patrick.net

lalalala says

So what? If Paris events teach us anything the actual acquisition of weapons is not that big a problem even in a country where everything but bb guns is banned.

I just read an article by the NRA pointing out that we in California have already met Obama's gun control wishlist, and have the strictest anti-gun laws in the country. So much for legislating safety...

Ironman says

Crap, now how will Obama try to spin this into the need for stricter gun laws. The AR15's used in the shooting were illegal in the configuration they were in. But Obama STILL thinks criminals with abide by any laws that are passed, that's why we need MORE laws.

Nah, the Graun is already whining that the ISIS connection will take the debate "away" from Gun Control and back towards Immigration and the Multi Cult.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/04/san-bernardino-shooting-tashfeen-malik-isis-connection

Heraclitusstudent says

That's exactly the problem. People think if they obey rules, then by definition they aren't evil.

Eichmann believed that too and look what happened to him.

Totally agree. And no one religion is any more innately prone to radicalization than another, especially the three Abrahamic religions, which are very "law" based. Societal factors are equally as stronger a catalyst toward being able to radicalize someone. (IE : plenty of worshiping Muslims around me, well off, American, and I'm not afraid they are going to blow me up one day. Cannot say the same for the poor and oppressed in the mid-East.)

Except terrorists aren't poor or poorly educated, particularly those that strike in the West. The profile of terrorists is generally well-educated and well off, and more often from wealthy countries.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB110911119848561282
http://scholar.harvard.edu/barro/files/02_0610_mythpoverty_bw.pdf

You know what drives Terrorism? Identity Politics and Religion.

thunderlips11 says

Now post some videos of Christians or Jews in these days stoning adulterers, please.

PS Still Waiting for some videos of Western Jews and Christians stoning adulterers, or killing somebody for working on the Sabbath, etc. in recent times

Rew says

no one religion is any more innately prone to radicalization than another

For example, droning over something 5 times a day is an excellent way to wash your brain. Repetition is one of the most potent propaganda technique.

Rew says

Societal factors are equally as stronger a catalyst toward being able to radicalize someone.

Societal factors are factors. They don't influence written dogmas. And there is a link between beliefs and actions. This cannot be denied.
One other factor here are the deliberate, organized, well financed attempts by foreign groups in the world to spread these beliefs into the west.

I understand in your angelic view of the world everyone just want to live in peace and attend their own business. As inconvenient as it is to you, this view is just too simplistic. Some people have an ideology of death, they are bent on teaching it, and spreading it. Where you give them space, they will multiply. And what you are doing now is exactly that: defending that space in the name of liberty of cult.

This is a battle of ideas. It cannot be won, by bombing, or by forbidding actions.
It certainly cannot be fought by totally ignoring the problem.
No. Bad ideas are fought by confronting them, in the media, and person by person.
But to do that, you need to first recognize that there is a problem.

This will not go away by itself. The problem will only grow and grow. Just watch Europe.
The attacks that already happened are unlikely to be the end of it.

question is irrelevant given the dearth of facts...

YesYNot says

San Bernardino shooting - mental health problem or Islamic war?

Ironman says

So, who wants to answer?

Thunderlips already answered this: you need a nosy surveillance state/ continuation or enhancement of the patriot act

MMR says

Thunderlips already answered this: you need a nosy surveillance state/ continuation or enhancement of the patriot act

Let me refine my answer: you need a concentrated surveillance. Since having a single massive haystack that incorporates most of the worlds telecommunications among billions of people and firms is a big handicap towards finding a few needles. Fine if the NSA is trolling for economic, military or political secrets of non-Americans, normal intelligence collection.

We might start by checking the social media and emails of those applying for Visas from certain MENA countries. Or those who fit a certain profile, like Muslim Engineers who lived/studied in Germany.

This should be paired with greatly reducing the numbers of immigrants allowed to even apply each year for those countries, which will also reduce the haystack's size and make it easier to actually sort through the evidence.

thunderlips11 says

We might start by checking the social media and emails of those applying for Visas from certain MENA countries. Or those who fit a certain profile, like Muslim Engineers who lived/studied in Germany.

Or guys from Russia, like these two Tsarnaev fuckwads.

lalalala says

Or guys from Russia, like these two Tsarnaev fuckwads.

I thought you Banderastanis were hoping for the Chechens to help you out. You know what they say about judging somebody by their friends and heroes. Fundie Islamists and Nazi Collaborators.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/08/world/europe/islamic-battalions-stocked-with-chechens-aid-ukraine-in-war-with-rebels.html

thunderlips11 says

I thought you Banderastanis

Who?

Guess what? Enrique Marquez, Jr., suspected of supplying arms to the San Ber Terrorists...
is Bah'ai, Unitarian, Roman Catholic, Smarta Hinduism... a convert to the Religion of Peace!

Investigators with the FBI today questioned Enrique Marquez Jr., the man who originally purchased the two “assault-style” rifles used in last week’s San Bernardino shooting in which 14 people were killed, according to law enforcement officials briefed on the probe.

Authorities have been trying to talk to Marquez, 24, since the weapons were first traced to him, but could not until today because he was being evaluated for an unspecified health care issue, the officials said.

...
An individual associated with a local mosque, who asked not to be named, said Marquez started coming there three or four years ago, after he had converted to Islam. The person said Marquez was shy and polite, but did not seem that bright. Two members of Farook’s family, but not Syed Farook, attended the same mosque, the person said.

Marquez previously worked at a Wal-Mart, and before that was employed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, federal officials told ABC News.