Robert W. Tracinski

In the following viewpoint, Robert W. Tracinski argues that Islamic terrorism is a serious concern for the United States. In Tracinski’s view, Islamic terrorism stems from a fundamental conflict between the values of Islam and those of Western civilization: Islamic fundamentalists use terrorism to express their hatred of America’s secularism—the emphasis of worldly achievements over religion. Tracinski is the editor of the Intellectual Activist and a senior writer at the Ayn Rand Institute, a research group that works to uphold personal liberties and free market principles.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How does the author define the terms “secular” and “secularism”"

2. What examples does Tracinski provide of Islam’s lapse into “primitive religious fanaticism”"

3. How does America...