This could be the biggest "footbullet" ever...if substianted. Thoughts?
Absolutely not. See below.
but the first note is that it is very evident that to be on Scientology property, is a danger
Yes, to "be on Scientology property is a danger"... if one is wielding
two samurai swords.
Gun vs sword. Does that sound a little uneven to anyone?
If someone aggressively approaches me wielding
two samurai swords and gets "
close enough to hurt" me, I shoot them. Multiple times.
Did the guard give a warning or even shoot to disable?
Deputy Chief Terry S. Hara said the man wielding the two samurai swords "
was 'close enough to hurt them' when the guard fired." Under those circumstances, NOBODY is going to fire warning shots. Nobody.
Also, NOBODY who is taught to fire a weapon in self defense (e.g., in law enforcement, the military, etc.) is taught to "shoot to disable." Nobody. To "shoot to disable" is to shoot to miss. EVERYBODY is taught to shoot for the center of mass -- i.e., the center of the chest.
But one thing is clear, the CoS is rattled and more prepared than ever to deal severely with any perceived threat. The eyes of the world will be on them now, they will have to be very careful.
Actually, the eyes of the world will be on the Critics and Anons now. All available evidence is that this was a justified shooting. Given that, the public will perceive that, yes, the Church of Scientology does have a right to fear physical violence from its critics. [Oh, and by the way, some of the Critics' comments on this thread are not helping matters.]
That he would shoot a person without a struggle is suspect.
You do not wait to struggle with the suspect when they are armed with not one, but two edged weapons. Not when you armed with a firearm. Unless you are stupid.
It sounds like a preemtive fair-game.
Only if you are so biased against Scientology that you are unable or unwilling to consider the evidence.
Should the security guard have deliberately shot to disable? I don't know.
Again, as noted above, Nobody who is taught to fire a weapon in self defense (e.g., in law enforcement, the military, etc.) is taught to "shoot to disable." Nobody. To "shoot to disable" is to shoot to miss. Everybody is taught to shoot for the center of mass -- i.e., the center of the chest.
So, anyone care to take bets that the cameras that are always trained on the outside of the Celeb Center will either be non-functioning, or there will be a "delay" in getting them?
I'll take that bet given the fact that the LAPD
has already reviewed the tapes.
I'm sorry to be a hard ass about this, but I'm disappointed by some of the reactions to this story. Some (but not all) of the reactions have three things in common. They are:
1) Morally reprehensible.
2) Stupid.
3) Bad from the standpoint of public relations. In other words, they make "critics" look like a bunch of paranoid, foaming at the mouth idiots so biased by their hatred of Scientology that they completely ignore all available evidence.
Anyone who thinks this is a footbullet for the COS is delusional. Anyone who doesn't realize that, fairly or unfairly, this is a major potential problem for Critics and Anons isn't thinking.
You think this incident won't be on the minds of law enforcement personnel that next time there is a protest, and particularly one that gets heated? You think this won't be presented, and won't be on the judge's mind, the next time there is a request for a restraining order?
I'll say it again. Some of the critics' comments on this thread are not helping matters.
I would hope that others will join me in condemning what appears, based on the presently available evidence and information, to have been a violent, physical assault on members of the Church of Scientology, and perhaps the Church itself.
I would hope that others will join me in making it clear that we do not support, and are in no way associated with, the attacker or the means he used to express whatever grievance he may have had.
I would hope that others will join me in making it clear that, whatever grievances the attacker may have had, his resort to violence is unacceptable and we condemn it.