NPR shows photos from people inside lockdown area. Spooky stuff.

[nolabear]

I'm both horrified and thankful. The things these people did create a world where things can get confusing and frightening mighty fast. I'd be glad those arms were there on my side but horrified at how close to a wartime culture this kind of thing puts us.


http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/04/19/177938697/what-it-looked-like-from-inside-bostons-lockdown?utm_source=NPR&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130419

[geomon666]

1. Almost reminds me of being in Homestead for Hurricane Andrew

And the National Guard came rolling in. I was 11 years old and that was my first time ever seeing a soldier with an assault weapon up close.

[leveymg]

2. All this to hunt for one guy? Talk about disproportionate responses in asymmetrical warfare.

Wow. One or two guys can do this? Reminds me of deserted SF after atomic fallout wipes everyone out in On The Beach (1960)

[nolabear]

3. I think they're responding to what they don't know. It's creepy but otoh they want to find him fast.

The more people they have, the less time it will take. A sniper operates on information. A posse operates on possibility (to use a clumsy but I think good metaphor).

[leveymg]

4. We can't do this everytime this sort of thing happens.

It's not sustainable.

[monmouth3]

6. So many experts..sigh..n/t

[nolabear]

7. True dat. It would be horrible if it becomes more commonplace.

[kestrel91316]

5. Because of the terrorism angle, they have to assume that there could be other

people involved and maybe he is going to a safe house/trap and waiting for cops to arrive to set off a bomb. They are playing it safe.

There was massive SWAT turnout for the North Hollywood shootout years ago and I can't imagine anybody complaining about that response. Ditto here.

If they didn't respond this way, some people would be bitching about inadequate response. You one of them?

[FSogol]

8. Yup, the Police are damned if they do and damned if they don't. n/t

[leveymg]

12. It's more about political symbolism and mass psychology than public safety

I can see cordoning off a neighborhood, roadblocks, checking people on outgoing flights and trains, etc. But shutting down an entire metropolitan area for one guy? Some things are also shut down here in the DC area. Not to be disrespectful, but it's overkill and unnecessary and probably will have some unintended conequences.

[justiceischeap]

9. There's a cop from earlier today telling reporters to move back

from a scene they were at. He told the reporter, if you knew what was going on there, they wouldn't want to be there. I think there is something bigger going on that we don't know about.

[Marrah_G]

15. I believe that was the older guy with the device on him

and frankly the news won't know most of the story until days, weeks, months after it ends.

We don't know everything because they don't need the suspect knowing where they are and what they are doing.

If you know it.... he knows it.

[justiceischeap]

16. Yeah but I think it points to something bigger going on.

That's my theory/speculation and I'm sticking with it.

It does seem the reaction is disproportionate for one guy (even if he is chucking bombs at LE like he's playing Borderlands). I also think these two terrorists could have accomplished everything themselves but it seems to me there may be more going on than meets the eye.

[avaistheone1]

19. I am thinking what LE is referring to is that the suspects/s home in Cambridge is filled

with pipe bombs. I am looking for a confirmation LE is going to conduct a controlled explosion to rid the home of the devices this afternoon.

[Marrah_G]

14. Do you live here? Do you know the situation? Do you know the city?

Those of us who live here don't think it is disproportionate.

And it's one guy with a bomb, with guns on a suicide mission, who has already shown he is more then happy to use them, in a very populated area.

[leveymg]

20. Not now. Yes. Yes.

Went to school in Boston. Lived about a half mile from Copley Square. Ran in two Marathons (jogged really). Love Boston and its people.

I still think its not a good idea to respond so disproportionately to one guy. Gives other lone-wolf terrorists big ideas about their own potential impact.

[Marrah_G]

23. Okay- I do disagree with you but...

At least you know the town.



So many have been passing judgement who have no idea what our city is like.

[leveymg]

24. No problem.

Used to drink and listen to punk bands at the Rat in Kenmore Square. Is that dive still there?

[Marrah_G]

25. LOL I remember that place

I used to go to that 3 clubs in one type place across the street back in the 80's

No idea if its still there though.

[leveymg]

26. "Lucifer's", the disco.

I was standing if front of the place one day when the Pope passed by.

BTW: They just captured the younger bomber, alive. Amazing. - Good night.

[LanternWaste]

27. What then, should the response have been comprised of...?

What then, should the response have been comprised of, in what number, and to what extent?

If the answer is (as I believe it will be if answered honestly) "I don't know", why does that same answer not apply to the response as it was?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

22. Since the one guy's whereabouts are unknown, and he possibly still has bombs

I'd rather go with the disproportionate response. My town's in in lockdown, and I wouldn't want a visit from the one guy: no mater how remote.

[peace13]

10. If those troops were in another country it would look perfectly normal to us....

And not too good to the country folk we had invaded. Unfortunately that is too often the case. While our military roams we sit comfy at home...usually.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. Nobody is complaining about the black hawks today.

[Aristus]

17. Yeah, but the caption: "Martial law? Let's hope not."

People don't understand what martial law is. It isn't when the military shows up in the streets.

The definition of martial law is very simple: it's when civil court judges are replaced by military judges, and jury trials are replaced by bench trials. That's it.

You could have the National Guard roaming the streets forever, and it wouldn't necessarily mean martial law has been declared.

[Baitball Blogger]

18. Good info.

[leveymg]

21. It's close to martial law.

And, for the suspension of normal judicial and constitutional rights, we already have that.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. The Alex Jones Black Helicopter Conspiracy Weenies are doubtlessly having a siezure from these pics

Look! That one guy has the owl from the bohemian grove on his uniform! NEW WORLD ORDER! NEW WORLD ORDER! ZOMG O NOOO