The world is ending again.

Religious Zealots grip the throat of freedom.

And it is all the their fault.

Their shadow looms over the world at large—an evil organization bent on foisting their political and moral ideology on masses? They must be destroyed.

But what are we really talking about here?

If you follow mainstream media, then the group or movement calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)—the extremist militant group’s “terror-campaign”—is unparalleled in its evil endeavors, the likes of which the world has never seen.

ISIS has been blazing through the Middle East and claiming swaths of territory in both Syria and Iraq intent on spreading the evil gospel of Islam and discrediting the good name of Western governments and ideology.

We’ve seen the reports on the news all the world’s powers are quivering in fear at the mighty threat that is ISIS; even Al-Queda, moreover, concedes to the unimaginable horror that is ISIS. The U.S. has deemed the threat a high priority and intervention through air strikes and troops have long been ordered.

As journalists, it is our responsibility to arm the masses with information based on facts gathered ethically and responsibly. We are to let U.S. citizens know what happens overseas and how our government is involved.

Instead, we vilify any peoples or religions that are unfamiliar. In this instance, Muslims are the latest in America’s never-ending witch hunt.

Our generation has never lived in a world where we can rely on the media for answers. Stories about terrorism break and ring like a copy of the one that came before. As a viewer, one is left with the impression that all Muslims are fanatical bigots deserving of my fear and hate.

But it isn’t true, is it? We hear about the terror group ISIS but do we really feel the affects? The fear that builds when watching coverage of terrorist groups, is less about what they actually did and more about the potential harm they could cause America and the rest of the world.

So what is the deal? Are we really under constant threat or is our mainstream media churning out stories and imagery full of violence and linking it to Islam by any means.

Take this guy, Alton Nolen of Oklahoma, a supposed Muslim and supporter of ISIS who attempted to behead two female co-workers.

The media is fixated on the fact that Nolen posted pro “Islamic” and ISIS posts on his social media.

What they are failing to mention is that Nolen was in the process of being terminated from his job at the company. Like everyone else, Nolen saw the constant coverage of ISIS’s violence and the inaccurate ties being made with them and the Muslim faith.

In fact, true Muslims are forbidden from harming anyone, including themselves.

The media creates villains for American citizens fear—this week it is ISIS before that Al-Queda and before that the Taliban, this can be traced back before WWII.

We love having a monster to hate. It gives our country a sense of purpose—a reason to plunge our hands into the world’s problems.

It’s this vicious little cycle; the media has stories to cover, people are scared and our government can to do whatever they see fit.

We cannot inform ourselves if the mainstream media’s practices are as unethical as broadcasting half truths and linking whole concepts to topics that are loosely related.

If we are to promote freedom and peace for all nations, we cannot continue to accept what others tell us is truth.