The latest terror outrage in Great Britain consisted of three men driving a van into pedestrians on London Bridge, then jumping out and going on a stabbing rampage while crying out, “This is for Allah!” The police shot three of the terrorists dead but not before they murdered seven people and wounded 48. The attack was the latest in a series that have rocked cities in Europe as well as North America.
Prime Minister Theresa May declares ‘enough is enough’
British Prime Minister Theresa May delivered a speech the next morning and declared “enough is enough” and vowed that tolerance of extremism is at an end in Great Britain.
Meanwhile, British law enforcement arrested 12 in relation to the attack. World leaders such as President Donald Trump pledged their support. In other words, the London Bridge attack is following the same formula: political posturing.
Wolves among the sheep
The problem in Europe (and, to a certain extent, in America) is that countries in the West consist of a small number of wolves, Islamic terrorists willing to kill by any means possible, in the midst of sheep-like populations who are unable to defend themselves. The London Bridge attack included stories of pub customers desperately fighting off the terrorists with chairs and pint glasses. None had any useful weapon, say a firearm, with which to stop the attackers from killing and maiming them.
Moreover, the European Union is seeking to clamp down further on gun control measures, using the upsurge in terrorism as a pretext. Only the Czech Republic among the EU member states is resisting this proposal, noting that terrorists who flout laws against murder are hardly likely to obey gun control laws. Indeed, the strictest gun control on the planet would not have stopped the London Bridge attack.
The terrorists used a van and then 12-inch hunting knives as weapons.
Time for concealed carry permits in Europe
Except for the Czech Republic, which is actively encouraging that its citizens arm themselves for self-protection against terrorists, European Countries tend to abhor private ownership of firearms. This attitude needs to change if Europe wants to start clamping down on the carnage of terrorism.
European countries need to enact Texas-style Concealed Carry laws.
The way that it works is that a gun owner applies for a concealed carry permit. He or she undergoes a background check and receives basic training in the use of a firearm, including the ethics of using deadly force. Then the holder of the permit is allowed to carry a weapon on his or her person. Some businesses like bars or retail stores that sell alcohol can restrict people from carrying inside the premises.
If Britain had a concealed carry law, the London Bridge attack might have had a better outcome. Instead of the three terrorists being able to stab people at will, they would have run into a hail of gunfire from one or two citizens with concealed carry firearms.
The death toll would have been much less, and terrorists would have been served notice that it will be more difficult from now on to cause death and mayhem. Such a measure would require going against many years of tradition, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
