Republican continues to beat terror drum to keep people afraid

[someoneyouknow]

Republican Senator John Thune, South Dakota, proudly boasts he's going to spend more tax dollars to protect us when at an airport. Those working at airports will now have to undergo more stringent background checks and those with an ever-longer list of convictions would be barred from working at airports.

His logic is ISL is out to get us and he makes note that in two years ISL has been able to kill a staggering 650 worldwide through terrorist acts.

650 people. In the entire world. In two years.

By comparison, in 2013, just under 30K people in the U.S. died in traffic accidents where, presumably, many of them were innocent of anything other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Also in 2013, 11,208 people were killed in the U.S. via firearms during an assault which resulted in a homicide. Again, presumably, those who were killed were innocent. In 2013, 505 people died as the result of accidental discharge of a firearm.

3,700 people died from the flu in 2013. I'm certain not all deserved to die from the virus.

720 people died in bicycle accidents in 2014.

4,600 people died in motorcycle accidents in 2014.

Yet, despite all these factual statistics, Senator Thune believes he has the answer to protect us, conveniently ignoring the single greatest target for ISL or anyone who wants to inflict mass casualties: the lines created by all this "security". Apparently in his rush to continue the legacy of George Bush and declare everyone a criminal, the simple fact he's making more targets readily available has escaped him.

After all, if you wanted to create terror, which would you rather do: try to sneak into a secure area where you might be able to get a handful of people, or wait in line with your suitcases packed to the gills with all kinds of nastiness during a holiday rush where you're guaranteed to take out scores of people?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/14/opinions/airport-security-thune/index.html

 

[PoisonedChalice]

Republican Senator John Thune, South Dakota, proudly boasts he's going to spend more tax dollars to protect us when at an airport. Those working at airports will now have to undergo more stringent background checks and those with an ever-longer list of convictions would be barred from working at airports.

His logic is ISL is out to get us and he makes note that in two years ISL has been able to kill a staggering 650 worldwide through terrorist acts.

650 people. In the entire world. In two years.

By comparison, in 2013, just under 30K people in the U.S. died in traffic accidents where, presumably, many of them were innocent of anything other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Also in 2013, 11,208 people were killed in the U.S. via firearms during an assault which resulted in a homicide. Again, presumably, those who were killed were innocent. In 2013, 505 people died as the result of accidental discharge of a firearm.

3,700 people died from the flu in 2013. I'm certain not all deserved to die from the virus.

720 people died in bicycle accidents in 2014.

4,600 people died in motorcycle accidents in 2014.

Yet, despite all these factual statistics, Senator Thune believes he has the answer to protect us, conveniently ignoring the single greatest target for ISL or anyone who wants to inflict mass casualties: the lines created by all this "security". Apparently in his rush to continue the legacy of George Bush and declare everyone a criminal, the simple fact he's making more targets readily available has escaped him.

After all, if you wanted to create terror, which would you rather do: try to sneak into a secure area where you might be able to get a handful of people, or wait in line with your suitcases packed to the gills with all kinds of nastiness during a holiday rush where you're guaranteed to take out scores of people?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/14/opinions/airport-security-thune/index.html

Guess what happens when you have a terrorist attack? For a start, you lose tourism. We in New Zealand are picking up a lot of risk-averse tourists from the U.S. and East Asia who would otherwise have traveled to Europe.

The international media is trying very hard to suppress this but countries like Greece are taking a big economic hit as a direct consequence of the migrant crisis. Long term, affected countries take an even bigger hit from the terrorist attacks they create as investors will lose confidence in the region's political stability.

In continental Europe an invasion has coincided with the ongoing euro crisis. If you don't think something similar couldn't happen in the U.S. - imagine terrorist attacks, another recession combined with the social unrest caused by a growing Latino population - you're gravely mistaken.

So even though a terrorist attack is less likely to kill you than a lightning strike, the implications are so much greater.

 

[Iceprincess12]

Look on the bright side. Beating the drum is a way to support musicians. I'm sure they want to beat a new drum each time, so drum makers have job security.

Republicans do create jobs!

 

[sr71plt]

I found New Zealand a great place to visit. Must admit that I recently returned from a trip to Europe. but then I went to Beirut when it was being shelled nightly, so I guess I might have different travel criteria from some others.

 

[Iceprincess12]

New Zealand is probably beautiful but any accent similar to Australian . I used to be in an Austalian guild (warcraft) and I had to quit because I started getting headaches every time we would chat.

I won't even go to Mexico, a lot of tourists get killed every year, just by accidently going to the wrong places. Safety is still the most important part of traveling.

 

[Hypoxia]

I won't even go to Mexico, a lot of tourists get killed every year, just by accidently going to the wrong places. Safety is still the most important part of traveling.

Incorrect. USA is per-capita more deadly than Mexico for outsiders. Tourists are more likely to be killed in Houston or Orlando than in Acapulco or Cancun. In both USA and Mexico it's best to avoid poor gang-infested territories -- but gangs are more into killing each other than tourists. A relative still drives regularly between San Francisco and Guatemala City and says the most dangerous roads are in... Los Angeles.

No, we won't drive our new Mercedes housecar across Mexico. But in our two-decade-old Ford Exploder we'd blend right in.

 

[Hard_Rom]

Your chances of being killed by a terrorist fall into same order as being killed by a meteorite, killed at an amusement park or winning the lottery.

 

[Hypoxia]

Your chances of being killed by a terrorist fall into same order as being killed by a meteorite, killed at an amusement park or winning the lottery.

And you're much more likely to be killed by a rampaging poodle. I can only conclude that the legislator is soft on poodles.

 

[PoisonedChalice]

Incorrect. USA is per-capita more deadly than Mexico for outsiders. Tourists are more likely to be killed in Houston or Orlando than in Acapulco or Cancun. In both USA and Mexico it's best to avoid poor gang-infested territories -- but gangs are more into killing each other than tourists. A relative still drives regularly between San Francisco and Guatemala City and says the most dangerous roads are in... Los Angeles.

No, we won't drive our new Mercedes housecar across Mexico. But in our two-decade-old Ford Exploder we'd blend right in.

So why haven't you moved to Mexico?

 

[Hypoxia]

So why haven't you moved to Mexico?

Mostly because it's a long way to family in SF Bay Area -- kids and grandkids are only a 2.5-hour drive away from us now. We lived on the Arizona-Sonora border for years and know where to get good doses of Mexico between here and there. We have lived in Guatemala and southernmost Mexico (which is culturally Guatemala) but again, it's a long way back and we want to see the grandkids grow up. Absent family, we would very likely be commuting between San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, and Antigua Guatemala, where we have cousins. San Cris and La Antigua feel like our second homes. We'll be back.