Random Thoughts about Paris
But in addition to mourning and starting the physical and emotional recovery processes, we need to learn from the event. TV pundits are asking good questions. Good answers are rare. The following are just a couple of my random thoughts after watching two days of new coverage. My comments were precipitated by the question: “Why Paris?”
One reason is France’s relatively open borders. Reportedly, the teams that carried out the attacks were freely traveling in and out of the country prior to Friday. They were able to smuggle in firearms, ammunition, grenades, explosive belts and everything else they needed to do their deeds. The United States is similarly exposed. Our southern border is very soft and porous. That is a long-term problem and much has been written about the problem and solutions. But there is an imminent threat that can be dealt with immediately. That threat is our present and planned resettlement programs. This reputable video describes the problem well. It is startling.
Ann Corcoran on Refugee Resettlement
So one action, it seems obvious to my simple mind, is to stop these government resettlement programs immediately. There is absolutely no way all these legal "muslim immigrants" can be properly screened. Our FBI director has admitted such. Write your senators and representatives and demand that these programs be stopped immediately. Texas Representative Brian Babin has filed H.R. 3314: Resettlement Accountability National Security Act of 2015 to prohibit the admission of all refugees into the United States.
Another reason they picked Paris is that France as a whole and Paris in particular have strong gun control laws. If I were a terrorist and wanted to kill lots of people, I’d pick a place where the people are defenseless. The Aurora, CO theater shooter drove past several theatres which allowed concealed carry to one that had designated itself a gun-free zone. In France, private possession of handguns (pistols and revolvers) is prohibited with only narrow exemptions. Similar restrictions apply to certain long guns.
The United States is much better positioned in this regard. Three percent of Texans have Concealed Handgun Licenses. The Bataclan Theatre’s capacity is listed as 1500. Reportedly, more than 1000 were in attendance. The attack lasted 10 – 15 minutes. If this happened in Texas with 1000 in attendance, on average there would be 30 CHL holders in attendance. If the theater did not prohibit legal concealed carry and if even half of the CHL holders were armed, reasonable people believe a similar terrorist attack would have a much more favorable outcome.
However, in most incorporated areas of the country, local laws allow private property owners to designate their places of business gun-free zones. Unfortunately many do. Theatres are frequently posted with signs prohibiting legal concealed carry.
We can help by arming ourselves if we aren’t already and are able. Many argue that we have a civic responsibility to do so. We can help by appealing to businesses which prohibit legal carry to remove the restrictions. We can boycott businesses that restrict gun possession to those who do so illegally. We can lobby governments to remove restrictions which create gun-free zones. We can lobby the Federal Government to remove restrictions in post offices.
This obviously isn’t an exhaustive list of needed actions, nor is it a complete solution. Much more is needed.
Finally, in the category of the ridiculous, one TV news host amazingly asked a guest how this could have happened, since Paris doesn’t allow possession of guns. One thing I have learned about the gun control debate is that avocation of gun control is a psychosis. Logic doesn’t work with gun-control advocates. Facts don’t work. Statistics don’t work. Trying to debate a gun-control advocate is a waste of my time and theirs.
References:
A more-complete presentation on the Islamic resettlement problem – Iowa National Security Action Summit:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/6PzT8vEvYPg
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