Media coverage of the Columbine shootings, for example, made it seem like student shootings were becoming a common occurrence in high schools all over the country.

             One of the chapters deals with American society's fears of "Black Men." He chronicles how many Americans view young black men with distrust. Glassner chronicles how young black men are often treated with suspicion, and how they are often stereotyped as criminals or scofflaws. For the author, the lingering fears against young black men are a major contributor to lingering racism.

             Are these fears warranted? Glassner answers with a categorical no. The author points out that black men are not more likely to be criminals. In fact, he uses statistics to show that young black men are much more likely to be victims rather than perpetrators of social ills. For example, a comparative study of the income disparity between black and white workers shows that the former still ear less for the same amount of work. Similarly, young black men are often blamed for rising drug violence. In rebuttal, Glassner cites statistics showing that drug violence disproportionately victimizes young black men.

             The thrust of Glassner's book is that as a society, Americans often direct their fears towards "pseudodangers" rather than towards real social ills. The fear leveled against young black men, for instance, detracts us from perceiving the lingering effects of racism. Society worries about violence in schools, even though the chances of another Columbine tragedy are very slim. As they concentrate on the non-issue of rising school violence, attention is taken away from the very real problem of under-funded and overcrowded schools.

             The Culture of Fear also examines how these unwarranted fears develop. The author believes that constant media portrayal of "negative presumptions" regarding minority groups fans much of these fears. Television coverage of local news, for example, often centers around crime reporting.