WASHINGTON, DC (June 21, 2021) On June 15, the Biden administration released the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism to address what the Intelligence Community has identified as the most urgent threat to U.S. national security. The plan embraces many of the suggestions in a recent bipartisan policy blueprint from the McCain Institute for International Leadership and the Center for American Progress that outlined a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of white supremacist violence. In response, Brette Steele, senior director for Preventing Targeted Violence at the McCain Institute, issued the following statement:
“The Biden administration’s strategy aligns with the overarching theme of our policy blueprint – that is, the importance of a comprehensive, whole-of-society response to the rising threat of hate-based violence in the United States. It recognizes the pervasive problem of white supremacist and anti-government ideologies that have inspired acts of targeted violence in the United States and recommends an approach that works across government to find solutions. The strategy echoes our call for improving data collection and sharing of information about domestic security threats. It also highlights the importance of preventing recruitment into violent extremist movements, particularly the recruitment of active military members, veterans, and members of law enforcement. Finally, the strategy supports a public health approach to prevention. It advocates for bolstering resilience to violence, cultivating digital literacy skills, providing more accessibility to public resources on prevention and intervention, and increasing public understanding of the role behavioral health experts play in preventing hate-based violence.
The McCain Institute programs implement complementary public health approaches to prevention, made possible through funding by the Department of Homeland Security Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships. For example, Invent2Prevent empowers university students to address targeted violence and terrorism through the development and deployment of dynamic products, tools, and initiatives that produce measurable results in their communities. In addition, our emerging Prevention Practitioners’ Network will create a national network of interdisciplinary professionals dedicated to addressing targeted violence, terrorism, and their impacts in the United States. I am pleased to see the White House taking action to address the threat of targeted violence in the United States in ways that prioritize a public health approach to prevention while also preserving our civil liberties. We look forward to collaborating with the Biden administration, federal agencies, and our community partners to effectively implement these strategies.”
Read the report: “A National Policy Blueprint To End White Supremacist Violence” by the McCain Institute and the Center for American Progress.
Read a summary of the report’s recommendations here.
About the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University
Inspired by the character-driven leadership of Sen. John S. McCain and his family’s legacy of public service, the McCain Institute implements programs and initiatives to make a difference in people’s lives across a range of critical areas: leadership development, human rights, rule of law, national security, preventing targeted violence and combating human trafficking.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.