The sniper who paralyzed Washington

World Net Daily ^ | 10/16/2002 | Joseph Farah

[keats5]

The area surrounding the nation's capital is paralyzed with fear.

Some people are staying home from work. Some parents are pulling their kids out of school. Others are avoiding shopping and pumping gas.

All this apprehension because one sniper – possibly with an accomplice – has begun picking people off at long range in Maryland, Washington and Virginia.

Police officials say the manhunt has become the No. 1 priority of the local, state and federal governments.

And despite all those government resources and manpower, seemingly little progress is being made in the investigation. Press conferences are held virtually on the hour. Police officials have begun begging the gunman to give himself up. Officials are talking about an unprecedented level of cooperation between government agencies.

I hope they catch the murderer of nine soon. But I'm not optimistic. Bureaucracies are inefficient. The bigger they are, the more inefficient they get.

The cops on the street see the problem. They say they are ordered to pursue leads without being given any sense of priority or even where to report their findings. Others say they check out tips only to find others have been assigned to cover the same ground already. Detectives say much of their time is wasted briefing their bosses.

"It's a total bureaucracy, with guys who never worked a homicide wanting to know every little detail," one detective told the Washington Post.

All this confusion created by one gunman shooting people over a wide geographic area at random.

Just imagine if there were 10 shooters, or 100, or, God forbid, 1,000 organized terrorists at work.

Once again, I point out this weakness in American law enforcement not to alarm people, but to demonstrate that ordinary citizens cannot and should not count on the government to protect them, their lives, their property and their family members. The government can't do it. It's not possible.

But people can defend themselves – and should. To do that, government needs to get off the backs of the ordinary citizen, to stop harassing the great majority of law-abiding people and to stop preventing them and discouraging them from getting the tools they need to do the job themselves.

Never has this been more obvious and a higher priority than since Sept. 11, 2001.

I don't know whether the sniper is working in sympathy with or at the direction of our organized terrorist enemies. It really doesn't matter. The principle is the same.

Americans can only defend themselves and protect their families and communities effectively if they are armed and vigilant. Instead, the government fears the citizenry and continues to disarm the very people who could put a quick end to this slaughter.

What we are witnessing is an illustration of the weakness of gun control. Gun control offers nothing to deter criminals from using guns. It only deters law-abiding people from using them. Gun control isn't going to stop a terrorist from shooting people. It only deters good guys from shooting back.

Don't put your faith in government. If you do, you will be gravely disappointed – not to mention, lose your freedom. Instead, put your faith in God and the proven principles of self-defense and personal responsibility that are prescribed by virtually every faith – and certainly by both Judaism and Christianity.

I strongly suspect America may see much worse terrorism than what we are experiencing right now in the Washington area. Recognize that all of the policemen in the world can't stop it. They can investigate. They can respond to it. They may even eventually apprehend the perpetrators.

But the real deterrent to this kind of mayhem – whether it is simply thrill-seeking or politically motivated – is a fully mobilized, prepared and well-armed citizenry.

That's the only answer – at least the only effective one.

I don't expect government to wake up to this reality and admit it is helpless to protect and defend the people. It's up to responsible citizens to protect themselves and their family members. You can watch the mayhem grow, or you can be part of the solution.

[Quilla]

But the real deterrent to this kind of mayhem – whether it is simply thrill-seeking or politically motivated – is a fully mobilized, prepared and well-armed citizenry.

Hear, hear.

[goldstategop]

If Marylanders were armed, I'm sure this sniper would have been stopped already. But Governor Parris Glendenning and his would be successor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, apparently believe the subjects haven't been disarmed enough and feel its time to complete the job at hand. I guess they deserve our heartfelt congratulations on helping to turn their state into a rogue's dream shooting gallery.

[cricket]

Perhaps those in charge of this investigation will try a different tack. . .like sharing more information with the public.

[goldstategop]

Au contraire ... the less said by the police, the better. The psychopath sniper lives for publicity and that's exactly what he wants more of. If they impose a media blackout, there's no value to killing more victims for the same reason there's no point to cutting down trees in a forest if no one's around to hear the trees fall.

[Do Be]

Bump

[Quilla]

My husband and I are gun collectors, shooters in charity competitions, and hunters. This security associated with gun ownership (and proficiency) is enhanced by the knowledge the most of our neighbors are armed as well.

[ko_kyi]

There wasn't much help in VA when he struck there. CCW is not made to help against this kind of threat. I can't envision any likely scenarios where it would be, except if the gunman got stuck in traffic and armed citizens detained him. I don't expect a bevy of armed citizens to fan out and try to locate and pin down the shooter. Even trained soldiers can freeze up under sniper fire.

As a Montgomery County subject and NRA member, IMHO neither side of the "gun debate" has any winnable points in this situation.

[goldstategop]

Perhaps he realized Virginians weren't totally defenseless and that's why he moved over to Maryland. So one could argue CCW has saved more lives in Virginia, no question. And Maryland's taking additional steps to disarm its populace is only one more illustration of the pointlessness of gun control laws.

[no-s]

According to the feds, the shooter was seen at Home Depot standing in the open, taking aim. I suspect he doesn't think he has anything to worry about, considering the disarmed population.

[xJones]

And despite all those government resources and manpower, seemingly little progress is being made in the investigation.

Weren't we told after the last shooting that the investigators were feeling more confident than ever that they would soon have the perp(s)? They had at least a partial license plate (albeit, possibly stolen) and a very good description of the driver, which hasn't been released yet to the public.

[goldstategop]

I doubt they know anything more than the rest of us do. Or if they do know they aren't telling, for the last thing they want to is tip off the perp they know his identity. The only way this will be solved is through dogged and patient police work. Either they'll catch this guy or he could just vanish like the Zodiac spree killer did back in San Franciso in the 1970s.

[Sweet Hour of Prayer]

"The area surrounding the nation's capital is paralyzed with fear"

This seems a bit over-the-top. Fear isn't what I've seen. Surpressed anger better fits the emotions I've seen.

[cricket]

"Au contraire ... the less said by the police, the better. The psychopath sniper lives for publicity and that's exactly what he wants more of. If they impose a media blackout, there's no value to killing more victims for the same reason there's no point to cutting down trees in a forest if no one's around to hear the trees fall."

. . .well we certainly have not had a media 'blackout'; to the contrary. . .anything but.

The coverage and speculation of motives, gender, occupation of said killer has been almost non-stop. . .the effects on citizens in the area and on businesses as well.

What we lack is real information; on that there has been almost a blackout; and to no effect. The random attacks continue.

. . . so 'trees in the forest' notwithstanding and the observers as well; the killing goes on; and I would still offer that is time for a change in MO. . .

[dawn53]

If Marylanders were armed, I'm sure this sniper would have been stopped already

I'm totally in favor of an armed citizenry, but I don't know if the sniper would have been stopped by now. Up until Monday night, it seems that no one saw the shooter aim and fire, and you just can't assume because a white van is driving away from a scene that the driver was the shooter and take him out.

[Voltage]

Why should he give up? It would make no sense for him to do so. The more people he kills the bigger will be his book sales, and he will have plenty of time to write it with taxpayer provided room and board, 3 square meals/day, cable tv, paid dental and health care, free legal services, health club benefits, college education, and the most dreaful of all DEATH BY OLD AGE.

[exmarine]

The witnesses say the sniper is middle-eastern or hispanic (hmmm, I wonder which one...duh). This proves our pathetic govt. can protect anyone. What a joke. Citizens will likely have to catch this shooter(s).

[exmarine]

One thing is sure - taking guns away from citizens isn't hte answer is it. The govt. can't protect anyone. They are incompetent bureaucratic boobs who continously lie to the people. The FBI is a fine example of a corrupted lying bungling organization that targets citizens instead of the real enemy. As terrorists start killing more and more citizens, Americans will slowly (liberalism is a cancer that must be killed with the chemotherapy of terror) come to their senses and realize our govt is inompetent to protect them. At that point, things will change but not until then.