On Mumbai
From Sebastian D'Souza, the picture editor and photographer at the Mumbai Mirror, who took this photo of a killer in action that flashed around the world:"I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."I'm sure Sebastian is not the only one. Regarding the police on the scene, he relates ""At one point, I ran up to them and told them to use their weapons. I said, 'Shoot them, they're sitting ducks!' but they just didn't shoot back."
Ever argue whether a CCW could defend against terrorists? "I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera." Strong words from an unarmed man who could have done so.
"The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable."
~Sun Tzu
Labels: Gun Advocacy, Quotes, Terror
posted by Xavier at 5:10 AM
14 Comments:
I recall that initial responding cops at the North Hollywood Bank Robbery, upon realizing that the bad guys had AKs, were afraid to engage, even though they had decent cover. Apparently some folks have not considered ahead of time how they will act, when the balloon goes up.
Only lately have American cops been getting good Active Shooter training, in which we're ingrained to close the distance rapidly and put fire on the target.
Sickening.
"I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."
Too bad we can't get the same kind of reaction from other photographers that get that close to terrorists.
I'm looking at you, Bilal Hussein.
Having studied the bewildered looks on the faces of the first responding security forces I imagine that the culture there did not,(prior to this event anyway) allow such independent thought and action. I wonder if many of the security personnel who showed up even had ammunition for their old British bolt action Enfields.
I have to say that I suspect many photographers have political views different from mine but, judging from the photographs they eventually provide to their media outlets, they are not cowards.
Many times they have more courage than good sense. They have my appreciation for providing a photographic record of some of these events (even if it is sometimes available for only days or even hours)...
The issue here is not the equipage of the Indian police with the SMLE rifle. The Enfield is a quite effective killing machine-just ask the Germans,Turks, Japanese, the North Koreans, and Malaysian Communists. The Enfield, like all individual weapon systems, requires skill and commitment on the part of the user. These fundamental requirements were sorely lacking in Mumbai.
Even more then skill, to win a fight the combatant must have the WILL to fight. The police at the railway station did not have the "Will to Fight" or "Fighting Spirit". All the cool tools in the world wont make up for that lack.
"Its not the size of the man in the fight, its the size of the Fight in the man".
So much for police response to terrosist attack. What then of a CHL/CCW?
A CHL/CCW, regardless of skill level, has already evidenced, at least in a small degree, "Fighting Spirit", by taking that first step to provide for defense of themselves and their loved ones. I think everyone understands that a gun is not a "magic wand" against bad guys, and to be used really effectively it requires training and forethought, but the willingness to take that first step is the biggest piece of the whole.
Contemplate two situations: In a Texas shopping mall, on any given Sunday afternoon, 3% to 5% of the normal shoppers going about their business will be legally armed CHL holders. On the other hand, on that same Sunday, on the National Mall in Washington, DC, none of the regular people strolling around are legally armed.
Which place do you think is more likely to attract the "shoot-em-up" jihadi-fascist coward? Where is the miscreant more likely to be shot down quickly?
Spare me the prescription of yet more black clad MP-5 toting policemen standing around the outlet store, the airport concourse, the State Fair grounds. What we really need are more teachers, doctors, nurses ( Xavier), plumbers, engineers, hairdressers, bakers, moms, lawyers,fashion designers, carpenters, bankers , executive chefs, etc., ie, normal folks, going about their normal business, equipped not merely with a gun, but with the "Fighting Spirit".
"I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."
and then in another venue, we ridicule the rock throwing palestinans/israelis when we see the newsreels of the people in the streets armed only with rocks.... beware that will be us when they finish off the 2A- the kknowledge and skills are of no use if we allow ourselves to be disarmed
If the Indian government had simply invaded and occupied Pakistan, this terrorist attack never would have happened. It would have been impossible.
Did anyone else notice that the AK the terrorist is holding is empty? Or at most it has one round in the chamber. There is no magazine in it!
Whoops. turns out there is a mag there, it's just painted white. No idea why, but you can clearly see the white mag in this picture
I'm in complete agreement with Greg Tag, "...What we really need are more teachers, doctors, nurses ( Xavier), plumbers, engineers, hairdressers, bakers, moms, lawyers,fashion designers, carpenters, bankers , executive chefs, etc., ie, normal folks, going about their normal business, equipped not merely with a gun, but with the 'Fighting Spirit'."
Couldn't have said it better!
Thanks,
It's very interesting living in a historical period when 4th century belief systems run into the modern culture of the day. Eventually, Islam will go the way of cannibalism and the Aztecs. It just won't cut it in a modern world.
These kids sure looked like regular guys didn't they?
I think they used white tape to double up mags.
I was thinking too in several of the pics shows they don't seem to be loaded either.
Here is a good article about the deplorable weapons laws in India, a relic of Brittish colonialism. Has a great anti-gun control quote from Gandhi:http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/024230.html
Post a Comment
<< Home