Well, what would have been the results if there were guns on the planes that day?
^^^ This ^^^^ +1Good analysis Jack. You know, I only found one fault within the whole thing. The fact that the people on the plane that could have taken action wouldn't be able to fly the plane anyways. Even if they did have firearms and stop the attackers, everyone on the plane would have most likely died. Not only this, but if firearms were allowed on planes, the hi-jackers would have had some also. Lets not forget what the first instinct is when shots are fired... drop to cover. Most people would be frozen had the terrorists started shooting innocent people, and with 5 of them, most people who would stand up to fight back would have been killed before any good could have come of it.
Sure, they may have saved lives by just crashing the plane into a field somewhere, but like you said, noone would have known the plane was going into the Twin Towers. These terrorists are not stupid. They know how to fight. Just because they don't speak a lick of English doesn't mean they don't know how to shoot well. They are raised with a gun in their hands, it's their way of life.
9/11 was a tragedy... I don't feel that anything could have stopped the Muslim extremists from doing what they were set on doing.
It would have made a difference in the situation purely because it would have created a difference in the situation.
It's like saying "If I change something in a situation, do I change the situation?" Of course it does.
Now, with that said, it doesn't matter anyways. What happened happened. It is important to view history as it is, not to twist for an agenda, or a "what if?!?!?1" situation.
At the end of the day, evil men plotted to kill innocent people and succeeded. Turning it around on policies that may or may not have contributed to its success only takes our eyes off of those culpable and starts infighting.
It is common amoung firearm enthusiasts to blame the passengers aboard the flights on 9/11 for not doing "something." The essay is a counterbalance to show that, even with the best of ability, doing "something" is not always the best way to act. That applies to many more situations we can find ourselves in than just 9/11.
If we cannot learn from history...
I think we have been doing a pretty good job of remembering them. It is remembering who did it to us that we seem to have problems with. Even making this comment will likely tick off a whole bunch of people.
Just because the hijackers go somewhere and land doesn't mean you're out of the woods...doesn't anyone remember that bunch that murdered the Navy man and threw him out on the tarmac?
I knew Jeff Cooper when I served on the NRA Board and I agree with his philosophy, which is that the only proper response to being attacked is instantaneous, furious counter-attack.
One person with a gun, provided he/she could keep his cool and wait for his moment, could have thwarted the outcome on any one of the flights on 911.
You could also argue that there are just as many instances to prove that doing nothing is just as wrong...
Those who do not consider their future...
With a mindset like that, I don't think so.Would a gun on the planes have made a difference on 9/11?
With a mindset like that, I don't think so.
!) 3) Okay... knowing that the hijackers credibly claimed that they had a bomb and since you don't know how that bomb is triggered, or which one had the trigger (perhaps all five had one, or even a dead man switch) then explain to us, in detail and with specifics, what could have been done with a gun to "thwart" the hijacking without risking the plane falling out of the sky and killing 200 innocent people.
Would you, knowing that hijackers in that situation, in the air, are probably not going to land the plane safely, stand up and give them the middle finger whilst you attempt, along with every other armed person on that plane willing to do so, to stop them cold in their tracks?
Good question, but it has nothing to do with the OP. On the day of 9/11 everyone knew that the standard operating procedure of hijackers were to land a plane and then begin negotiations. That is what people "knew."