Explosion in NY Port Authority

[thethe]

What a shock...

But let's keep bring them in here.

[thethe]

[nsacpi]

I have a question. Actually a series of questions.

The guy responsible for this bombing is from Bangladesh. Why is Bangladesh not on the list of travel ban countries.

The guy with the truck is from Uzbekistan. Why isn't Uzbekistan on the travel ban list.

The Tsarnaev brothers are from Russia. Why isn't Russia on the list.

The 9-11 terrorists came from Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Why aren't Egypt and Saudi Arabia on the list.

Other notorious terrorists came from Pakistan. Pakistan also harbored bin Laden and has an intelligence service with problematic links to terrorist groups. Why isn't Pakistan on the list?

As far as I know no one from Chad has ever conducted a terrorist operation in this country or elsewhere. But Chad is on the list.

It seems to me if we were serious about the issue of Islamic terrorism we should be targeting the countries that are the actual source of terrorists rather than a country like Chad.

The Saudis also have poured billions into madrassas and other programs that have transplanted a very intolerant brand of Islam into parts of the world that have historically had moderate and peaceful versions of Islam.

My criticism above really is not of the Trump administration. I think administrations before his have also conveniently overlooked or soft pedaled the role of the Saudis and Pakistanis (especially those two countries) in contributing to terrorist activity. When we become serious about dealing with the problem we will be focusing on them rather than a country like Chad.

[thethe]

I agree we need to expand the scope of the aman and refine the characteristic's of what we are trying to prevent.

[thethe]

Aman=ban

[thethe]

What is the counter argument to a travel bam at this point? Are we really going to risk the safety of Americans because of a utopian view of human attitudes?

[nsacpi]

What is the counter argument to a travel bam at this point? Are we really going to risk the safety of Americans because of a utopian view of human attitudes?

Discrimination based upon religion would be one.

[thethe]

Discrimination based upon religion would be one.

But is there good reason to do so? It it out of hatred or pure statistical correlation? Maybe a mix of both but the atstas don't lie.

[nsacpi]

But is there good reason to do so? It it out of hatred or pure statistical correlation? Maybe a mix of both but the atstas don't lie.

I'd be interested to see crime statistics by country of origin. Not that I think that is an appropriate basis for making policy. But I am curious what they show.

[thethe]

I'd be interested to see crime statistics by country of origin. Not that I think that is an appropriate basis for making policy. But I am curious what they show.

We are missing the big picture when we isolate it to a country. That is not the defining attribute for these attacks.

Where the country comes in is that they don't have adequate per records to validate who someone is.

[Oklahomahawk]

I'd be interested to see crime statistics by country of origin. Not that I think that is an appropriate basis for making policy. But I am curious what they show.

I'm a little curious as to the lack of attention given home grown terrorists and/or those (regardless of nationality and/or citizenship) who become radicalized because of the work of aholes 10,000 miles away. Also, I don't even see these people mentioned very often.

[nsacpi]

Since we are tarring whole groups with generalities, as an antidote I will note that I have a very high regard for immigrants from Bangladesh. In my experience, they are one of the three most hard-working groups in terms of nationalities that have moved to this country in large numbers in recent decades. The other two being Koreans and Dominicans. Those three groups also have a lot of entrepreneurial talent and I'm fairly confident are an asset to our society and economy rather than a burden.

For visitors to Manhattan I highly recommend a meal along the stretch of Lexington Avenue centered around 28th street known as Curry Hill. Most of the Indian restaurants there are owned and staffed by immigrants from Bengladesh.

[Julio3000]

Another question is why we're so very anxious to legislate this issue, even through extra-constitutional means, and not, for example, the issue of homegrown white extremist terrorism, or gun violence as a whole. An unsuccessful terrorist attack is justification for banning entire classes of people from entering the US, but a mass-casualty shooting isn't even a valid conversation-starter.

[57Brave]

Last weeks shooting in a New Mexico school got ho-hum notice.

[jpx7]

Are we really going to risk the safety of Americans because of a utopian view of human attitudes?

There's a pretty large gulf between "a utopian view of human attitudes" and a regime of "safety" so draconian that it renders us a nation so lapsed in its institutional values that it isn't worth keeping "safe".

[thethe]

There's a pretty large gulf between "a utopian view of human attitudes" and a regime of "safety" so draconian that it renders us a nation so lapsed in its institutional values that it isn't worth keeping "safe".

There is no rational method of screening that doesn't include a religious basis. The facts are what they are. Overwhelming amount of global terrorism is perpetrated by those that follow the Islamic faith. End of story full stop. That point cannot be debated so why can't we talk about it in our screening? Any other method makes no rational sense and is rather arbitrary not backed by any reasonable analysis.

[thethe]

Another question is why we're so very anxious to legislate this issue, even through extra-constitutional means, and not, for example, the issue of homegrown white extremist terrorism, or gun violence as a whole. An unsuccessful terrorist attack is justification for banning entire classes of people from entering the US, but a mass-casualty shooting isn't even a valid conversation-starter.

We are in a global war with radical Islam. There are armies in the tens of thousands (and probably more) that adhere to this worldview. That is the difference and kind of makes your comparison absurd in my opinion. Please show me the terrorist armies in the tens of thousands that are manned by white Americans? What have they attacked and who have they killed recently?

[nsacpi]

There's a pretty large gulf between "a utopian view of human attitudes" and a regime of "safety" so draconian that it renders us a nation so lapsed in its institutional values that it isn't worth keeping "safe".

There are a whole range of policy responses that are consistent with our values and laws. Many of them are already being done.

I don't have a problem vetting people from some parts of the world more carefully. I don't have a problem with law enforcement working with the leaders of mosques in trying to identify those who might be radicalized. I don't even have a problem with doing this without cooperation of the leaders if there is reason to believe they themselves are a problem.

But I think Trump and some of his supporters are more interested in scapegoating and stoking a hysterical reaction when these terrorist attacks occur than in trying to find effective solutions that are consistent with our laws and values.

[thethe]

In the spirit of you advanced statistical analysis background, which you demonstrate everyday when talking about baseball, what characteristic do you believe draws the highest correlation coefficient to actual terrorism?

[nsacpi]

In the spirit of you advanced statistical analysis background, which you demonstrate everyday when talking about baseball, what characteristic do you believe draws the highest correlation coefficient to actual terrorism?

I agree that most terrorist attacks in recent decades have been by Muslims. The disagreements I have with you have to do with the inferences drawn from that.