From: Miriam English (miriam@werple.net.au)
Date: Thu Sep 13 2001 - 08:53:29 MDT
At 11:57 PM 12/09/2001 -0700, Michael M. Butler wrote:
>...what if every single (sane, adult) Bostonian, including
>all those nonterrorists that boarded the planes in Boston, had been armed?
>Or, say, just the flight crew?
>
>Not meaning to carp. Just saying, is all.
>
>So let's skip to the meat of the matter.
>
>It started with boxcutters and the lower average level of terror that one
>can match
>up with the implicit "rules" for hijackings most people here have taken
>for given, viz.
>"We can get out of this if we're careful; just take them where they want
>to go,
>and do what they say." "We can negotiate." ...et pitiful cetera.
>These mantras are no longer in effect; it has a certain clarifying effect.
>
>Everyone keeps saying this isn't a movie, but they're partly wrong.
>The effectors of these sad events have put us in a Bruce Willis or Stephen
>Segall scenario.
>
>Or, maybe, Terminator.
>
>"Listen. And understand. That terminator is out there. It can't be
>bargained with.
>It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear.
>And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead."
>
>Which sucks. Sorry for the drama, but it's called for, for once. That
>level of focus, to
>use a neutral word, is necessary for success. Going the extra five minutes.
>
>The ability to deal deadly force on an instant's notice just got epsilon
>more valuable here
>in the ol' US of A.
>
>That sucks, too. But that's what's at issue here, not guns per se.
>
>MMB, who doesn't like vigilantes but likes terrorists just a skosh less...
Quite right. My calls for careful thought and less than horrific end-games
don't apply in the case of a hijacked airliner. The terrorists themselves
have changed the rules there. If I was on a hijacked airliner now I would
have absolutely no hesitation at doing my best at destroying/permanently
disabling the hijackers, regardless of risk to my own life. The rules are
now that they be stopped no matter what. Because your life is likely
already forfeit, you no longer have anything to lose in such a situation.
In considering against other countries however, the rules of good sense and
being careful you don't cause yourself more grief further down the track
still apply.
Cheers,
- Miriam
---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=------
Q. What is the similarity between an elephant and a grape?
A. They are both purple... except for the elephant.
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http://werple.net.au/~miriam
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