Though none of the "homegrown terrorism" cases mentioned above lacked for sensational media treatment, the case of "Jihad Jane" caused the biggest uproar. While the Virginia case prompted speculation in the press about why five "normal" young men might be moved to fight with the Taliban, it was accepted that this was a possibility for young Muslim men. LaRose's gender, ethnicity, and "Main Street" Pennsylvania background meant that anyone could be a terrorist. Like the McCarthy-era red scare that imagined Communist spies lurking in every neighborhood, school, and workplace, the "green scare" encouraged Americans to view not only Muslims but anyone who converted to Islam as a threat.

XREF: Parallels the McCarthy-era red scare framing; the 'green scare' converts the war on terror into a suspicious-of-everyone panic. SEED: Potential article comparing McCarthy-era red scare dynamics to post-9/11 'green scare' treatment of converts to Islam.

Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politi…, loc. 502