Explosions at the Boston Marathon

[IWasBored]

Originally Posted by martha

Thank you. I'm not sure everyone got it, but I figured if you read it, you'd be one of the few.

And certainly no pressure cookers on airplanes.

I actually made a similar joke when I got to work, and one of the kids here said "but they're not white, they're Muslins." My IQ immediately dropped 10 points.

[martha]

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by IWasBored

"but they're not white, they're Muslins."

but also . That comment defies existing smilies.

[IWasBored]

Just think, these are people who are allowed to give patients narcotics.

[martha]

One for you, two for me.

[deep]

Originally Posted by IWasBored

I actually made a similar joke when I got to work, and one of the kids here said "but they're not white, they're Muslins." My IQ immediately dropped 10 points.

as ridiculous as that sounds

a lot of people are 'sighing' that it was not a Tim McVeigh,

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by anitram

Not sure how I got quoted there...

Oh weird! I didn't notice that. Not sure how that happened; I just hit the quote button.

It's too late to edit though. Sorry

[Dfit00]

Originally Posted by BoMac

Since 9/11, there has been one - one - terrorist act on U.S. soil, while there were seven mass shootings in 2012 alone. That's not even mentioning the hundreds of thousands of gun deaths since 2001.

So acts of terrorism are really the "isolated" events, while gun violence is an unfortunate and sad daily reality that Americans everywhere have to live with.

You also fail to mention that these types of events get a lot of attention worldwide just for the sole fact that they happen in the US.

Car bombings and minimal-scale terrorist attacks have occurred quite frequently all over the world especially in Colombia, Iraq and numerous African nations; however, they do not get massive worldwide attention and news coverage because they occur in impoverished nations where the standard is to accept these common tragedies.

Given the level of security and law enforcement in the US, accepting a tragedy like this is not accepted or common as of today.

[U2DMfan]

How in the hell was James Holmes (aka the Aurora shooter) not a "terrorist"?
He is the epitome of a terrorist.


56 people were killed in bombings in Iraq the very same day of the Boston shooting.

[U2inUtah]

I thought this was interesting:

Boston Police say Dzhokar killed Tamerlan

"During a shootout with police on Thursday night, the older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, exited the vehicle he was in and started walking down the street, shooting at officers. He ran out of ammunition when he was only five or ten feet away from police. One officer then tackles him, and he and two or three others try to handcuff him.

As they try to handcuff the older brother, the younger brother comes barreling at them in the vehicle. The officers dive out of the way, and Dzhokar runs over his brother, dragging him for a short distance. Police think this is what killed him."

Boston manhunt: The day after – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs

[U2DMfan]

Originally Posted by LuckyNumber7

.

I'm including mass shootings in the whole bunch. Newtown, Fort Hood, etc.

To me, terrorism is something that is intended or achieves making you fear living a normal life. I think mass shootings are certainly included. You know... parents now fear sending their kids to school. People now fear the Boston Marathon. etc. etc.

To me, personally, I might be more frightened for myself and loved ones with an armed lunatic on the loose carrying a machine gun than the potential for bombs and explosions, which always seem to be over quickly. Besides that, most people harmed or maimed by those bombs are completely caught by surprise. There is almost no terror before the fact. It's all after the fact. With guns, it's often both but especially if you are within eyesight of the shooter.

And that's what "terrorism" means me to me. Maybe I have something amiss.
I see it as filling us with fear and terror but to me there is an irrational aspect to sheer "terrorism" that can't be ignored. An over-reaction. And that's the effect they are going for. And it's true in cases of mass shootings or bombings or whatever.

I don't know if I'm right or not...but I don't see much difference.

[Jive Turkey]

Originally Posted by U2DMfan

How in the hell was James Holmes (aka the Aurora shooter) not a "terrorist"?
He is the epitome of a terrorist.


56 people were killed in bombings in Iraq the very same day of the Boston shooting.

I don't consider one off psychopaths to be terrorists. There needs to be an ideology. The act itself isn't what defines terrorism, it's the fear and chaos created as a result of the terrorism and the fear that it may happen again. The 'terror' is the lasting impression and uncertainty. It's a means to an end

[deep]

Terror has a political agenda / motive.

The Dark Knight movie shooting and Sandyhook were not terror.

I have had ex-girlfriends terrorize me, they were not terrorists.

[BoMac]

I really hope they caught the right suspect.


http://twitter.com/peterogburn/statu...607297/photo/1

[dazzledbylight]

Originally Posted by Jive Turkey

Pretty sure this refers specifically to disemboweling yourself with a sword

you are probabky right...but meant in the wider sense.

[dazzledbylight]

Originally Posted by IWasBored

I actually made a similar joke when I got to work, and one of the kids here said "but they're not white, they're Muslins." My IQ immediately dropped 10 points.

geeez (kid's response)

[IWasBored]

Also as a paramedic, the last thing I'd want to have to do is write up the paperwork for the transports of either of those guys to the hospital, particularly the younger brother. Obviously it's a very minor thing in the entire scheme of this whole story, but it sounds like a documentation nightmare.

[martha]

Yeah, and all the while knowing it'll be a document introduced at a federal trial.

[Hewson]

Originally Posted by BoMac

I really hope they caught the right suspect.


http://twitter.com/peterogburn/statu...607297/photo/1

Does that mean Emily "Bones" Deschanel was run over by Zooey?

[LuckyNumber7]

Originally Posted by deep

Terror has a political agenda / motive.

The Dark Knight movie shooting and Sandyhook were not terror.

I have had ex-girlfriends terrorize me, they were not terrorists.

Not necessarily. It doesn't have to be political. It can be religious, ideological, whatever.

Sandy Hook? Maybe not 'terrorism' as per definition though, still. But for the context of my own argument, I'm including it. Inadvertent terrorism. It has the same effect.