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Title: The scariest innovation in the Aurora mass shooting isn’t guns or ammo. It’s SWAT gear.
Source:
Slate
URL Source: http://www.slate.com/articles/healt ... ody_armor_refute_the_nra_.html
Published: Jul 23, 2012
Author: William Saletan
Post Date: 2012-07-23 19:08:35 by farmfriend
Keywords: None
Views: 629
Comments: 32
The scariest innovation in the Aurora mass shooting isn’t guns or ammo. It’s SWAT gear. By William Saletan|Posted Monday, July 23, 2012, at 9:09 AM ET James Holmes, the alleged perpetrator of Friday’s movie-theater massacre in Aurora, Col., was well-armed. He had an assault rifle with a 100-round magazine. He had a 12-gauge shotgun and two semiautomatic pistols. He had gas canisters to confuse the moviegoers, and an apartment full of explosives to kill police. But that wasn’t the scariest thing about him. Mass murderers are generally well-armed. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the kids who gunned down 12 high-school students and a teacher in Columbine, Col., in 1999, had two shotguns, a semiautomatic pistol, a carbine rifle, and a bag full of bombs. Seung-Hui Cho, the guy who murdered 32 people at Virginia Tech in 2007, had two semiautomatic handguns, 19 magazines, and nearly 400 rounds. Nidal Hasan, the 2009 Fort Hood shooter, used a semiautomatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine to kill 13 victims and wound 43 more. Jared Loughner, the loser who snuffed six people and shot 19 others last year in Tucson, Ariz., didn’t stop firing till the 33-round clip in his Glock ran out. What distinguished Holmes wasn’t his offense. It was his defense. At Columbine, Harris and Klebold did their damage in T-shirts and cargo pants. Cho and Loughner wore sweatshirts. Hasan was gunned down in his Army uniform. Holmes’ outfit blew these jokers away. He wore a ballistic helmet, a ballistic vest, ballistic leggings, a throat protector, a groin protector, and tactical gloves. He was so well equipped that if anyone in that theater had tried what the National Rifle Association recommends—drawing a firearm to stop the carnage—that person would have been dead meat. Holmes didn’t just kill a dozen people. He killed the NRA’s answer to gun violence. Last year, after the tragedy in Tucson, the NRA’s CEO, Wayne LaPierre, accused gun-control advocates of hyping Instead of gun control, LaPierre proposed the opposite: Some 40 states, including Colorado, have taken that advice. They authorize the issuance of concealed-weapons permits to anyone unencumbered by a felony conviction, a protective court order, or a disqualifying mental illness. They think arming good guys will deter or defeat bad guys. But really bad guys—guys capable of planning a serious rampage—aren’t stupid. If you want to take your time murdering a theater full of people, the prospect of some would-be hero drawing a weapon is no problem. Just go to the U.S. Justice Department’s body armor standards page, where you’ll find a list of 69 companies that sell government-certified bullet-stopping gear. The list includes phone numbers, addresses, and URLs. If those places won’t sell you what you need, try eBay. A search for “bulletproof vest” turns up more than 1,500 items. The high-end vests cost $800, but you can find cheaper government-certified versions—some of them recycled from police use—for less than $100. A search for “ballistic helmet” identifies 140 options, ranging from $1,800 to $50. Holmes chose TacticalGear.com, where you can get armored plates for $220, armor- and plate-carrying vests for $200 to $300, and a ballistic helmet for $435. That’s where he bought an assault vest three weeks ago. Essentially, Holmes has called the NRA’s bluff. It may be true that the best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. But the best way to stop a good guy with a gun is a bad guy with body armor. And judging from Holmes' vest receipt, he wasn't even buying the serious stuff. The NRA bases its good-guy approach on a well-substantiated military doctrine: deterrence. By arming myself with a weapon that can hurt you, I discourage you from attacking me. For many years, this doctrine averted war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Each side feared mutually assured destruction. What broke the deadlock wasn’t a weapon. It was a shield: strategic missile defense. The Soviets understood that a system capable of shooting down their nuclear missiles would, by removing their power to deter us, free us to attack. The best offense, it turns out, is a good defense. That’s what Holmes figured out. Defense, not offense, is the next stage of the gun-violence arms race. Equipping citizens with concealed weapons doesn’t stop bad guys. It just pushes them to the next level. The next level is body armor. And unlike missile defense, which has proved to be complicated and disappointing, body armor is relatively simple. What’s your answer to this technology? Armor-piercing bullets? Sorry. The NRA, in defense of these bullets, noted 12 years ago that “no law enforcement officer has ever been killed or even injured because an armor piercing bullet penetrated a bullet-resistant vest.” A well-prepared killer just needs the right vest. The key, according to the Justice Department’s site, is to buy “Type IV flexible armor,” which is certified to stop .30-caliber armor-piercing bullets fired at a velocity of 878 meters per second. The site offers contact information for 24 suppliers of Type IV armor and includes URLs for nine of them. I found the options somewhat overwhelming, so I went to Amazon.com, where it took me less than two minutes to find a Type IV plate for $200 and add it to my cart. Do you want to restrict the sale of body armor? Good luck. In a country that won’t even maintain a ban on assault weapons, what are your chances of blocking access to products that save lives? With guns, as with nukes, it’s a lot harder to make a case against defensive technology than against offensive technology. That’s why not a single state prohibits the purchase of body armor, unless you’re a convicted felon. The toughest law I could find is in Connecticut, where you have to show up in person to complete the sale. Like the NRA, I’m skeptical that gun laws will stop people like Holmes. The bombs he rigged up in his apartment are pretty good evidence that if he hadn’t gotten his hands on rifles and pistols, he’d have found another way to turn his victims into hamburger. But what if arming the good guys doesn’t work either? What if an Internet full of gas masks and bulletproof vests has plunged us over our heads in an arms race with psychopaths? I wish I could tell you there’s a way out. But like all those poor souls who perished in Aurora, I don’t know how this movie ends. Armored and Dangerous
sensational events that capture national attention and drive their agenda, like Columbine, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and Tucson. … What the media won’t admit is that in each of those tragedies, the mass killers all had the same decisive advantage: Government Gun Free Zones and anti-self-defense laws that protected the safety of no one except the killers and condemned the victims to death without so much as a prayer. That’s right: Our own policies gave more protection to the killers than to the innocent. Government Gun Free Zones have become the hunting ground of evil, deranged monsters.
The best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. And just knowing there’s a good guy with a gun around—a cop, a guard, a soldier, and yes, a law abiding citizen with a gun—makes us feel safer because we are safer. That’s why we need more freedom and a lot less government. That’s why our Second Amendment rights should be expanded, not diminished. And that’s why, right here in this hall today, I call on Congress and every state legislature to empower the American people to ensure their own security by enacting legislation to grant all law-abiding Americans the right to carry a firearm for personal protection.
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#1. To: farmfriend (#0)
Robocop. LOL wasn't he a good guy righting the corporate take over? Does anyone honestly believe that the global elites whose wealth and power depend on manipulation of the global chess board would leave something like the Presidency up to chance?
Interesting information - thanks. (If shooter's dopey drum AR magazine hadn't jammed, there's no telling the body count in that theater.) To succeed in life, you need three things; a wishbone, a backbone, and a funnybone ~ Reba McEntire
(If shooter's dopey drum AR magazine hadn't jammed, there's no telling the body count in that theater.) Ditto that. One hundred round drum - jammed when L?, 30 - 40???. A .223 at close range is going to be exceptionally ugly. Heavily drugged for the court appearance. AKA "Out where the busses don't run." But, isn't this why Israelis attend films and go to restaurants with M-16's slung over their shoulders? And what if 25 or 50 people swung into action and shot at the assailant. Or, even one very good marksman with an accurate handgun? Ballistic helmet face masks will protect against stones but they don't stop bullets. And people wearing vests who stop high energy projectiles are still injured by blunt trauma, and they often cannot continue fighting. What if ten people shot at the killer with .357 SIGs, or comparably powerful handguns? No, the real message is, "Don't rely on cops to protect you". I should also add that places where sheep gather for the slaughter should be avoided. But will that stop people from attending Olympic games and other functions that govts can resist to further dark agendas? And why do media hacks leave people feeling helpless with an implied message to "look to govt for solutions"? What if a new govt was installed, all secret research was shut down and all govt agents were replaced if such a shooting happened?
you are most welcome. Does anyone honestly believe that the global elites whose wealth and power depend on manipulation of the global chess board would leave something like the Presidency up to chance?
Does anyone honestly believe that the global elites whose wealth and power depend on manipulation of the global chess board would leave something like the Presidency up to chance?
For sure. It also looks like he either can't remember what he did, or is trying to figure out why he did it. He doesn't have the appearance of a cold blooded murderer like Charles Manson, who was smiling and had evil in his eyes during his court appearances. There's definitely something not quite write with this picture. He WAS studying neuroscience (graduated pre-med neuroscience with honors), and was working at a university lab for his graduate degree. I wonder if he developed some seriously bad psychiatric compound and tested it on himself. somewhere I saw someone suggest MK Ultra or what ever the CIA project is called. Does anyone honestly believe that the global elites whose wealth and power depend on manipulation of the global chess board would leave something like the Presidency up to chance?
Here's a pic of the vest he purchased............ Doesn't look too bullet proof to me, center mass seems a tad vulnerable. " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
Yep, that's the first thing that popped into mind when I heard the news about this. MK Ultra was a clandestine mind control program of the CIA, with many subprojects such as Project Monarch. It's quite interesting that he was a Phd student performing research in secure facilities at the University of Colorado neuroscience department, and had been awarded a grant from the National Institute of Health reserved for those who have the potential to significantly contribute to the field of neuroscience. Maybe they meant after he died and they studied his brain. Does anyone honestly believe that the global elites whose wealth and power depend on manipulation of the global chess board would leave something like the Presidency up to chance?
That, or they were REALLY interested on what he was working on in terms of research. He WAS working at a secure facility. that looks like an expanded utility belt. Does anyone honestly believe that the global elites whose wealth and power depend on manipulation of the global chess board would leave something like the Presidency up to chance?
Very good find! In other words he'd have succumbed as quickly as the poor souls he opened up on had someone returned practiced fire with a serious personal defense firearm. I believe that the confusion, "is he part of the movie promo?" caused a delay in reaction and any who were armed would have had to shoot through a panicked crowd by the time the danger was assessed and body parts were flying.... I've thought about it and I wouldn't fault anyone who may have been armed for not standing up on a seat in order to get a clear shot. Firing over the heads of the folks who were so close to death would have been a sure invitation to the Manjooian madman to concentrate on anyone who dared to return fire. And going up against an 870 or AR-wielding govt zombie with a handgun could result in an epitaph that reads, "He Committed Suicide in a Movie Theater" Hardly no one would commend his or her bravery. The "After Action Experts" would all insist that they knew it was a fool's errand to even try. Of course Jeff Cooper long ago stated that "if you're going to die anyway then you may as well go for it". So one need not even consider trying to selflessly save the lives of others.
that looks like an expanded utility belt. You got it, Sis. Magazines, cell phones, Swiss Army Knives, condoms, and other misc. accessories that dilettantes can think of to carry. When I see guys out in the field shooting their Rooney guns and wearing such gear, I wonder if in my youth I ever contracted Walter Mitty Disease.
Notice how he uses a right wing argument that Reagan's "Star Wars" program won the cold war in order to jusify a liberal gun control agenda.
lol....the vest is second only to the full body utility belt. : ) " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
Yes, indeed. I understand that folks were in shock and confused, but if one person in the theater was armed the guy could have been taken out. " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
Yes, indeed. I understand that folks were in shock and confused, but if one person in the theater was armed the guy could have been taken out. And please consider this my friend. If someone, anyone suddenly appears in a public place in a threatening manner that alarms you, either dressed as a Ninja, Tron, Road Warrior or simply brandishing weapons while wearing a choir robe, and they are immediately transferred from the "here and now" to the "there forever" by an armed individual who gets on the trigger first with the intent of asking questions later, would you convict a resourceful survivor if you were on his or her jury? Keep in mind that many if not most states would consider prosecuting you or I for shooting a gremlin that never fired a shot even if a murderous intent was manifest; i.e. armed, locked and loaded. If the circumstances were murky enough to prevent a public groundswell of support, then we could hear something like this: "Brandishing a weapon is not a capital offense even if the deceased was a felon and therefore a person prohibited and even with his history of violence. The deceased served 8 yrs for MURDER ONE in California, but you did not know that when you killed the man and therefore I sentence you to...."_ The Hon. Pontius X. Despot, Judge of the Superior Court of The State (or Commonwealth) of fill in the blank" Shooting to death a scumbag who may have intended to slaughter innocents in general and you or I in particular wouldn't be the primary offense no matter what the indictment reads. No, my friend, the real crime is the message you or I would send to the public, and that is, "Don't expect the cops to be there in 21st century shooting gallery America when a govt zombie shows up in response to his programming." And, "The person who cares most if you survive is the one in the mirror who bought a gun and became proficient in its use while cultivating critical survival skills and the proper mental attitude." If you're preoccupied with thoughts of the legal difficulties that are sure to follow and you hesitate to aggressively prosecute someone with the present ability to take your life, then (to paraphrase Col. Cooper) "You're no more armed because you have a gun than you're a musician because you have a piano."
LOL Does anyone honestly believe that the global elites whose wealth and power depend on manipulation of the global chess board would leave something like the Presidency up to chance?
Good phrase to ponder upon. You have to USE it when and if you HAVE to. It takes guts, skill, and courage to defend yourself or your family, when or if the situation arises. And you'll only know if you've had enough practice and training WHEN or IF that situation occurs. Practice, practice, and practice some more. Practice, practice, and practice some more. Well said my friend. Nothing to add. Oh, I can always write something but, better that your post stand alone in case someone who needs to read and metabolize its meaning does just that.
Thanks for the kind words my friend. What it boils down to, in terms of this bizarro shooting, is that THIS guy did NOT possess the skills or training to do what he did. His hit ratio was WAY too high for a single shooter, especially for one who forgot to bring his "100 round" drum mag with him. Perhaps. I just assumed that in a crowded theater even a blind man could score a high body count because of the close proximity of the patrons. And at close range large shotgun pellets and .223 pills will over penetrate and account for more casualties than the numbers of rounds fired. But, if he had help it wouldn't be the first time. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan mysteriously "fired more rounds than his revolver held." And, you're no doubt familiar with the evidence of more than one shooter in Dallas on 11//22/63. And, thermal imaging of the recording from the helicopter circling the compound at Waco seems to show bursts of machine gun fire from the outside behind the building, which may have discouraged those inside from escaping the inferno. Unfortunately in the US no one is allowed to proffer the theory that govt agents fired on women and kids to keep them inside a large wooden bonfire, unless the agents confess on live TV after a thorough psyche workup and evaluation just to make sure they aren't "lying to make the govt look bad." (which they would be of course-just ask Rush or Sean. They'd never lie to a "Dittohead".)
This kid had no background in firearms, and all of a sudden he's Rambo. He was a science genius who although shy, and perhaps horney, had no real dark background. His father is a lead scientist at FICO, and the kid was granted money from the US government for Phd studies in neuroscience. The picture is in flux. He has amnesia of the events, and there were possible multiple shooters. You get the point. Paxil, Prozak or Luvox? All have the possible side effect of homicidal tendencies, amnesia, aggression, and rage.......but, the patient feels less shy. " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
California......I quit visiting. My friend who is a long time resident and gun advocate got in all sorts of trouble for having his gun in the car on the seat while traveling through a known violent and crime ridden area. The idiots said it should have been LOCKED UP.....that way when some POS came up to steal a car or wallet, my friend would have no protection handy. " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
The picture is in flux. He has amnesia of the events, and there were possible multiple shooters. You get the point. Indeed I do Sir. Of course I freely admit that I will always believe the worst about the shadow govt that is systematically dismantling the constitution. Their skullduggery is only possible because morality is no longer expected of govt, or the rich, or corporations who greedily shear the sick and all who rely on internal combustion engines for transportation. And the meek Lilliputians take their ethical cues from the institutions that purport to guide us, so no one is surprised when companies, govt officials and corporate bigshots slip the nooses that should be used to hang them. It just doesn't seem to matter that every investigative journalist who hit pay dirt mysteriously committed suicide, and I don't know why the Catholic Church in my state is still in business after The Wilmington Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy to avoid catastrophic judgements for tampering with now grown and scarred for life children. And, why isn't the athletic program at PSU out of business? And, Louis Freeh worked for MBNA and ostentatious big spender Charles Cawley after leaving the FBI, and Cawley had/has close ties to PSU. The "Manchurian loyalty" demanded from MBNA employees and families resulted in The Capitol Steps referring to the spouses in parody song as "Stepford Wives". The timidity of the people clearly signals surrender to those who wish to enslave us. (Such cowardice is reminiscent of the surrender of my hometown of Norfolk, VA at the beginning of The Civil War. The town surrendered to six lost Marines with unloaded muskets in order to get back to work in the shipyard for Yankee dollars. It must have made Jeff Davis really proud in the Capital of The Confederacy, 90 miles away) It's sad because if only a fraction of the people reared up we could send the bastards running for their float planes to escape to countries with no extradition treaties with The US.
There is no such thing as bullet-proof. Bullet resistant, yes. Anyone can be killed with blunt-force trauma even with tactical gear. I sense a disturbance in the farce. Much gnashing will ensue.
My joy over McCain's defeat, is offset by my disappointment over hObama's victory.
#2. To: hondo68 (#1)
Robocop.
#3. To: farmfriend (#0)
#4. To: Lod (#3)
Interesting information - thanks.
"Satan / Cheney in "08" 
#5. To: Lod, farmfriend (#3)
My joy over McCain's defeat, is offset by my disappointment over hObama's victory.
#6. To: hondo68 (#5)
Heavily drugged for the court appearance.
Mike Flaherty: Yeah, it's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
#7. To: farmfriend (#0)
#8. To: Lod (#3)
Interesting information - thanks.
#9. To: hondo68 (#5)
Heavily drugged for the court appearance.
#10. To: hondo68, farmfriend (#5)
Heavily drugged for the court appearance.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#11. To: FormerLurker, hondo68 (#10)
For sure. It also looks like he either can't remember what he did, or is trying to figure out why he did it.
#12. To: HOUNDDAWG (#7)
#13. To: farmfriend (#11)
somewhere I saw someone suggest MK Ultra or what ever the CIA project is called.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#14. To: FormerLurker (#13)
and had been awarded a grant from the National Institute of Health reserved for those who have the potential to significantly contribute to the field of neuroscience.
#15. To: farmfriend (#14)
Maybe they meant after he died and they studied his brain.
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#16. To: abraxas (#12)
Doesn't look too bullet proof to me, center mass seems a tad vulnerable.
#17. To: abraxas (#12)
Doesn't look too bullet proof to me, center mass seems a tad vulnerable.
#18. To: farmfriend (#16)
Doesn't look too bullet proof to me, center mass seems a tad vulnerable.
#19. To: hondo68 (#1)
#20. To: farmfriend (#16)
that looks like an expanded utility belt.
#21. To: HOUNDDAWG (#17)
In other words he'd have succumbed as quickly as the poor souls he opened up on had someone returned practiced fire with a serious personal defense firearm.
#22. To: abraxas, Original_Intent, christine, Jethro tull, James Deffenbach, Pinguinite, wudidiz, Lod, noone222, TwentyTwelve, X-15, Artisan, Esso (#21)
In other words he'd have succumbed as quickly as the poor souls he opened up on had someone returned practiced fire with a serious personal defense firearm.
#23. To: abraxas (#20)
lol....the vest is second only to the full body utility belt. : )
#24. To: HOUNDDAWG (#22)
"You're no more armed because you have a gun than you're a musician because you have a piano."
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#25. To: FormerLurker (#24)
(Edited)
...You have to USE it when and if you HAVE to. It takes guts, skill, and courage to defend yourself or your family, when or if the situation arises. And you'll only know if you've had enough practice and training WHEN or IF that situation occurs.
#26. To: HOUNDDAWG (#25)
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#27. To: FormerLurker (#26)
What it boils down to, in terms of this bizarro shooting, is that THIS guy did NOT possess the skills or training to do what he did. His hit ratio was WAY too high for a single shooter, especially for one who forgot to bring his "100 round" drum mag with him.
#28. To: HOUNDDAWG (#27)
(Edited)
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#29. To: FormerLurker (#28)
shy
#30. To: HOUNDDAWG (#22)
The deceased served 8 yrs for MURDER ONE in California, but you did not know that when you killed the man and therefore I sentence you to...."
#31. To: FormerLurker (#28)
This kid had no background in firearms, and all of a sudden he's Rambo. He was a science genius who although shy, and perhaps horney, had no real dark background. His father is a lead scientist at FICO, and the kid was granted money from the US government for Phd studies in neuroscience.
#32. To: abraxas (#12)
Doesn't look too bullet proof to me, center mass seems a tad vulnerable.
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