UPDATE: Of course. It's the only way the ratchet is allowed to turn. Strip the people of power, make them weak and submissive before the State, and refuse to acknowledge the truth.
UPDATE: There were in fact four men (3 men and one heroic woman, as Tom points out in the comments) who attempted what only one succeeded in doing. Three died in the attempt. Such gallantry should never be forgotten.
I heard an interview with the good guy's father today. Very refreshing. He said his son saw people bleeding and did not hesitate to disarm the terrorist. No equivocation - flat out called the shooter a terrorist.
ReplyDeleteFair enough. I flat out call the man a hero, which he is and was when the time came.
ReplyDeleteCompletely! Being unarmed and probably untrained, but still charging an active shooter who has a shotgun in order to protect strangers is a great example of heroism.
DeleteRobert Macaulay
Also note that Netanyahu is blaming Iran for the attack. But the terrorists were NOT Shi'ite; rather, they were Sunni, which predominates in Saudi Arabia.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you suppose Netanyahu is willing to lie about Iran?
I don’t know why he says anything at all, but Australia cut off diplomatic ties with Iran this year accusing Iran of sponsoring anti-Semitic attacks in Sidney and Melbourne. There may be some intelligence to suggest that Iran was involved here too; though so far what I’ve heard is that it was online radicalization via the Islamic State, which as you say is Sunni.
DeleteWhy do you suppose Netanyahu is willing to lie about Iran?
ReplyDeleteProve the lie. Do you really suppose Iran is above hiring terrorists of a different sect? Especially when that might deflect opprobrium from Iran, to the extent Iran cares about anything other than killing Jews and Americans?
Eric Hines
As I recall, Iran funded Hamas (Sunni) to an extent, as well as their own Hisbollah (Shia). I suspect if it will hurt the Great or Little Satans, the Iranian government is willing to overlook theological differences.
DeleteLittleRed1
In fact the Israelis I know have tended to express some support for the Islamic State, as it was a hedge against Assad and, therefore, Iran. It's not impossible that Netanyahu is trying to divert blame here; but it's also possible, as I said above, that there's some intelligence to support the claim. I don't know if it's intended as a falsehood, but heads of state do sometimes lie for reasons of state; well, those who are more thoughtful and circumspect, in any case. Some just talk and say whatever is on their minds.
DeleteThree men and one woman:
ReplyDelete"The footage shows Boris momentarily having the upper hand, threatening Akram with his own gun while his wife Sofia, 61, joins him in an attempt to force the gunman to retreat before his planned massacre could begin. ... But Akram does not yield, charging at Boris before picking up another rifle. ... The pair were executed at close range. Boris and Sofia, who have been married for 34 years, died in each other’s arms."
- Tom
It begs the question- if not indoctrinated by a constant "guns are evil " barrage, would Boris have shot and eliminated the threat? Or was he so out of his comfort zone that he may as well been holding a twig?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say, I think. It's entirely possible that when he disarmed the bad guy he thought the lethal bit was past and he just didn't expect the bad guy to have a second gun in the car, so that was a surprise.
DeleteFrom half a world away, not knowing all the facts, and in no immediate danger, I can say when the bad guy charged him he would have been justified in shooting, but I wasn't the man in the arena. He had balls. Maybe coulda used some training beforehand, but sometimes you do everything right and still get killed.
- Tom