Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble. Photo courtesy Wiki.
Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble discussed the unthinkable for some in big government: The option of encouraging an armed citizenry to deal with terror attacks on “soft targets” like shopping malls in an interview with ABC News. In a post titled Exclusive: After Westgate, Interpol Chief Ponders ‘Armed Citizenry.’ reports:
Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said today the U.S. and the rest of the democratic world is at a security crossroads in the wake of last month’s deadly al-Shabab attack at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya – and suggested an answer could be in arming civilians.
Dawn breaks over the still-smoldering Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013. Working near bodies crushed by rubble in a bullet-scarred, scorched mall, FBI agents began fingerprint, DNA and ballistic analysis Wednesday to help determine the identities and nationalities of victims and al-Shabab gunmen who attacked the shopping center, killing more than 60 people. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Noble said there are really only two choices for protecting open societies from attacks like the one on Westgate mall where so-called “soft targets” are hit: either create secure perimeters around the locations or allow civilians to carry their own guns to protect themselves.
“Societies have to think about how they’re going to approach the problem,” Noble said. “One is to say we want an armed citizenry; you can see the reason for that. Another is to say the enclaves are so secure that in order to get into the soft target you’re going to have to pass through extraordinary security.”
It gets better.
A lot better.
He goes on to say:
“Ask yourself: If that was Denver, Col., if that was Texas, would those guys have been able to spend hours, days, shooting people randomly?” Noble said, referring to states with pro-gun traditions. “What I’m saying is it makes police around the world question their views on gun control. It makes citizens question their views on gun control. You have to ask yourself, ‘Is an armed citizenry more necessary now than it was in the past with an evolving threat of terrorism?’ This is something that has to be discussed.”
“For me it’s a profound question,” he continued. “People are quick to say ‘gun control, people shouldn’t be armed,’ etc., etc. I think they have to ask themselves: ‘Where would you have wanted to be? In a city where there was gun control and no citizens armed if you’re in a Westgate mall, or in a place like Denver or Texas?’”
4 thoughts on “GASP! Interpol chief ponders benefits of armed citizenry”
For someone in the international community, Mr. Noble is really thinking outside the box. Very refreshing.
He is thinking these events are ALWAYS going to be this way, amazingly questions about what is the event changer. A legally armed society is a polite society.
Remember that was on ABC news, a low-viewership US network, not a widely available European media. He wasn’t interviewed in the European media.
Still, I wonder if “Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble” will still be “Interpol Secretary General” in another year after this admission. Sure hope so.
I wish I wasn’t banned from the Brady campaign Facebook page, would love to ask the thumbsuckers what they think of this.
For someone in the international community, Mr. Noble is really thinking outside the box. Very refreshing.
He is thinking these events are ALWAYS going to be this way, amazingly questions about what is the event changer. A legally armed society is a polite society.
Remember that was on ABC news, a low-viewership US network, not a widely available European media. He wasn’t interviewed in the European media.
Still, I wonder if “Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble” will still be “Interpol Secretary General” in another year after this admission. Sure hope so.
I wish I wasn’t banned from the Brady campaign Facebook page, would love to ask the thumbsuckers what they think of this.