exaggerated sense of personal danger has led many Americans to avoid public places such as malls, which has resulted in high economic costs, Rothschild contends. Michael L. Rothschild is an emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin’s business school.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What are the odds of dying in an automobile accident as compared to being killed by a terrorist...