SAD NEWS EVENT: Mass murder at nightclub in Orlando, FL

_{kairosfocus

June 12, 2016

Geo-strategic issues, News, Off Topic}

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Drudge headline:

A bit of background: The club may have attracted terrorist attention. Info re believed shooter. Allegiance to Islamic State Worst mass shooting in US? Islamic State claims responsibility US Prez: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims.“

Sky News:

[youtube y60wDzZt8yg]

I add, current Wki article intro, as Wiki tends to do a fair job of tracking developing events:

>>On June 12, 2016, a gunman killed at least 50 people and wounded 53 others in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The gunman was identified as 29-year-old Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, an American citizen of Afghan descent.^[3] The Orlando Police Department are treating the case as an act of domestic terrorism.^[4] The shooter pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) before the attack.^[5]^[6]

The incident is the deadliest mass shooting^[7]^[8]^[4]^[9] and the deadliest attack on LGBT people in United States history;^[10] and it is the deadliest “terror attack” in the U.S. since the September 11, 2001 attacks.^[11]^[12]>>

This seems to be of a — horrific — piece with the Paris and San Bernardino attacks. (The direct parallel to Bataclan makes chatter about “gun control” as the solution patently irrelevant.)

Per Drudge, it seems Gateway Pundit and Walid Shoebat are saying there was an ISIS threat against Florida three days ago. Sky News reports a call to emergency services just prior to the attack, during which loyalty was pledged to IS. A now sadly familiar modus operandi.

Mass murder, demonic evil on the loose, 4th generation war with no distinction between military and civilians.

Let us get what seems to be relevant geostrategic context:

It seems the weapon is ~~an AR-15~~ Sig Sauer MXC Semi-Auto, which would be a semiauto 5.56 mm NATO weapon. At Bataclan, AK 47s were used.

I think, again, that we need to look to serious target hardening, given the successful defense of the Geller event in Garland TX. END

Comments

WJM, It seems to me that there is a dominant narrative that the civilisation formerly known as Christendom is what is primarily wrong with the world, and that it is that heritage that is the root of bitterness. So, we see a red- double green de facto alliance (including the rainbow coalition under the reds) that has steadfastly worked to remove what they perceive as the root of bitterness. (This case, BTW, is one where we had green on rainbow attack . . . maybe a gun was jumped, maybe it is judged time to move in for the kill. But the red side is trying to spin it as the old familiar Christendom is the problem to be uprooted, narrative.) However, those who see the world this way have failed to understand that democracy failed in the classical world, republicanism failed, leaving messianic dictatorial empire -- or, have we forgotten why Octavian was hailed as a divine rescuer and called Augustus . . . written into our calendar? Failed, due to inherent instabilities. In that context, they did not realise that the Judaeo Christian tradition and linked natural law provided key stabilising buttresses for modern democracy. Now that these are being chopped and burned away in implacable rage, the inherent instability is going to tell again. And with the intensity of polarisation at work, I have very little confidence that we can return to sanity before things crash and burn very badly. I hear you that some are buying guns to try to defend themselves, but that is hardly likely to be for when they go to nightclub or the like. As for, oh they go to conservatives, the problem is "conservative" and even in many cases "church" does not mean what it once would have. I fear, factions are arming for civil war and defending themselves in the face of chaos. With the "zombie" meme a thinly veiled reference to rampaging mobs. Instead, I have suggested modifying the Swiss model and developing a pervasive civilian but disciplined marshal corps that would harden soft targets and release police for taking back the enclaves. (And beyond, the Marines -- likely, joint -- would take out the sources where amphibious expeditions become necessary. The Barbary coast wars are full of lessons on that.) I suggest it, not because I think it is likely, but as a witness that there was a reasonable, feasible alternative refused. I am pessimistic about our civilisation. We have played the fool and have wandered out far along a dividing watershed, so that we are now being wedged apart faster and faster down mutually opposed slippery slopes. Absent miraculous rescue (and if you have been led to imagine Mr Trump is a political messiah . . . ), this will not end well. KF PS: To truly understand what we deal with, learn what is done to virgin girls the night before their execution in Iran (usually on some dubious charge), as there is a cultural belief virgins go to paradise and also a consequent provision of law that forbids the execution of a virgin; let us just note they are reduced to helpless desperate screaming and catatonia. Girls down to 10 years are clearly documented. Then, to twist the knife in the wounded hearts of parents, boxes of sweets -- a traditional present -- are sent to their families.kairosfocus_{June 18, 2016
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D, there was once a man in agony on a cross, suffering judicial murder, but crying out in prayer: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Case 3 on steroids, 2 Thes 2: 11 God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false . . . [those] who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. It is a terrible thing to resist the truth and embrace iniquity; if you refuse the judgement of consequences in a morally governed world, if you then fight down and drown out the voices that bring the judgement of correction, then with the cup of your collective iniquity full and over-flowing there remains only the judgement of destruction to contain and remove a tainting plague from the earth. KFkairosfocus_{June 18, 2016
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KF This world is in Sun Tsu's case 3, isn't it? Definitely it ain't look good. Only entry door to external security is to fully surrender to the One Who inspired Handel's most monumental composition. But soon it will be too late for that. The door will be shutdown at the end of this age of grace. No one knows when that will happen.Dionisio_{June 18, 2016
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The tragedy-laced good news here is that the LGBT community seems to have woken up from its poplitical stupor concerning immigration and international policy, and wrt Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation. LGBT gun purchases and membership in conservative political groups is skyrocketing. They're figuring out who really wants to protect the freedoms and rights that keep them safer than virtually any other country in the world, even if those groups disagree with those lifestyle choices. The Clinton Foundation has taken millions of dollars from countries that execute gays as a matter of public policy by throwing them off of buildings. Hillary wants to import millions more from countries that consider women second-class citizens and consider violence against LGBT's a moral necessity. Islamic culture is, for the most part, utterly incompatible with liberal western democracy. 51% of American Muslims believe that Sharia should be the law of the land. Perhaps the feminists and special snowflake college activists will wake up next and realize it is their own heads they are putting on the chopping block - literally - if they keep electing people like Obama and Clinton.William J Murray_{June 18, 2016
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F.N: Notice, how -- now that more and more info is emerging on the terr's islamIST motivation and that some clearly indicates authorities should have known from the outset -- there is by and large an absence of walking back/ being accountable over and transparent about the uwarranted projections and accusations? And of course the attempt to exploit the issue to push agendas while studiously failing to face the issue of the 1400 year war, continues. Sun Tsu's principle warns us that such will not end well. KFkairosfocus_{June 18, 2016
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F/N: Matt Barber's recent observation should give us pause:
An Islamic terrorist (a closeted homosexual, according to friends and ex-wife), registered Democrat and admitted Islamic State jihadi enters a “gay” bar wherein, reportedly, he regularly cruised for random homosexual hook-ups, and slaughters 49 “infidels.” Naturally, secular “progressives,” to include the New York Times editorial board, have, rather than addressing the Allahu Akbar-yelping camel in the tent, twisted themselves into tiny little knots of self-righteous indignation to somehow blame American Christians, Republicans and the NRA . . .
Food for thought -- though rather roughly packaged. KFkairosfocus_{June 18, 2016
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U/D: House transfer for $ 10 witnessed by wife, 2 months before the attack:
Paul Sperry at CounterJihad unveils a public record showing Omar Mateen gave his house to his sister and Afghan-born brother-in-law virtually for free — with his wife Noor Salman as a witness — two months before he slaughtered dozens of gay clubgoers in Orlando, Florida. From CounterJihad: Several weeks before he massacred 49 at an Orlando gay nightclub, Muslim terrorist Omar Seddique Mateen transferred over his interest in his Florida home to his older sister and Afghan brother-in-law, property records show — an indication the family possibly had some knowledge of his martyrdom plans . . . . On April 5, Mateen “quit-claimed” the deed on his Port St. Lucie, Fla., house, signing it over to his sister, Sabrina Abasin, and his brother-in-law Mustafa Abasin for just $10 according to county property records. The records list his wife Noor Salman as a witness in the curious real estate transaction.
(The doc is shown.) KFkairosfocus_{June 17, 2016
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F/N: Blazing Cat Fur responds, citing Mark Steyn:
Can it really be true that Donald Trump is taking heat for referring to Islamic terrorism, when 50 people are dead at the hands of someone who was explicitly targeting them because they are gay, in the name of Islam? And other politicians are dancing around the point? Anyway, {an American] Friend wrote back to say,
It’s hard to see how it hasn’t already. Clinton wouldn’t utter the words “Islamic terrorism.” This insults Americans who are routinely insulted (and belittled) by the left. No one could foresee this attack and yet Trump looks prescient, not because he’s a seer but because he speaks honestly. This doubles back to his destroying the prison of political correctness, without which American media are powerless. Trump calls them scum and they don’t care but neutralizing their power by destroying political correctness is crime for which they’ll never forgive him.
Yes. Many media made it all about gun control. Gun control may reduce mass murder among the less motivated, but the Islamist is highly motivated (yet such media can’t admit that the murderer’s affiliation is his central motivator). Or their big worry now is not more attacks but Islamophobia (as if the inability to have honest discussions doesn’t fuel the suspicion). Or else everyday homophobia, as if this kind of thing is normal. Who do they think their avoidance and denial are helping? Reality check: Mark Steyn thinks that civilizations can become just too stupid to survive.
Steyn himself:
the consolations are few: A Muslim of Afghan heritage guns down 49 gays in a nightclub, and the ACLU tells us it's the fault of the Christian right. We are being told up is down, the sky is the earth, black is white... I began by noting some of the differences between the international headlines (heavy on ISIS and terror) and the US headlines (heavy on "hate" and "domestic extremism"). As Chris Pandolfo reported at Conservative Review: Mark Steyn... said that the "official lie" of the Left is that gun-toting "right" wing extremists are responsible for the shooting and radical Islamic terrorism is not... The Left doesn't know how to cope with the "internal contradictions of the rainbow coalition."
Sun Tzu, again:
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
KFkairosfocus_{June 17, 2016
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F/N: Notice, how the initial evidence that pointed to IslamIST terrorism has now been again reinforced and substantiated. By, information from Facebook and other sources that we can readily see as instantly accessible to relevant authorities long before they put out their first narratives. So it becomes clear that the relevant figures clearly chose to switch subjects and try to construct a strawman narrative that would better fit their policy agendas. Yes, the shooter was a non performing son of a dominant father who was severely disappointed with his struggles with basic learning and discipline. As from Afghan culture and of a family sufficiently eminent to have a father contemplating presidency of Afghanistan, he was likely angry, would have ready models of violence and could easily gain a will to power view of morality and dealings with others. Yes, we cannot rule out sexual abuse through so called boy play and resulting sexual confusion. Yes, he was what too many men are, a woman beater. Drink leading to sullen drunkenness or in other modes belligerence, and being generally angry, demonstrative and vocal fit right in. All of these simply feed into why he would have been at risk of recruitment for an act of supreme honour to wipe the slate clean of 29 years of shame to himself and family, putting him on the list of mujaheddin-martyrs [oh, how that name has been twisted!] welcomed to paradise by 72 virgins just waiting to provide eternal delights. What we need to address is why it is, in the teeth of Sun Tzu's advice, we seem insistent on not understanding ourselves and our determined enemies. Not to mention the patterns of strategies, operations and tactics they have resorted to for 1400 years. I again highlight Sun Tzu:
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
KFkairosfocus_{June 17, 2016
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F/N: Further update, Facebook messages:
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/16/us/orlando-shooter-omar-mateen/index.html Mateen also vented on Facebook before and during the massacre. "America and Russia stop bombing the Islamic state," the gunman wrote, according to the chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. "You kill innocent women and children by doing us airstrikes ... now taste the Islamic state vengeance." Then, in his final post, an ominous warning: ''In the next few days you will see attacks from the Islamic state in the usa." . . . . In the middle of killing 49 people, Mateen also called 911 to pledge allegiance to the terror group and CNN affiliate News 13 to say, "I did it for ISIS. I did it for the Islamic State." And an analysis of Mateen's electronic devices showed searches for jihadist propaganda, including videos of ISIS beheadings, an official said.
Motives. KFkairosfocus_{June 16, 2016
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F/N: VS, as you are harping on against objective morality, let me put on the table exactly what I have been arguing instead of the strawmen I keep seeing:
>> normally responsive people will at least grudgingly respect the following summary of core, conscience attested morality from the pen of Paul:
Rom 2:14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them . . . . Rom 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong [NIV, "harm"] to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. [ESV]
Where, John Locke, in grounding modern liberty and what would become democratic self-government of a free people premised on upholding the civil peace of justice, in Ch 2 Sec. 5 of his second treatise on civil Government [c. 1690] cites "the judicious [Anglican canon, Richard] Hooker" from his classic Ecclesiastical Polity of 1594 on, as he explains how the principles of neighbour-love are inscribed in our hearts, becoming evident to the eye of common good sense and reasonableness:
. . . if I cannot but wish to receive good, even as much at every man's hands, as any man can wish unto his own soul, how should I look to have any part of my desire herein satisfied, unless myself be careful to satisfy the like desire which is undoubtedly in other men . . . my desire, therefore, to be loved of my equals in Nature, as much as possible may be, imposeth upon me a natural duty of bearing to themward fully the like affection. From which relation of equality between ourselves and them that are as ourselves, what several rules and canons natural reason hath drawn for direction of life no man is ignorant . . . [Hooker then continues, citing Aristotle in The Nicomachean Ethics, Bk 8 and alluding to Justinian's synthesis of Roman Law in Corpus Juris Civilis that also brings these same thoughts to bear:] as namely, That because we would take no harm, we must therefore do none; That since we would not be in any thing extremely dealt with, we must ourselves avoid all extremity in our dealings; That from all violence and wrong we are utterly to abstain, with such-like . . . ] [Eccl. Polity,preface, Bk I, "ch." 8, p.80, cf. here. Emphasis added.]
We may elaborate on Paul, Locke, Hooker and Aristotle, laying out several manifestly evident and historically widely acknowledged core moral principles for which the attempted denial is instantly and patently absurd for most people -- that is, they are arguably self-evident (thus, warranted and objective) moral truths; not just optional opinions. So also, it is not only possible to
(a) be in demonstrable moral error, but also (b) there is hope that such moral errors can be corrected by appealing to manifestly sound core principles of the natural moral law.
For instance: 1] The first self evident moral truth is that we are inescapably under the government of ought.
(This is manifest in even an objector's implication in the questions, challenges and arguments that s/he would advance, that we are in the wrong and there is something to be avoided about that. That is, even the objector inadvertently implies that we OUGHT to do, think, aim for and say the right. Not even the hyperskeptical objector can escape this truth. Patent absurdity on attempted denial.)
2] Second self evident truth, we discern that some things are right and others are wrong by a compass-sense we term conscience which guides our thought. (Again, objectors depend on a sense of guilt/ urgency to be right not wrong on our part to give their points persuasive force. See what would be undermined should conscience be deadened or dismissed universally? Sawing off the branch on which we all must sit.) 3] Third, were this sense of conscience and linked sense that we can make responsibly free, rational decisions to be a delusion, we would at once descend into a status of grand delusion in which there is no good ground for confidence in our self-understanding. That is, we look at an infinite regress of Plato’s cave worlds: once such a principle of grand global delusion is injected, there is no firewall so the perception of level one delusion is subject to the same issue, and this level two perception too, ad infinitum; landing in patent absurdity. 4] Fourth, we are objectively under obligation of OUGHT. That is, despite any particular person’s (or group’s or august council’s or majority’s) wishes or claims to the contrary, such obligation credibly holds to moral certainty. That is, it would be irresponsible, foolish and unwise for us to act and try to live otherwise. 5] Fifth, this cumulative framework of moral government under OUGHT is the basis for the manifest core principles of the natural moral law under which we find ourselves obligated to the right the good, the true etc. Where also, patently, we struggle to live up to what we acknowledge or imply we ought to do. 6] Sixth, this means we live in a world in which being under core, generally understood principles of natural moral law is coherent and factually adequate, thus calling for a world-understanding in which OUGHT is properly grounded at root level. (Thus worldviews that can soundly meet this test are the only truly viable ones. if a worldview does not have in it a world-root level IS that can simultaneously ground OUGHT, it fails decisively.*) 7] Seventh, in light of the above, even the weakest and most voiceless of us thus has a natural right to life, liberty, the pursuit of fulfillment of one’s sense of what s/he ought to be (“happiness”). This includes the young child, the unborn and more. (We see here the concept that rights are binding moral expectations of others to provide respect in regards to us because of our inherent status as human beings, members of the community of valuable neighbours. Where also who is my neighbour was forever answered by the parable of the Good Samaritan. Likewise, there can be no right to demand of or compel my neighbour that s/he upholds me and enables me in the wrong — including under false colour of law through lawfare. To justly claim a right, one must first be in the right.) 8] Eighth, like unto the seventh, such may only be circumscribed or limited for good cause. Such as, reciprocal obligation to cherish and not harm neighbour of equal, equally valuable nature in community and in the wider world of the common brotherhood of humanity. 9] Ninth, this is the context in which it becomes self evidently wrong, wicked and evil to kidnap, sexually torture and murder a young child or the like as concrete cases in point that show that might and/or manipulation do not make ‘right,’ ‘truth,’ ‘worth,’ ‘justice,’ ‘fairness,’ ‘law’ etc. That is, anything that expresses or implies the nihilist’s credo is morally absurd. 10] Tenth, this entails that in civil society with government, justice is a principal task of legitimate government. In short, nihilistic will to power untempered by the primacy of justice is its own refutation in any type of state. Where, justice is the due balance of rights, freedoms and responsibilities. Thus also, 11] Eleventh, that government is and ought to be subject to audit, reformation and if necessary replacement should it fail sufficiently badly and incorrigibly.
(NB: This is a requisite of accountability for justice, and the suggestion or implication of some views across time, that government can reasonably be unaccountable to the governed, is its own refutation, reflecting -- again -- nihilistic will to power; which is automatically absurd. This truth involves the issue that finite, fallible, morally struggling men acting as civil authorities in the face of changing times and situations as well as in the face of the tendency of power to corrupt, need to be open to remonstrance and reformation -- or if they become resistant to reasonable appeal, there must be effective means of replacement. Hence, the principle that the general election is an insitutionalised regular solemn assembly of the people for audit and reform or if needs be replacement of government gone bad. But this is by no means an endorsement of the notion that a manipulated mob bent on a march of folly has a right to do as it pleases.)
12] Twelfth, the attempt to deny or dismiss such a general framework of moral governance invariably lands in shipwreck of incoherence and absurdity. As, has been seen in outline. But that does not mean that the attempt is not going to be made, so there is a mutual obligation of frank and fair correction and restraint of evil. _________________ * F/N: After centuries of debates and assessment of alternatives per comparative difficulties, there is in fact just one serious candidate to be such a grounding IS: the inherently good creator God, a necessary and maximally great being worthy of ultimate loyalty and the reasonable responsible service of doing the good in accord with our manifestly evident nature. (And instantly, such generic ethical theism answers also to the accusation oh this is “religion”; that term being used as a dirty word — no, this is philosophy. If you doubt this, simply put forth a different candidate that meets the required criteria and passes the comparative difficulties test: _________ . Likewise, an inherently good, maximally great being will not be arbitrary or deceitful etc, that is why such is fully worthy of ultimate loyalty and the reasonable, responsible service of doing the good in accord with our manifestly evident nature. As a serious candidate necessary being, such would be eternal and embedded in the frame for a world to exist at all. Thus such a candidate is either impossible as a square circle is impossible due to mutual ruin of core characteristics, or else it is actual. For simple instance no world is possible without two-ness in it, a necessary basis for distinct identity inter alia.
No, this is not arbitrary perceived divine orders blindly followed. And indeed, in the Mosaic corpus, one of the principles is that the commands given are for your collective good. As cited Paul points to moral reasoning as a gift from God our creator. Locke and Hooker employ reasoning, the latter amplifying his point from a famed pagan philosopher, with hints of the synthesis of 1,000 years of Roman Law in Corpus Juris. And I am making an argument on comparative difficulties i/l/o the premise of reason. In short the caricature of blind, stupid indoctrinated destructive theocrats simply does not fit the facts of generic ethical theism, and those of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. (Not that failure to be accurate has ever dissuaded those who disregard truthfulness in their points scoring rhetorical stratagems.) I put you on notice and expect you to respond seriously and responsibly to facts and logic. KFkairosfocus_{June 16, 2016
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D, prezactly. KFkairosfocus_{June 16, 2016
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F/N: Mohammed said, war is deception. Here is a useful 1400 year war renewal through 4GW strategies vocab:
http://map.org.ph/memprof/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&layout=edit&id=418 • Taqiyya (Shia) or Muda'rat (Sunni): tactical deceit for the purposes of spreading Islam. [4] [5] • Kitman: deceit by omission.[6] • Tawriya: deceit by ambiguity.[7] • Taysir: deceit through facilitation (not having to observe all the tenets of Sharia).[8] • Darura: deceit through necessity (to engage in something "Haram" or forbidden).[9] • Muruna: the temporary suspension of Sharia in order that Muslim immigrants appear "moderate." So through the principle of Hijra (Muslim Immigration), the early Muslims are a "red herring" or a Trojan Horse. The Kafir or Kuffar community gets the false sense that the early immigrants are not a threat, at least until the Muslim community has gained strength.[10]
KF PS: A classic definition of lying that used to be in the Wiki article on the subject:
To lie is to state something with disregard to the truth with the intention that people will accept the statement [ --> I add, or suggestion] as truth . . . . even a true statement can be used to deceive. In this situation, it is the intent of being overall untruthful rather than the truthfulness of any individual statement that is considered the lie . . . . One can state part of the truth out of context, knowing that without complete information, it gives a false impression. Likewise, one can actually state accurate facts, yet deceive with them . . . . One lies by omission when omitting an important fact, deliberately leaving another person with a misconception. Lying by omission includes failures to correct pre-existing misconceptions. Also known as a continuing misrepresentation . . . . A misleading statement is one where there is no outright lie, but still retains the purpose of getting someone to believe in an untruth . . .
kairosfocus_{June 16, 2016
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KF This has been said many times, but never enough:
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" [Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)]
Unfortunately there's no natural remedy for that fatal malady. Fortunately. the cure has been graciously offered, but unfortunately it's naturally rejected as "folly" (1 Corinthians 1:18). The solution is in the main two commandments, from where our hearts could draw the guidance to be light and salt in a desperately dying world:
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” [Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)]
In this world the meaning of the word 'love' is anything and nothing. We love chocolate. Whatever. A very popular musician/singer in the 1970s sang that only his love does it good to him. However, true agape love is about doing good to others, expecting nothing in return, as masterfully defined in 1 Corinthians 13 and clearly manifested in John 3:16. We should listen carefully and do accordingly:
“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.". [Luke 6:27-31 (ESV)]
Dionisio_{June 16, 2016
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GC, the evidence is that Orlando was a well planned assassin cult suicide raid that precisely hit on a major ideological fault-line of our day using someone who was apparently a quite technically good shooter; likely someone who was manipulated using his shame-honour cultural and religious background -- recall, his father ran for president of Afghanistan. Where it is also likely that he was a victim of so-called "boy play" . . . including that the pattern of reports on his behaviour (wife battering, belligerence, anger sufficient to get him reported as a security guard, drinking in two modes that reveal sullenness and bottled up rage, bisexual behaviours) suggest acting out of inner struggles and failures. Of course, were FL to have the sort of restrictions as in Paris, the exact configuration of attack would not have been feasible. However, Florida has a notorious smuggling problem, so were guns as restricted there as they were in say France, the same solution would have been applied as was done by the Molenbeek cell: smuggling in weapons . . . as I have pointed to repeatedly. AK 47's would have done just as well, but since this man had a higher level preference (S/S MCX vs AR 15) maybe a variant on the AK 74 or the like. But, the old AK 47 would have done. Similar, for the handgun of choice. And, that inference is simply not "pedalling [sic] . . . nonsense to someone with no capacity for rational thought" -- the reaction you just made; the tone of which indicates a subtext of unwarranted contempt. I suggest, again, that you scroll up to the OP and glance at the geostrategic sketch outlining the scope of challenge we face as a civilisation due to renewal of the 1400 year war using 4GW strategies. I further suggest reading a copy of Churchill's The Gathering Storm, vol I of the 6-volume history of WW II. The pattern of denial about emerging geostrategic threats is history we need to learn from. KF PS: Canada has a very different history than the US, which shows a differing pattern of social events; I recall discussions on degree of violence with fists, blunt objects and knives in the US out-stripping total figures for relevant NW European culture countries. Where also the long history of the Swiss militia shows high firearms presence and low incidence of abuse of same, though stochastic rate figures in recent years reflect a few incidents. Societal context and conflicts leading to polarisation and acting out count. As another comparative, the anglophone Caribbean has similar legal system to Canada and generally highly restrictive firearms laws but much higher incidence of violence and firearms involvement in such. Canada is also not a principal target of the IslamISTS as of yet.kairosfocus_{June 16, 2016
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KF: "GC, poor analogy in the face of 4GW. Paris France was your test of how a gun free 1st world city works in the face of terrs." Oh, get real. The France attack occurred with strict gun control. And the Orlando one occurred with no gun control. But the one thing we can say with a fairly high level of certainty is that the Orlando attack would likely have been prevented with a Canada level of gun control. So, try pedalling your nonsense to someone with no capacity for rational thought.Gordon Cunningham_{June 15, 2016
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GC, poor analogy in the face of 4GW. Paris France was your test of how a gun free 1st world city works in the face of terrs. They smuggled in AKs (readily available globally, most likely coming from fmr Yugoslavia), made homebrew suicide vest bombs, and slaughtered 130, 89 was it in a concert theatre, Bataclan. Similar BTW to Bombay 2008. The issue is, a war is ongoing -- Sun Tzu again, we have here a war problem, not a crime problem. Target hardening is one of several measures, but that does not make it unimportant. Note, a disciplined marshal corps under military law would also deal with rogues properly -- and this was a rogue, a security officer gone bad, turned traitor. Taking back no go enclaves, going after radicalisation networks, going to the sources and breaking them are also key. As in, decisive defeat. KFkairosfocus_{June 15, 2016
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KF, I work in the laboratory industry where safety is critical. We consider things like Latex gloves, safety gloves and your despised lab coats to be the absolute worst approach to safety. They are only there in case all of the other tools fail. Your approach to this issue is akin to latex gloves and lab coats. The best approach is to remove the hazard. Stop using hydrofluoric acid. Stop using mercury. Stop making assault weapons available to everybody. Canada allows citizens to purchase almost every weapon available for purchase in the US. But they put strict requirements on purchasing them. And if you own one, you give the RCMP the authority to enter your house at any time without a warrant to make sure that it is stored securely. If it isn't, you lose your right to own it for life. The number of mass shootings in the US last year were more than the number of days in the year. Canada had zero. Your insistance that your proposal is the only solution, in spite of plenty of other solutions that appear to work, speaks volumes to your inability to have an open mind. UDEitors: "And if you own one, you give the RCMP [i.e., the police] the authority to enter your house at any time without a warrant" Gordon, you say that as if you are advocating for America to repeal both the 2nd and 4th Amendments and become a police state in which the police can bust down your door merely for exercising a constitutional right. How strange. I prefer freedom. And you assert there were more than 365 mass shootings in the US last year. Wow, either the media are doing a horrible job and failed to cover all but a couple, or, you just pulled that statistic out of your ass. I'm going with door number 2. Gordon Cunningham_{June 15, 2016
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KF, I work in the laboratory industry where safety is critical. We consider things like Latex gloves, safety gloves and your despised lab coats to be the absolute worst approach to safety. They are only there in case all of the other tools fail. Your approach to this issue is akin to latex gloves and lab coats. The best approach is to remove the hazard. Stop using hydrofluoric acid. Stop using mercury. Stop making assault weapons available to everybody. Canada allows citizens to purchase almost every weapon available for purchase in the US. But they put strict requirements on purchasing them. And if you own one, you give the RCMP the authority to enter your house at any time without a warrant to make sure that it is stored securely. If it isn't, you lose your right to own it. The number of mass shootings in the US last year were more than the number of days in the year. Canada had zero. Your insistance that your proposal is the only solution, in spite of plenty of other solutions that appear to work, speaks volumes to your inability to have an open mind.Gordon Cunningham_{June 15, 2016
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VS (attn GC), I suggest that before you further project you actually examine what was said. The issue is a comparative with Garland TX, multiplied by the Israeli response to suicide attacks since 2000 and informed by the long term Swiss experience of a citizen militia. (Where, neither of these may legitimately be termed unfree; but if terrorists, raiders, pirates etc create a sense that the people are helpless apart from compliance with the terrs, that is how they win leading to a cascade of demands. Such often come from more "moderate" advocates in a good cop bad cop pattern -- which looks suspiciously like what is now happening.) In the specific case of targets, layered access defense, access way defense and overwatch of large meeting areas is in view, and I went so far as to suggest a specific weapon in a specific calibre: Tavor semiauto with optical sight (red dot etc) and 6.5 mm Grendel. Organised point defense is the exact opposite of rushing in blindly or the like as has been suggested above. This is separate from what actually defeats terrorism, a 4GW strategy: drain the sea and/or overmatch with superior light and special forces . . . including for cyber, agit prop, media, policy influence and lawfare, etc. Such may require attrition based on forcing the terrs to fight for their logistics, degrading their capability through a two-jaw vice. KF PS: It is clearly stated by the police timeline that it took 3 hours to have adequate capability in place to respond adequately. All of this is speaking volumes. PPS: Cf the way WWI and WW II were won. When a defeated opponent seeks a round 2, the second defeat has to be so convincing that will is broken. With radical Islamism, of course given the involved teachings and the general mis-government in the core areas, it crops up from time to time. It needs to be so decisively defeated when it does that there will be a backing away for several generations. If you doubt me consider the black flag army hadith (and you need to convince the IslamISTS that it is not sufficiently authentic), the use of black flags by today's IslamISTS, and the Gharqad tree hadith written into the Hamas covenant. Blend in Q 9:5 and 29 i/l/o 1400 years of history, including dhimmitude. The answer to IslamISM is decisive defeat to the point of utter discredit (which drains the sea); which our civilisation seems unwilling to recognise today.kairosfocus_{June 15, 2016
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KF: A tense standoff follows. Police say they had to wait three hours to access the situation, get armored vehicles on the scene and make sure they had enough personnel . . . . Approximately 5 a.m. ET: Heavily armed SWAT team members use an armored vehicle to smash down a door at the club, clearing the way for some 30 people inside to flee to safety. SWAT officers confront the suspect in the doorway, shoot and kill him. 5:05 a.m. ET: Post on Orlando police Twitter account says loud noise near scene was a “controlled explosion.” Yes am aware it took 3 hours to dispatch the killer,however police were on the scene seconds after the mayhem started. Is your point that your civilian marshals could have saved lives by rushing in blindly into a hostage situation? > It is obvious that those who incline the same way have a hard time acknowledging that the relevant objective moral principle is the right to life and so also thou shalt not shed innocent blood. Which, no person of mature years needs to be told. it is obvious as an abstract general bromide , the subjective moral question is what the definition of " innocent blood "is. Different objective moral codes have different moralities. This too speaks volumes on the agendas we face and on what happens when objectivity of morals is dismissed You miss the point, I am saying that there are many objective moral codes based a divine source. Perhaps you mean absolute not objective. But I am open to suggestion, how does one step outside his subjective viewpoint? Divine revelation? And ask Israel what it cost and what it would have cost if they did not mobilise and organise for the mutual defense as they have done. Ask Israel if anyone can just go buy a high powered gun? We are FYI already under fairly constant surveillance, so soon as it is deemed necessary. Not by amateurs sitting on the roof with high powered rifleYou don't see the potential for mischief in all this,KF? I have already said what it will take to defeat a 4GW strategy — here, backed by a Trillion dollar value oil patch: And the underlying cause remains, once defeated it will rise again. Your solution will spill a lot of " innocent blood" by the way.velikovskys_{June 15, 2016
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KF: "PS: Terrorism induces compliance when the targetted officials prove incapable of effectively defending their citizens." No, terrorism wins when they force everyone to give up their freedoms, change their way of life and agree to live in fear. Which is what your proposals guarantee. Terrorists are just school yard bullies with access to weapons. You don't stop bullying by surrounding yourself with bodyguards. If we guard all gay clubs, they will move to churches. If you guard all churches they will move to amusement parks. If you guard all amusement parks they will move to farmers markets. And so on. The bullies and terrorists will just move on to those who can't afford guards. You stop them by starving them of the attention they crave. The attention that you give them with OPs like this. The attention you give them by giving them credit for things for which their involvement is so indirect as to be circumstantial. Or, we could simply adopt Byers solution and ban gay bars and parades, etc.Gordon Cunningham_{June 15, 2016
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PPS: Wife, on casing Disney: Clip:
The gunman behind the Orlando nightclub shootings, the deadliest mass shooting in American history, recently scouted Walt Disney World as a potential target, a federal law enforcement source tells PEOPLE. Omar Mateen and his wife, Noor Zahi Salman, visited Walt Disney World in April, the source says. Salman told federal authorities on Sunday that her husband had more recently been "scouting Downtown Disney and Pulse [nightclub] for attacks." Unlike the four Disney World theme parks, Downtown Disney, which was recently renamed Disney Springs, doesn't have security and bag check before entry.
--> Target shortlisting and prioritising.kairosfocus_{June 15, 2016
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GC, you already have more than enough clear indications to see the IslamIST -- note the emphatic distinction, Jihad context at work. This op clearly found a very good shooter -- a forehead centre hit with a handgun at night in a confused situation and the dead: wounded ratio both point that way -- who was vulnerable to shame-honour manipulation and picked a very strategic target that would get attention, highlight polarising issues, sow confusion in the W, harden hostility in the Muslim world, and more. The weak reaction is telling the Jihadi strategists, more like this. Remember, Paris was also intended to hit a stadium with French and German leaders in attendance. I expect malls, churches and parliaments to be hit. Actually, in 1990, Trinidad's Parliament was hit and held hostage. H'mm Bali was hit as a tourism centre. Schools have been hit. I forget, targets of all of these classes have already been hit. Of course, more nightclubs too. In short, this target fits right in with a widespread literally global pattern. KF PS: Terrorism induces compliance when the targetted officials prove incapable of effectively defending their citizens.kairosfocus_{June 15, 2016
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KF, re #41. I don't think that anyone here is suggesting that this is not terrorism. Any mass shooting, regardless of the rational or sanity of the killer, is terrorism. What we are disagreeing with is whether or not this is part of some global Islamic agenda.Gordon Cunningham_{June 15, 2016
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VS & GC: 1 --> Note definition from Dictionary. com 2 --> Again, note timeline:
2:09 a.m. ET: Pulse posts an urgent message on Facebook: “Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running.” A tense standoff follows. Police say they had to wait three hours to access the situation, get armored vehicles on the scene and make sure they had enough personnel . . . . Approximately 5 a.m. ET: Heavily armed SWAT team members use an armored vehicle to smash down a door at the club, clearing the way for some 30 people inside to flee to safety. SWAT officers confront the suspect in the doorway, shoot and kill him. 5:05 a.m. ET: Post on Orlando police Twitter account says loud noise near scene was a “controlled explosion.” That sound was a controlled explosion by law enforcement. Please avoid reporting inaccuracies at this time. — Orlando Police (OrlandoPolice) June 12, 2016 5:53 a.m. ET: Twitter account of police posts that shooter is dead.
3 --> The evidence in hand would long since be enough to clearly delineate context, except that there is a narrative pushed by powerful forces that does not comport with the already quite evident facts. (Remember how many years it took to hear an acknowledgement of comparable facts in the Ft Hood massacre, this is just more of the same and it tells us a lot about the narrative.) 4 --> It is obvious that those who incline the same way have a hard time acknowledging that the relevant objective moral principle is the right to life and so also thou shalt not shed innocent blood. Which, no person of mature years needs to be told. 5 --> This too speaks volumes on the agendas we face and on what happens when objectivity of morals is dismissed. 6 --> Go ask Israel about what it had to do in the face of determined suicide attack terrorism. Go ask Nigeria. Ask Kenya. Ask Christians from regions where churches have to be designed to guard against suicide attacks. Go ask the Yazidi women and Nigerian or Pakistani school girls about what they face. Welcome to reality, the continuation of the 1400 year war. 7 --> BTW, there is a reason why US law speaks of the unorganised militia being the able-bodied population. Go, look at what the Swiss have done. 8 --> And ask Israel what it cost and what it would have cost if they did not mobilise and organise for the mutual defense as they have done. 9 --> We are FYI already under fairly constant surveillance, so soon as it is deemed necessary. 10 --> I have already said what it will take to defeat a 4GW strategy -- here, backed by a Trillion dollar value oil patch:
4GW experts tend to agree that there are two effective ways to defeat a 4GW strategy: drain the sea of people in which the guerrillas swim as Mao’s fish, or else ruthlessly deploy over-matching light infantry (and specialist troops for the info, lawfare and agit-prop battlespaces). I suppose, or both. 4GW builds on guerrilla warfare by exhaustion and frustration and on the long history of piracy, so just forting up is not going to solve the problem. Nor will refusing to recognise settlement jihad (cf Ibrahim here) and establishment of enclaves and agents of influence for what they are. Eventually, a 4GW strategy has to be decisively defeated and utterly discredited at source. Often, frankly, involving some attrition that means taking casualties of your own to inflict large enough losses to decisively weaken the 4GW attackers who are forced to come out and fight; preferably for their logistics tail — and, no more off-limits sanctuaries, please. A guerrilla without adequate logistics is little more than a desperate straggler. Mix in modern, database backed CSI and soon he is a criminal on the run too with spec ops troops or a Hellfire missile just waiting to come in the door. That’s what “To the Shores of Tripoli” is about, after centuries of payoff by W powers to the Barbary Coast Pirates.
11 --> Sun Tzu is also relevant: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." 12 --> Cf the geostrategic sketch in the OP. KFkairosfocus_{June 15, 2016
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terrorism [ter-uh-riz-uh m] noun 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes. 2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization. 3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.kairosfocus_{June 15, 2016
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KF"The first effective response was 3 hrs in as noted." That is patently incorrect. From most accounts (and it is still early to know everything) most of the killing happened in a very short time frame and was interrupted by the police officer that was on site. He was further restricted in his killing by the backup officers who also entered. These appear to be effective responses. "You seem pre-occupied to undermine objectivity of morality..." VK was just stating a fact. ISIS kills homosexuals based on their objective morality. "... while implying something wrong was done. Is that on what basis other than your own tastes and references?" Something wrong was done, according to my morality, your morality and VK's morality. That doesn't make it objective. It just means that we agree.Gordon Cunningham_{June 15, 2016
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KF: "GC, the evidence is patently there, that this particular incident is Jihadism motivated;" You stating this does not make it so. This guy was quite obviously a demented crazy who would have used anything to justify his lunacy. Someone who was truly inspired and motivated by ISIS would know that there are different factions of Islam that despise each other and would not have stated that he had allegiance with opposing factions. There is no doubt that ISIS wants and encourages these types of acts, but to claim that it was an ISIS jihad attack is not supported by the evidence that is currently available. Every time anyone like you blames every similar attack on ISIS or Islamism, the leaders of ISIS rub their hands in glee. I chose not to give them that satisfaction.Gordon Cunningham_{June 15, 2016
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KF: The first effective response was 3 hrs in as noted. Exchanging gunfire with the killer and forcing him to retreat seems pretty effective in saving lives. You seem pre-occupied to undermine objectivity of morality while implying something wrong was done. Is that on what basis other than your own tastes and references? You first KF, explain to the terrorist why your objective morality is better than his derived directly from the divine. Try, right to life as a fundamental right tracing to being a quasi-infinitely valuable person. On which others owe basic duties of care including respect for life. I agree but then that is just my opinion. Let this go for now.velikovskys_{June 15, 2016
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