Firearms Talk banner

What practical steps can we take against terrorist threats?

10K views 177 replies 30 participants last post by  formerCav 
#1 ·
With the recent rounds of terrorist acts, I think it would be useful to discuss what PRACTICAL steps we can take against them. Let me start by saying I'd like to avoid discussing who's fault it all is. I'd like to avoid references to Obama, Bush, Democrats, Republicans, etc.

Here's an example of something I think would help. It was posted in another thread and got me to thinking along these lines.

(This was posted in "Who carried in church today?")
I posted earlier that I carry at church -
Did not mention that I am the pastor.
A new couple showed up a few months ago, and in a conversation at the door after service, he said that his wife had been in a church where there was an invasion and shooting incident when she was a little girl, and she was VERY uncomfortable if she was NOT carrying a gun; He wondered if it was OK for both of them to carry in our church. Half a dozen people lifted their jacket, shirt or pants leg to show their CCW, and one person said "If you come to this church without a gun, one will be issued to you at the door on your way in!"
Any one attempting trouble here is going to be VERY unhappy with the results -
I believe it is not practical to prevent terrorists from entering the US. I believe it is not practical to prevent Americans from deciding to agree with terrorists and become a home-grown terrorist. I believe it is not practical to prevent the injury/death of the first (or even the first few) victims of a terrorist attack.

But I also believe that a substantial increase in the number of armed, law-abiding citizens EVERYWHERE would reduce the response time of useful resistance to the terrorist act. It is not reasonable to rely entirely on police/SWAT responses. Armed citizens in the vicinity of the terrorist act have some chance of being able to respond in a way that reduces the terrorists opportunity to commit violence unopposed.

To enable this kind of response, I believe there are a few things that can be done:

1. Eliminate gun free zones. Law abiding citizens should be able to carry literally anywhere they can legally go. There are probably some places where there is already an armed, active security force in place, prisons for example. Disallowing general public to be armed in such places may be a reasonable limitation, but see a couple points below.

2. Actively encourage children and adults to learn about guns, to be unafraid of them, to be able to use one if necessary. Not suggesting mandatory armament. But let's stop teaching kids that guns are evil. Let's actively oppose groups who promote that agenda.

3. Establish training systems where interested citizens can learn more than just which end goes bang. Teach weapon retention. Promote use of higher level retention holsters. Teach situational awareness. Teach about subsonic/frangible munitions for use in aircraft.

I'm sure there are other things that could be done. Better vetting of immigrants. Elimination of the Diversity Lottery Visa program. What other PRACTICAL steps can be taken?
 
See less See more
#4 ·
There are no easy answers, that would not have stopped the murders of 58 people in Vegas. The most success they had a here in preventing terrorist attacks was infuriating their organisations and recurring informers, the same would go for the Mafia in America. But if there is no organisation to infuriate one person attacks for example that complicates things. Intelligence is still the bast weapon in preventing some attacks, but get used to some getting trough. PS Remember the worst attacks apart from 911 have being by homegrown terrorists not immigrants.
 
#3 ·
a reform of immigration policies should come first. as Trump has mentioned more than once, extreme vetting of those coming into this country. a immigration policy based upon merit rather just letting anyone in. know who is coming in and what they believe in, and whether they have ties to terrorist affiliations of any type.

securing our borders would be another great step and pushed for by Trump. if illegal immigrants can come across the border, then it's easy to assume that terrorists could just as well if they decided to. the southern border is pretty much wide open.

and my thoughts are, those in larger cities, and large venues like concerts, professional and college sports, amusement parks and other such events are where i would venture a guess that people would be likely victims of any type of terrorist activities. i really have no idea as to what steps could be taken at such things to defend yourself against it from happening. many times such places are for the most part, Gun Free Zones. my solution is to just avoid such places that don't allow me to carry, to be able to have at least the possible chance of self defense. but as Mr. Balota mentioned, GFZ's are nothing more than fertile killing grounds for anyone with evil intentions, whether they be a terrorist, or just some looney whackjob. avoid GFZ's would be my best suggestion, until those in power wisen up and come upon the conclusion that logical people already know, and do away with them.

and Mr. Balota, great thread idea and some really good points you made.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Balota
#5 ·
Stop the political correctness BS.
Stop the anti profiling BS.
Make judges responsible for their decisions and shut the revolving door of justice.
Get rid of judges that legislate from the bench.
Cut federal funding and federally backed student loans to schools with anti government curriculum.
Start charging agitators calling for the violent overthrow of the government with sedition.
People have the right to free speech and peaceful assembly but when the deliberately bar other people who have the same rights from using those rights they should be charged with civil rights violations. Same for preventing people from going on with their business.
Use the law, we dont need new ones.
 
#6 ·
1. I avoid GFZs like I avoid jock itch. I minimize time in ones I MUST go do. I avoid the ones I don't have to go into.
2. Be aware of what is going on around you, and where you are. Too many people are simply on auto-pilot. It has been said that the average mugging victim is 3-5 seconds into the mugging before they realize that the are being mugged.
3. I carry. If I leave my property I have a sidearm, and a carbine in my vehicle. And a good flashlight, first aid supplies and a fire extinguisher.
4. We have conducted Active Shooter training with some of our staff. Have a plan for how a group of people CAN fight back even if not carrying a firearm.
 
#13 ·
Mr. Manta, i'm realist, and understand, nothing we do, or ever do will stop every attack from happening. it's just not realistic, nor is it possible. living where you do, you know that's true.

but, what we can, or could do is make it much more difficult for them to carry out acts of terrorism.

the very act of terrorism is to bring fear and disruption into people's lives.
 
#14 ·
Mr. Manta, i'm realist, and understand, nothing we do, or ever do will stop every attack from happening. it's just not realistic, nor is it possible. living where you do, you know that's true.

but, what we can, or could do is make it much more difficult for them to carry out acts of terrorism.

the very act of terrorism is to bring fear and disruption into people's lives.
I would assume the security forces are already doing what the can to prevent attacks. Another issue is that the governments introduce more emergency powers before you know it they are watching all citizens. Once they get these extra powers they do not like giving them up.
 
#18 ·
With the recent rounds of terrorist acts, I think it would be useful to discuss what PRACTICAL steps we can take against them. Let me start by saying I'd like to avoid discussing who's fault it all is. I'd like to avoid references to Obama, Bush, Democrats, Republicans, etc.

Here's an example of something I think would help. It was posted in another thread and got me to thinking along these lines.



I believe it is not practical to prevent terrorists from entering the US. I believe it is not practical to prevent Americans from deciding to agree with terrorists and become a home-grown terrorist. I believe it is not practical to prevent the injury/death of the first (or even the first few) victims of a terrorist attack.

But I also believe that a substantial increase in the number of armed, law-abiding citizens EVERYWHERE would reduce the response time of useful resistance to the terrorist act. It is not reasonable to rely entirely on police/SWAT responses. Armed citizens in the vicinity of the terrorist act have some chance of being able to respond in a way that reduces the terrorists opportunity to commit violence unopposed.

To enable this kind of response, I believe there are a few things that can be done:

1. Eliminate gun free zones. Law abiding citizens should be able to carry literally anywhere they can legally go. There are probably some places where there is already an armed, active security force in place, prisons for example. Disallowing general public to be armed in such places may be a reasonable limitation, but see a couple points below.

2. Actively encourage children and adults to learn about guns, to be unafraid of them, to be able to use one if necessary. Not suggesting mandatory armament. But let's stop teaching kids that guns are evil. Let's actively oppose groups who promote that agenda.

3. Establish training systems where interested citizens can learn more than just which end goes bang. Teach weapon retention. Promote use of higher level retention holsters. Teach situational awareness. Teach about subsonic/frangible munitions for use in aircraft.

I'm sure there are other things that could be done. Better vetting of immigrants. Elimination of the Diversity Lottery Visa program. What other PRACTICAL steps can be taken?
Spot on.
I'd also submit repealing all gun control laws from first to last allowing citizens to be armed with what they choose where they choose, would end most terror attempts and stop others quickly.
 
#21 · (Edited)
That's an easy one.
One extremely good way to stop terrorism. It would drive the liberals and every Muslim country absolutely and unbelievably BatSchitCrazy, but it would 100% do the trick.
  1. Start a website. Something like whatwedowithterrorist.usa.com

  2. Insist that every terrorist that is killed in every allied country have their body flown to the United States.

  3. Dig a great big hole

  4. Chuck the body in the hole

  5. Hang a pig over the hole

  6. Slit the pig's throat and let it bleed out all over the body

  7. Throw the dead gutted pig in the whole with the body of the terrorist

  8. Take a picture of the body with pig's blood and a pig on it

  9. Record a video of the hole being filled in with the body covered in pig blood and the pig on top of the body

  10. Leave the grave in an undisclosed location

  11. Post the picture and the video on the website so that every would-be terrorist and their parents understands that if they step out of line, every single recovered piece of their body will lay for eternity with a pig and will never make it to heaven to see their god.

  12. Problem solved.
It is literally and absolute, a no win situation for them.

Any one know Trump's phone number? We need to get his ear on this one.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Ask France how far they go! Ask Europe about borders! Ask the English citizens of London what has happened to the city they knew 30 years a go.
Yes its to late for most of the UK, as you say governments allowed and encouraged immigration multiculturalism. In some countries that is coming back to bite them in the ***. One of the reasons the UK voted to leave the EU was because the government did not listen citizens concerns regarding imagination etc, Trump got in for similar reasons.
 
#25 ·
Copy what Israel does

It is inherently a tradeoff; more security equals less freedom. Do not expect to regain any rights we give up.

Step 1 is to stop *****footing around and start calling it an Islam problem. Not calling it an Islam problem is precisely as crazy as calling Bruce Jenner a woman ( and did you notice he went from front page everyday to forgotten like someone threw a switch? )

The thing that would actually solve the problem would be to convince the True Believers that what they believe is seriously silly shiite, and their God is indistinguishable from the devil.

Good luck with that.
 
#27 ·
Close the borders. To everyone. Period. Most countries have extremely
tough immigration laws. WHY should we be different?

The language we speak here is English. Speak it.
The food we eat here is Pork. Eat it. If they can not
adjust to BEING AN AMERICAN, we should send these
"culturally proud" people back to the crap-hole country they
came to America to escape, yet are so proud of, anyway.

SCRAP the TSA and ATF, and give their budgets to Homeland
Security, and INS.

STOP allowing the media to glorify people who do scumball acts,
and become famous overnight. Show their executions on national
TV, without giving their names. Prosecute these pariahs pronto.
They do a terrorist act, give them a speedy trial, followed by a
last meal of 100% pork, and a first class hanging. Furthermore,
feed them nothing but pork, and give them pork brine to drink
the entire time they are incarcerated. This is cruel and unusual?
Tell that BS to their victim's families.

Give CCW holders, due to their good conduct, and spotless records,
a discount to carry on all flights. Bet those terrorists won't get too
brody, when they know a dozen unidentified passengers on every
flight are itching to pop a round in their *** .
 
#28 ·
The sad truth is there is no way to prepare for a terrorist attack. Just the word terrorist brings images of people with ********* and beards and muslims and the truth of the matter it comes in all cultures, from the bombing of the federal building my Timothy McVeigh to David Coleman Headley. You cannot and should not isolate yourself so much that you become a prisoner in your own country.

We all advocate our 2nd Amendment rights but the truth of the matter is that most of us have a false sense of security carrying a handgun and because of this we begin to hinder the law enforcement community by automatically unholstering our handgun at the sound of gunfire, like it happened at Walmart recently.

Yes it is our constitutional right to arm ourselves but it is also our constitutional duty to train and practice diligently so when the time comes we can defend ourselves and family from some psychopath but also just because you have a license to carry does not give you a license to act as a police or law enforcement officer. Holster your weapon get the hell out of the chaos as quickly as possible and let the trained professionals do their job...do not be mistaken for the terrorist.

Oh one more thing before I get off my soapbox, know the people around your neighborhood. In my neighborhood I make it a point to know and become friends with everyone 4 houses to my left and right and across the street as well. Also keep your noses off your damn cellphones. Nowadays I could literally steal purses or knock anybody out and their would never be a witness because everyone is on their cellphone, whether at a restaurant or mall or any public facility. Sadly to say it even happens with the police officers that are being paid to be at a movie theater as a guard. I pass inches away from them and they are not even aware of how close I was to them.
 
#53 ·
Oh one more thing before I get off my soapbox, know the people around your neighborhood. In my neighborhood I make it a point to know and become friends with everyone 4 houses to my left and right and across the street as well.
Let's take a close look at that neighborhood, for a second. Everybody in my
neighborhood carries loaded guns around. They hunt. They engage in shooting
sports. Oddly enough, there is very little crime, and NO terrorists. Seems these
spineless terds don't appreciate the sport so much, when their chances of being the victims are closer to even.
 
#32 ·
There is no way to stop hate and ignorance. You can't legislate out of it, you can't wall your way out of it and you can't shoot your way out of it. Political and religious zealots who are willing to give their lives will find a way to to kill others will kill others.

A lot of people hate America, the American way of life and American political and military policies. They are fed on anti-American propaganda, and it works.

The only way to reduce the incidence of terror would be for us to change our way of life, give up our freedoms and live in a police state. I would rather take my chances with the occasional nut that to be ruled by them full time.
 
#37 ·
True. There is no way to stop hate and ignorance. No one is saying to shoot our way out of that.

But an immediate armed response to an active shooter has a much better chance of reducing the casualties compared to allowing the shooter to continue unopposed for an hour or more.

I'm looking for ideas that can help. Claiming there's nothing that can be done is not one of those ideas.
 
#36 ·
1)Be like Israel...that is PROFILE..... do NOT stop 90 year old Swedish women in an airport and then wave the 6 muslims through in their garb because you "dont want to hurt their feelings". I SEEN IT HAPPEN in Mpls, MN airport!
2) Secure the border (self explanatory) (south, north, east, west.....airports!)
3) Secure the VISA system... TRACK that Visa and where did they go and WHEN did they LEAVE!!
4) the USA should NOT allow anymore then 500K people in our country PER year! That is all we can absorb when financial times are GOOD. And these people MUST be vetted. If they can NOT take an oath to SUPPORT our gov't, abide by OUR LAWS, etc, then they CAN NOT come in!!
5) Don't allow anymore muslims in our country. Their beliefs....islam...sharia....is NOT compatible to the American way of life PERIOD! This should NOT BE NEGOTIABLE at all. Japan does not allow muslims in!
6) MONITOR the mosques, don't BUILD anymore of them especially with our tax dollars. If a muslim currently living in the US breaks our laws...deport them immediately. Sell their property and give them their money back and DEPORT them.....NOW.
7) If a mosque is caught teaching subversion or other unlawful activities, CLOSE It AND look at EVERONE who attends that mosque closely....when in doubt...DEPORT!
8) IF the ACLU does not LIKE IT, then file sedition charges on them too!
9) start filing sedition charges on the NEWS MEDIA that is always LYING and favoring islam.
I'm sure you folks can add to this.
 
#40 ·
With the recent rounds of terrorist acts, I think it would be useful to discuss what PRACTICAL steps we can take against them. Let me start by saying I'd like to avoid discussing who's fault it all is. I'd like to avoid references to Obama, Bush, Democrats, Republicans, etc.

Here's an example of something I think would help. It was posted in another thread and got me to thinking along these lines.



I believe it is not practical to prevent terrorists from entering the US. I believe it is not practical to prevent Americans from deciding to agree with terrorists and become a home-grown terrorist. I believe it is not practical to prevent the injury/death of the first (or even the first few) victims of a terrorist attack.

But I also believe that a substantial increase in the number of armed, law-abiding citizens EVERYWHERE would reduce the response time of useful resistance to the terrorist act. It is not reasonable to rely entirely on police/SWAT responses. Armed citizens in the vicinity of the terrorist act have some chance of being able to respond in a way that reduces the terrorists opportunity to commit violence unopposed.

To enable this kind of response, I believe there are a few things that can be done:

1. Eliminate gun free zones. Law abiding citizens should be able to carry literally anywhere they can legally go. There are probably some places where there is already an armed, active security force in place, prisons for example. Disallowing general public to be armed in such places may be a reasonable limitation, but see a couple points below.

2. Actively encourage children and adults to learn about guns, to be unafraid of them, to be able to use one if necessary. Not suggesting mandatory armament. But let's stop teaching kids that guns are evil. Let's actively oppose groups who promote that agenda.

3. Establish training systems where interested citizens can learn more than just which end goes bang. Teach weapon retention. Promote use of higher level retention holsters. Teach situational awareness. Teach about subsonic/frangible munitions for use in aircraft.

I'm sure there are other things that could be done. Better vetting of immigrants. Elimination of the Diversity Lottery Visa program. What other PRACTICAL steps can be taken?
I think you nailed it. Thanks:cool:
 
#48 · (Edited)
Some good conversation, Balota.
Good thread!

Interestingly we have some posters who see only the holes and not the doughnuts. I suppose, according to the gist of their posts, since we can't come up with a solution that will stop all terrorist acts 100%, we should just give up? :(

One solution offered...stop being a strong country! Weak people resent that!
But, lets see...we have been seen as a weak country by the rest of the world since, at least, Jimmy Carter! Which probably accounts for much of the mess going on these days.

That began changing last January with MAGA.Will it stop terrorist acts? Of course not! Terrorists hate America, period! Whether contempt or resentment, America represents everything they are not.
ellis

Lets see what we have so far:

1.Cut back on Immigration.
Won't stop people from coming across the border illegally.
Wouldn't have prevented Las Vegas
Wouldn't have prevented Oklahoma City bombing
Won't stop home-grown terrorists
Might keep out immigrants who are innocent and would be an asset to
to the country

2.Better Border Control
Won't stop attacks from terrorists already in America
Won't stop home-grown terrorists

3.More and better security
Will only stop some attacks
Will change our way of life
Will increase police presence and power

4.Build a wall
Terrorists will go around it
Won't stop terrorists coming in from weak immigration policies
Won't stop home-grown terrorists

5.Ease regulations regarding public being armed in public places.
Citizen shooter might be mistaken for terrorist by police
Citizen shooter might shoot someone by mistake, thinking they are
the terrorist.
The police are better trained to handle such situations
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dallas53
#50 ·
Some good conversation, Balota.
Good thread!

Interestingly we have some posters who see only the holes and not the doughnuts. I suppose, according to the gist of their posts, since we can't come up with a solution that will stop all terrorist acts 100%, we should just give up? :(

One solution offered...stop being a strong country! Weak people resent that!
But, lets see...we have been seen as a weak country by the rest of the world since, at least, Jimmy Carter! Which probably accounts for much of the mess going on these days.

That began changing last January with MAGA.Will it stop terrorist acts? Of course not! Terrorists hate America, period! Whether contempt or resentment, America represents everything they are not.
ellis

Lets see what we have so far:

1.Cut back on Immigration.
Won't stop people from coming across the border illegally.
Wouldn't have prevented Las Vegas
Wouldn't have prevented Oklahoma City bombing
Won't stop home-grown terrorists
Might keep out immigrants who are innocent and would be an asset to
to the country

2.Better Border Control
Won't stop attacks from terrorists already in America
Won't stop home-grown terrorists

3.More and better security
Will only stop some attacks
Will change our way of life
Will increase police presence and power

4.Build a wall
Terrorists will go around it
Won't stop terrorists coming in from weak immigration policies
Won't stop home-grown terrorists

5.Ease regulations regarding public being armed in public places.
Citizen shooter might be mistaken for terrorist by police
Citizen shooter might shoot someone by mistake, thinking they are
the terrorist.
The police are better trained to handle such situations
To no 5.
Unlikely citizen shooters would be mistaken by police as the terrorist as police normally will not have entered until at min 30 min have passed. Freely armed citizens being attacked will have ended the threat long before that.

Citizens may shoot someone by mistake. Unlikely at best. Besides Police do that daily someplace in the nation. Police freely admitted some of the gunshot victims were hit by them in the crossfire at Pulse, though they will not state a number.

Police better trained than a populace free to be armed as the 2nd dictates without restriction.
I'd beg to differ with that premise.
But even granting it's true, armed citizens inside actively engaging the shooter beats 's a SWAT team "formulating a plan out by the MRAP "for an hour while people are being gunned down.

Terrorists historical hit soft targets where armed resistance is unlikely.
The simple knowledge that GFZ no longer exist in this nation may not stop all of them. But it'll stop it of them.

Airplane hijackings and bombings are rare after 911 and passengers began clobbering anyone attempting such instead of sitting like sheep depending on the crew.

A free to carry whatever weapon wished, hand or long gun, everywhere without restrictions as 2 a demands would go along way in stopping attacks before they start.
 
#49 · (Edited)
Interestingly we have some posters who see only the holes and not the doughnuts. I suppose, according to the gist of their posts, since we can't come up with a solution that will stop all terrorist acts 100%, we should just give up?
I don't think anyone is saying do nothing. Accept you can not stop all attacks and do as much as possible to prevent attacks, but be careful you don't end up with the cure being worse than the disease. Once police government etc get these extra temporary emergency powers they rarely give them up.
 
#55 ·
Would that vigorous profiling extend to people who make incendiary post on gun forums? To people who buy multiple guns and buy ammo by the case? Would it extend to people who march in the streets chanting Nazi slogans?

Be careful what you ask for.
 
#56 ·
Frankly, and just my opinion, but YES! People who march in the streets chanting Nazi slogans SHOULD be subject to vigorous profiling. They're just as much of a terrorist organization as ISIS and Antifa. Multiple guns and ammo by the case, sure, go ahead and check them out. When they come back clean, especially multiple times, give them a PIN similar to current BGC PINs. Incendiary posts, depends on just how combustible they are.
 
#61 ·
No.

No. Just plain no.
A person in this nation has the right to left alone until such time as they ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL.

How much ammo I have or how many guns I buy are none of LE or the government's damn business.

There was a wise man who once said something about trading liberty for a false sense of safety and those who do deserving neither.
 
#58 ·
The theme "if you see something say something" has been repeated a great deal in the current church shooting. People dont want to be called snitches and tend to protect their own. This is a major problem within certain ethnic or religious groups that have a high percentage of people bent on criminal activities. The peaceful members of those groups need to take responsibility and stop the criminal activities by whatever means is legal. That is as politically correct as I can make it.
 
#59 ·
well, i don't consider myself politically correct! i have heard about so called "peaceful Muslims" for several years now, and that only a small percentage are the radicals that go about committing terrorism and murder. but how come, the so-called peaceful ones are not condemning the radicals? how come they are not doing something, even if it's just something as simple as speaking against the radicals?

IMO, until the so-called peaceful Muslims speak up and condemn the actions of the radical Muslims publicly, many people are going to be wary of anyone of that claims to be Muslim, regardless of their intentions. that's just human nature. many people will view anyone of the Muslim faith as being suspect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AZdave and JTJ
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top