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Backpacks, just say no?

Should backpacks be banned from public events

  • yes

    Votes: 5 9.3%

  • no

    Votes: 49 90.7%
  • Total voters
    54
sawyerloggingon

sawyerloggingon

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This Boston bombing could not have taken place if people were not allowed to carry backpacks to events like this. Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home. The only time I ever wear one is you know, when I'm going backpacking.

"You have people that have their backpacks with them, a runner may have a hydration pack on them, another person may be coming to watch the race and they may have a backpack," Penza said. "You see them so much, you stop thinking that any of those bags might have explosives."

Marathon Security Practices Scrutinized in Wake of Boston Marathon Explosions - ABC News
 
No they should not. What's next, shopping bags? Baby strollers. Handbags?
 
:ws
sawyerloggingon said:
This Boston bombing could not have taken place if people were not allowed to carry backpacks to events like this. Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home. The only time I ever wear one is you know, when I'm going backpacking.

"You have people that have their backpacks with them, a runner may have a hydration pack on them, another person may be coming to watch the race and they may have a backpack," Penza said. "You see them so much, you stop thinking that any of those bags might have explosives."

Marathon Security Practices Scrutinized in Wake of Boston Marathon Explosions - ABC News
Click to expand...

:ws
 
We could issue licenses for backpacks. You must present ID, have a criminal background check and pay a modest fee, like $35.00 and you would get a permit with an ID number that you could sew onto the pack. At public events, scanners could verify that the pack and the pack registered owner match up. Basically a modified license plate scanner paired with facial recognition software.

The bonus is nobody will steal your backpack if you leave it on the ground somewhere. The backpack data can be linked to the missing persons registry and aid in locating the missing you.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
This Boston bombing could not have taken place if people were not allowed to carry backpacks to events like this. Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home. The only time I ever wear one is you know, when I'm going backpacking.

"You have people that have their backpacks with them, a runner may have a hydration pack on them, another person may be coming to watch the race and they may have a backpack," Penza said. "You see them so much, you stop thinking that any of those bags might have explosives."

Marathon Security Practices Scrutinized in Wake of Boston Marathon Explosions - ABC News
Click to expand...

It's very simple: You set up a perimeter around the start and the finish lines (which is where people congregate) and search the bags of people who enter the perimeter

It's what they do at other sporting events and concerts, etc.
 
I always brought my bookbag when I went to the Marathon. I didn't want to be in my Red Sox jersey all day so I would bring a different shirt. I pretty much drank all day so we would put bottles of water in our bags so we could drink something no alcohol based. Also, we would bring premade mixed drink so we could drink all day.
 
sangha said:
It's very simple: You set up a perimeter around the start and the finish lines (which is where people congregate) and search the bags of people who enter the perimeter

It's what they do at other sporting events and concerts, etc.
Click to expand...

How dare you bring common sense to this troll thread!
 
Well up until April 15, 2013, someone could have walked down the street with a pressure cooker and nobody's first or tenth thought would "Potential bomb". Ban backpacks, they will use briefcases, suitcases, whatever.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
This Boston bombing could not have taken place if people were not allowed to carry backpacks to events like this. Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home. The only time I ever wear one is you know, when I'm going backpacking.

"You have people that have their backpacks with them, a runner may have a hydration pack on them, another person may be coming to watch the race and they may have a backpack," Penza said. "You see them so much, you stop thinking that any of those bags might have explosives."

Marathon Security Practices Scrutinized in Wake of Boston Marathon Explosions - ABC News
Click to expand...

Concentrating on tactics is a losing proposition. Ban backpacks and they'll simply find another method.
 
Fisher said:
Well up until April 15, 2013, someone could have walked down the street with a pressure cooker and nobody's first or tenth thought would "Potential bomb". Ban backpacks, they will use briefcases, suitcases, whatever.
Click to expand...

That date was determined by someone?

I've been paranoid in shoulder to shoulder crowds for a while now. Mostly because certain Americans think we should be "free" to do what most people know are risky. Certain people are trying to take "freedom" to an Anarchist level.
 
Gaius46 said:
Concentrating on tactics is a losing proposition. Ban backpacks and they'll simply find another method.
Click to expand...

:yt.....................................
 
sawyerloggingon said:
Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home.
Click to expand...
Utterly absurd suggestion.

Backpacks have far greater use than just for hiking.
They are made for carrying things.
Whether that be to a sporting event or to take a persons shopping home, or shoes and clothing to work, they serve a far greater purpose than for just hiking.


Anti-Party said:
How dare you bring common sense to this troll thread!
Click to expand...
Searching a persons personal property is not common sense, but a violation.
 
Serenity said:
No they should not. What's next, shopping bags? Baby strollers. Handbags?
Click to expand...

Clothes. Hard to hide things if everyone is naked.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
This Boston bombing could not have taken place if people were not allowed to carry backpacks to events like this. Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home. The only time I ever wear one is you know, when I'm going backpacking.

"You have people that have their backpacks with them, a runner may have a hydration pack on them, another person may be coming to watch the race and they may have a backpack," Penza said. "You see them so much, you stop thinking that any of those bags might have explosives."

Marathon Security Practices Scrutinized in Wake of Boston Marathon Explosions - ABC News
Click to expand...

Nobody was carrying the backpacks in question when the bombs exploded. So I guess we can rule out that it wasn't a suicide bomber or a backwoods backpacker from Idaho. Btw, aren't suicide attacks one of Al-Qaeda's trademarks? If so, then it probably wasn't Al Qaeda.

Anyway, the news has been reporting that one of the backpacks sat there in plain view for over an hour before it went off (see photo).

130416-whdh-backpack-before-1.photoblog600.jpg


However, that backpack doesn't look very black like the one they're now showing torn to pieces.....

130416094907_ABC_marathon_backpack_130416_wblog.jpg


Was the news jumping to conclusions.....again? Kinda looks like it.

The fact that no one noticed unattended backpack(s) suggests that Sen. Mitch McConnell was right, American's have become complacent.
 
I have a better idea.... How about the American Public get our heads out of our asses and start paying some attention to what's going on around us? I don't know about anywhere else, but here in Massachusetts the state has been promoting a program for people to speak up when they see something out of the ordinary. Bags left unattended are on that list. In a crowd like that it's more difficult to recognize these things sometimes, but we as citizens need to start getting involved in our own safety. If something looks out of place, tell somebody about it. Don't assume that "It's nothing".
 
Tigger said:
I have a better idea.... How about the American Public get our heads out of our asses and start paying some attention to what's going on around us? I don't know about anywhere else, but here in Massachusetts the state has been promoting a program for people to speak up when they see something out of the ordinary. Bags left unattended are on that list. In a crowd like that it's more difficult to recognize these things sometimes, but we as citizens need to start getting involved in our own safety. If something looks out of place, tell somebody about it. Don't assume that "It's nothing".
Click to expand...

This is the correct reaction. Banning things never helps anything. We should go on with our lives normally and not allow the terrorists to change our lives with their tactics. But we should be more vigilant and report suspicious items and activities. You can't stop crimes by banning things.
 
Oh I get it...kid shoots and kills other kids with assault (style) weapon, and "we" want to ban assault (style) weapons..

Backpacks (maybe) used to transport explosives....lets ban backpacks...

I see what you're doing there.....
 
sawyerloggingon said:
This Boston bombing could not have taken place if people were not allowed to carry backpacks to events like this. Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home. The only time I ever wear one is you know, when I'm going backpacking.

"You have people that have their backpacks with them, a runner may have a hydration pack on them, another person may be coming to watch the race and they may have a backpack," Penza said. "You see them so much, you stop thinking that any of those bags might have explosives."

Marathon Security Practices Scrutinized in Wake of Boston Marathon Explosions - ABC News
Click to expand...

My home away from home is Disney World. Post 9/11/01 they stop every guest and search their bags, usually ladies who carry handbags. It's an annoyance and IMHO an intrusive invasion of privacy but I understand people are just doing their jobs. Recently I asked a bag searcher in the years they've been digging through people's bags have he'd ever found anything dangerous. He smiled and shook his head no.

I realize the world isn't as safe a place as we'd like but in my humble opinion there are a lot more effective things we can and should do to promote safety than banning backpacks, searching handbags and fondling children and little old ladies and airports.
 
Hmmmmmm.

I think everyone should be allowed to carry a gun (including children over 3), and be allowed to shoot the **** out of any backpack that even looks suspect. Even of someone is wearing it. One can never be too sure, ya know.
 
Anti-Party said:
How dare you bring common sense to this troll thread!
Click to expand...

sangha said:
It's very simple: You set up a perimeter around the start and the finish lines (which is where people congregate) and search the bags of people who enter the perimeter

It's what they do at other sporting events and concerts, etc.
Click to expand...

That may be common sense but when does it end and how large should the perimeter continue to grow. Before you know it we will be frisked as soon as we walk out our door. Liberty be damned.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
This Boston bombing could not have taken place if people were not allowed to carry backpacks to events like this. Why does anyone really need a backpack anyway? IMO it would not be asking to much to leave your backpack home. The only time I ever wear one is you know, when I'm going backpacking.

"You have people that have their backpacks with them, a runner may have a hydration pack on them, another person may be coming to watch the race and they may have a backpack," Penza said. "You see them so much, you stop thinking that any of those bags might have explosives."

Marathon Security Practices Scrutinized in Wake of Boston Marathon Explosions - ABC News
Click to expand...
This occurred to me a couple days ago. (Not as something that should be done, but as a knee-jerk reaction that might happen)

I would say 'no', simply because if it's not a backpack, it's some other concealing method.
 
sangha said:
It's very simple: You set up a perimeter around the start and the finish lines (which is where people congregate) and search the bags of people who enter the perimeter

It's what they do at other sporting events and concerts, etc.
Click to expand...
...and the bombs will be placed outside the perimeter where people are lined up to get checked to go in. In other words, any bombs will follow where people congregate... inside the event, or outside the event in line to get inside the event.
 
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