Properly Thinking About Orlando Terrorist Event

For John, BLUF:  If you ask the wrong question you get the wrong answer.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds, writing in USA Today, gives us "An untraditional war".

The 13 June article is sub-headlined "We can't stop ISIL-inspired massacres if we deny we're fighting Islam's jihadist strain."

Here is the lede plus two:

In the wake of the Orlando shootings, people are trotting out the usual post-massacre talking points about gun control, terrorism, etc. But the solutions aren’t so easy.

Gun control is much stricter in Europe, but that hasn’t stopped mass shootings like the ones at Charlie Hebdo’s offices or at the Bataclan concert hall.  (It’s also very strict in California, but that didn’t stop the shootings at San Bernardino.)  Talking about gun control is mostly a way of avoiding a tough problem.

Donald Trump, meanwhile, was quick to tweet out that this vindicates his positions:  “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance.  We must be smart!”  But Trump’s proposal of a temporary moratorium on immigration of Muslims to America wouldn’t have prevented shooter Omar Mateen’s actions.  Mateen wasn’t a recent immigrant but a U.S. citizen born of Afghan parents, and he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group, according to a Department of Homeland Security report cited by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

The gun control theory flies in the face of what we experience every day.  Half the cigarettes sold in Boston are on the black market.  Illegal drugs are available in Lowell.  Illegal guns flow along the I-95 corridor every day.  The only way to take guns out of the hands of civilians is to have a police state.  On the other hand, "gun control" is an ever green response to such shootings.  Doesn't solve the problem, but is always handy.

While Mr Trump's idea of better vetting of Muslim immigrants has some appeal, it is not a solution.  The shooter, Mr Omar Mateen was a natural born America.

What I believe for sure is that until we acknowledge the threat we will not be able to develop solutions to this problem.

And solutions do not, should not, include denying First and Second Amendment Rights.  So an Orlando Imam says that killing gays is a kindness.  The solution is not banning such speech, but our leaders engaging such people with our ideas of what is right and wrong.  And guns we have already addressed.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff