And it seems that a taxi driver of migrant origin was the good guy here.
There's a basic truth in life. Good people are good; bad people are bad; weak people can be led in any direction. Good people who are adherents of any cult will interpret its tenets according to their own nature; bad people, likewise. And weak people can be made to believe any idiocy in their hunger to belong and be valued.
And it's really bad for anyone to be crazy, and many people suffer from forms of mental illness that are either not treatable, or must be treated under rigorous controls because a basic fact about crazy people is they do not recognize their crazy.
I am so sorry to see the anguish caused today. It will undoubtedly come out that Alexander S. was unsafe at any speed, and though hurling insults at politicians is grounds for removal, at least temporarily, from society, being a walking timebomb is something bureaucrats hardly even wring their hands over.
I can already predict that the "Taxifahrer mit Migrationshintergrund was the good guy here!" will be trumpeted all over the media. The Germans will find it reassuring and they will probably rush to celebrate him. Not that he doesn't deserve it, and not that you're not right about the distribution of good, bad, weak, and crazy in the world.
🤔. Please define good and bad. Good people adherent to cults? Aren't cults synonymous with evil? Weak people follow strong cult leaders, who are bad. I met a woman who was brought up in a religious cult and blames that for what she does now. What she fails to realize is she fell for another cult, and like her dad was, she is also a leader. The final cult of personality looms on the horizon. Do you think you'll recognize him?
The terrorist stabbing in Haifa, Israel today was a Druze born in Germany. The Druze community in Israel has disavowed any connection to him and won’t let him be given a Druze burial.
Stay strong, and hold on. This psychoses will pass. The sun still shines, the earth still spins, the flowers bloom, the children are born innocent. Your ancestors also endured Hell on Earth. Stand strong.
Jesus said many times to fear not and told us this would happen. Hold to truth. Seek and find. Then you can chill. You can't control what was forewarned.
Continue to ask your countrymen questions which challenge their brainwashed thinking. If you are kind and do not point fingers they may feel frustrated with you but you cannot be “the bad guy.” Attack positions but not the man. This method keeps the cage door open so the bird can return. Stick with truth and do not deny if “your side” was in the wrong. Maybe it isn’t really “your side” after all. Perhaps this is what your neighbors will also conclude as they begin to seek a more enlightened worldview. Best
Germany is proving, unfortunately, that very limited access to guns does not protect the citizens from crazies. This whole, "if we just get rid of guns," fantasy is just that.
I am sorry people have to go through this there. I'm sure the fear level is increased, and people are afraid to do normal things in public as this keeps happening.
Fifty plus years ago, as a young loan company manager in Houston, we were held up twice and I got to see the gun barrel up close and personal. I can think about it today and still see both men clearly in my mind. People who experienced these attacks there will never forget them. Many will never get over the fear.
"Mexico has very strict gun laws that make it almost impossible for criminals to obtain a gun legally there. There is only one gun store in the whole country, and the government issues fewer than 50 gun permits per year. But Mexico ranks third in the world in the number of gun-related deaths. In 2021, 69% of homicides were committed with a gun."
I have been robbed at gunpoint here in Brazil, and i've been in the middle of an exchange of shots between the police and favela thugs. There was also a girl that resisted robbery in my street that got seven bullets put into her. You are righr that it leaves a scar.
Whenever i hear loud noises i simply duck no matter what. And whenever i see ghetto people i get this "i can't breath" feeling. Its fucked up alright
Hopefully with time you will stop reacting so strongly unless of course you are still in a dangerous situation. Thirty years ago, I took up shooting sports and became very familiar with firearms and when my state started carry permits, I got one and have had one since. This is not a guarantee of safety but at least at 86 I feel I can defend myself if I have to.
Guns here are illegal. Some folks still get them. But then you run into the problem of having nowhere to practice, so what good is a gun if you can't shoot straight?
About the anxiety i fear it will never go away. It does when i travel to countries that are safer, but here i'm always hyper-aware.
Ever been in one? They should have been banned for their ticky tack interiors that break away under pressure and the thin-ass seats through which you feel every spring...but I kid-
The owner of the Ford Fiesta used in the attack – very likely but not certainly Alexander S. himself – previously came to the notice of police “for displaying images of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations,” at least one of them associated with “right-wing extremism.” He also had himself admitted to hospital after expressing a desire to douse himself with petrol and set himself alight "Police do not suspect that Alexander S. had any political motivations for today’s attack."
I am still anxiously awaiting on your views of the EU coalition of the willing summit on the Ukraine and the EU media reaction to Trump WH meeting with "green goblin".
Is it true that Munich cancelled public carnival celebrations after the February attack? I don't know what I would do if I were in charge of them, or considering going to them. I would hate to put anyone's life at risk. But cancelling all celebrations is capitulation.
I agree. Looking at it rationally, cancelling celebrations gives the terrorist more power than they need to have. I think I'd definitely want to go to carnival anyway, or even more than before, out of a sense of spite ("jetzt erst recht" we'd say). But these decisions are made emotionally, not rationally. On the one hand, I think I shouldn't criticise them because I can't tell anyone how they should feel.
On the other hand, organisers of large events, especially public ones, have a certain responsibility not to impose their feelings on others. There are subtle mechanisms at play, especially in these days of social media virtue signaling (remember #prayforparis etc.). If you just celebrate despite of such an event, you risk being regarded as heartless. And people in positions of (local) power, e.g. a mayor, can not afford such a shitstorm. But I wished for leaders (broadly defined, including people running carnival events) who gave a signal like: "We think of the victims and their families, but we also know that life goes on, and we can't let a single crazy terrorist dictate our lives, even for the next few days. Objectively, the danger of something bad happening at our local carnival has not increased. Everybody grieves differently, so we understand if you choose to abstain from the celebrations. I will join the silent commemoration in the morning, but then move on to carnival because that's what the perpetrator wanted to take from us. I'm sure it will be a special atmosphere this year, please respect each other and stay safe".
But such a move would be a balancing act and just cancelling everything is the safest way not to get into a shitstorm.
I wasn't assuming they canceled the events out of sadness, but because they were afraid of further attacks. And if I were in charge of one, I might do the same--the risk might be too great. The problem is that a "pause" might last forever. Think of all the plans cancelled, all the businesses devastated, all the people afraid. It's awful.
I'd agree if there was any indication that the attack was committed by a group, as part of a larger plot. However, all the recent attacks that we read about appear to be the work of individuals. Sure, you could argue that every such attack could prompt copycat attacks. But as you wrote, the pause could last forever. The Mannheim attack was likely inspired by the Magdeburg attack months ago. That one may have been inspired by the Berlin attack years ago. That's not reasonable. There is no rational reason why events are cancelled after such an attack other than the rational fear of politicians to get bad press. The more I think about it, the more cowardly it seems.
To add to my own comment: it is exactly this "out of an abundance of precaution" thinking that brought us lockdowns. Politicians feared to be blamed for something they have virtually no control over (*), so they just shut down everything to minimise blame, causing much larger damage in the process.
* I know, AfD wants you to believe otherwise, and of course they have a point in that stricter immigration could prevent some crimes by immigrants. But the Mannheim attack was committed by a German, the Magdeburg one by a doctor who has lived and worked here for years. AfD policies wouldn't have prevented either. A better mental health system may have prevented some attacks, but similarly, a better health system could have prepared us better for a pandemic. It's true on a broad level but not relevant to my argument about politicians' short-term strategic thinking.
Let us hope the authorities do the investigation properly, and release all information as soon as possible - to eliminate as many assumptions as possible.
it might be an idea to let these people do what they intended to. they will either harm themselves or they harm others. Better if it is the first. Why is this man running free to begin with?
Yeah, it might have been better had he been allowed to self-delete. Lakes of fire are ironic. My crazy relative, in his mania, claims that Jesus directs his actions.
"Please wait here sir. Our analysts are still selecting the appropriate Ring for your... er... permanent placement. It seems that both Ring Five and Ring Seven have open... uhm... slots."
I think you would have been wise to write "IT SEEMS was neither an act of Islamist terrorism nor another instance of migrant violence. " especially as that photo makes it easy to believe he is not a native German.
I just want to apply the same evidentiary standards to this story as I do to others, without trying to bend anything to fit a narrative. God knows enough fits the grim narrative already.
And it seems that a taxi driver of migrant origin was the good guy here.
There's a basic truth in life. Good people are good; bad people are bad; weak people can be led in any direction. Good people who are adherents of any cult will interpret its tenets according to their own nature; bad people, likewise. And weak people can be made to believe any idiocy in their hunger to belong and be valued.
And it's really bad for anyone to be crazy, and many people suffer from forms of mental illness that are either not treatable, or must be treated under rigorous controls because a basic fact about crazy people is they do not recognize their crazy.
I am so sorry to see the anguish caused today. It will undoubtedly come out that Alexander S. was unsafe at any speed, and though hurling insults at politicians is grounds for removal, at least temporarily, from society, being a walking timebomb is something bureaucrats hardly even wring their hands over.
So many perceptive observations, and a good point about the walking time bomb.
An actual "true believer" will always be the one who perceives the transcendent part of any scripture and separates all the human crap out.
wisdom ☝🏼
Indeed, the unravelling of civilized norms comes from all directions. The devil is laughing quietly in the background.
Not so quietly…
It's always been a shame that Christianity perverted the original concept of (the) Satan.
🙄. Who came first, GOD or Satan?
I can already predict that the "Taxifahrer mit Migrationshintergrund was the good guy here!" will be trumpeted all over the media. The Germans will find it reassuring and they will probably rush to celebrate him. Not that he doesn't deserve it, and not that you're not right about the distribution of good, bad, weak, and crazy in the world.
Yes, everyone will use every aspect of this according to the breakdown in my first comment.
🤔. Please define good and bad. Good people adherent to cults? Aren't cults synonymous with evil? Weak people follow strong cult leaders, who are bad. I met a woman who was brought up in a religious cult and blames that for what she does now. What she fails to realize is she fell for another cult, and like her dad was, she is also a leader. The final cult of personality looms on the horizon. Do you think you'll recognize him?
The terrorist stabbing in Haifa, Israel today was a Druze born in Germany. The Druze community in Israel has disavowed any connection to him and won’t let him be given a Druze burial.
From top to bottom, my country is gripped by madness, and there is no way out for me.
Stay strong, and hold on. This psychoses will pass. The sun still shines, the earth still spins, the flowers bloom, the children are born innocent. Your ancestors also endured Hell on Earth. Stand strong.
True that. Thank you, Oregonian. There are moments of weakness and despair.
Jesus said many times to fear not and told us this would happen. Hold to truth. Seek and find. Then you can chill. You can't control what was forewarned.
Yup. Keep the faith, man. It's all going to end just as it started; slowly, then all at once.
Its hard to believe how fast the zeitgeist has changed across the pond.
Once people see the light; the dark vanishes in a second.
Don't forget people are fickled...and some are slooooow.
Continue to ask your countrymen questions which challenge their brainwashed thinking. If you are kind and do not point fingers they may feel frustrated with you but you cannot be “the bad guy.” Attack positions but not the man. This method keeps the cage door open so the bird can return. Stick with truth and do not deny if “your side” was in the wrong. Maybe it isn’t really “your side” after all. Perhaps this is what your neighbors will also conclude as they begin to seek a more enlightened worldview. Best
Yeah, I hear you.
Also, memes work, precisely because hypocrisy is base material for mockery and humor.
Force multipliers when combined.
We are in meme warfare and they haven't figured out how to use the weapon yet.
We're going to win.
They haven't figured it out because they don't have any sense of humor whatsoever! Constant anger doesn't lead to creating memes!
Memes can only be wielded by the true cultural creatives. The 'left' lost that status some time ago.
Then again, I'm in my 60's and still laugh at 4 chan level fart jokes.
You can do what's right and support reform. People like you are needed everywhere. Don't give up.
Not convinced that he’s not one of the ‘religion of peace’ from that photo.
I wonder if it's a violation to identify anyone as an adherent of the "religion of peace."
Y'know? Hate speech and all?
I think he is of the religion of pieces, too. Or a left winger set up to set up the right.
He sure looks like it. He possibly changed his original name to "fit in". It's like meeting a Chinese guy who says his name is Harold.
Germany is proving, unfortunately, that very limited access to guns does not protect the citizens from crazies. This whole, "if we just get rid of guns," fantasy is just that.
I am sorry people have to go through this there. I'm sure the fear level is increased, and people are afraid to do normal things in public as this keeps happening.
Fifty plus years ago, as a young loan company manager in Houston, we were held up twice and I got to see the gun barrel up close and personal. I can think about it today and still see both men clearly in my mind. People who experienced these attacks there will never forget them. Many will never get over the fear.
Germany is just replicating the original proof.
"Mexico has very strict gun laws that make it almost impossible for criminals to obtain a gun legally there. There is only one gun store in the whole country, and the government issues fewer than 50 gun permits per year. But Mexico ranks third in the world in the number of gun-related deaths. In 2021, 69% of homicides were committed with a gun."
--SCOTUSBLOG, 2025-03-03
I have been robbed at gunpoint here in Brazil, and i've been in the middle of an exchange of shots between the police and favela thugs. There was also a girl that resisted robbery in my street that got seven bullets put into her. You are righr that it leaves a scar.
Whenever i hear loud noises i simply duck no matter what. And whenever i see ghetto people i get this "i can't breath" feeling. Its fucked up alright
Hopefully with time you will stop reacting so strongly unless of course you are still in a dangerous situation. Thirty years ago, I took up shooting sports and became very familiar with firearms and when my state started carry permits, I got one and have had one since. This is not a guarantee of safety but at least at 86 I feel I can defend myself if I have to.
Guns here are illegal. Some folks still get them. But then you run into the problem of having nowhere to practice, so what good is a gun if you can't shoot straight?
About the anxiety i fear it will never go away. It does when i travel to countries that are safer, but here i'm always hyper-aware.
Doesn’t that mean that all Ford Fiestas should be banned now in Germany? Or better- all cars. After all, “cars kill.” 🤣🤣🤣
Per the media, the car did it, so apparently yes. Had no idea "Maximum Overdrive" and "Christine" were documentaries.
The media just can't resist proving how vile they are. Every. Single. Freaking. Time.
Have all humans lost the capacity for logic or only some? Perhaps this is classified under “situational ethics?”
“Situational ethics”. Ohhh. That is delicious. Totally stolen.
Never trusted Ford products, More of a Chevy and Mopar person myself...
Fix or repair daily (Ford)
First On Race Day
Tee Hee!
Ford Fiestas–a model only available with internal combustion engines–are shortly going to be banned under net zero
Ever been in one? They should have been banned for their ticky tack interiors that break away under pressure and the thin-ass seats through which you feel every spring...but I kid-
That’s why they don’t cost a lot.
And they complain about Trump tariffs. How about carbon taxes?
he has a crazed look about the eyes. funny how you can see insanity. I'm all in favor of nut houses.
The owner of the Ford Fiesta used in the attack – very likely but not certainly Alexander S. himself – previously came to the notice of police “for displaying images of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations,” at least one of them associated with “right-wing extremism.” He also had himself admitted to hospital after expressing a desire to douse himself with petrol and set himself alight "Police do not suspect that Alexander S. had any political motivations for today’s attack."
Ya got some mighty talented journalists there E.
Yes, it just HAD to be a right winger didnt it?
How long before he is a member of AFD? ...Three .... Two.....One ...
"Luke...Don't...It's a trap," said Princess Leia.
Prolly got a "45/47" tattooed on his do-do.
‘SympathizIng with AFD’
I am still anxiously awaiting on your views of the EU coalition of the willing summit on the Ukraine and the EU media reaction to Trump WH meeting with "green goblin".
that was going to come today but it was derailed by this story, so tomorrow now
thanks so much.
do let us know if a story like this took over while the eu overlords are concocting their witches brew. a good distraction is always so helpful.
Staging the photo op between Zelensky and King Charles was a particularly cynical gimmick from the UK Govt.
Is it true that Munich cancelled public carnival celebrations after the February attack? I don't know what I would do if I were in charge of them, or considering going to them. I would hate to put anyone's life at risk. But cancelling all celebrations is capitulation.
many cities did, Munich probably too.
I agree. Looking at it rationally, cancelling celebrations gives the terrorist more power than they need to have. I think I'd definitely want to go to carnival anyway, or even more than before, out of a sense of spite ("jetzt erst recht" we'd say). But these decisions are made emotionally, not rationally. On the one hand, I think I shouldn't criticise them because I can't tell anyone how they should feel.
On the other hand, organisers of large events, especially public ones, have a certain responsibility not to impose their feelings on others. There are subtle mechanisms at play, especially in these days of social media virtue signaling (remember #prayforparis etc.). If you just celebrate despite of such an event, you risk being regarded as heartless. And people in positions of (local) power, e.g. a mayor, can not afford such a shitstorm. But I wished for leaders (broadly defined, including people running carnival events) who gave a signal like: "We think of the victims and their families, but we also know that life goes on, and we can't let a single crazy terrorist dictate our lives, even for the next few days. Objectively, the danger of something bad happening at our local carnival has not increased. Everybody grieves differently, so we understand if you choose to abstain from the celebrations. I will join the silent commemoration in the morning, but then move on to carnival because that's what the perpetrator wanted to take from us. I'm sure it will be a special atmosphere this year, please respect each other and stay safe".
But such a move would be a balancing act and just cancelling everything is the safest way not to get into a shitstorm.
I wasn't assuming they canceled the events out of sadness, but because they were afraid of further attacks. And if I were in charge of one, I might do the same--the risk might be too great. The problem is that a "pause" might last forever. Think of all the plans cancelled, all the businesses devastated, all the people afraid. It's awful.
I'd agree if there was any indication that the attack was committed by a group, as part of a larger plot. However, all the recent attacks that we read about appear to be the work of individuals. Sure, you could argue that every such attack could prompt copycat attacks. But as you wrote, the pause could last forever. The Mannheim attack was likely inspired by the Magdeburg attack months ago. That one may have been inspired by the Berlin attack years ago. That's not reasonable. There is no rational reason why events are cancelled after such an attack other than the rational fear of politicians to get bad press. The more I think about it, the more cowardly it seems.
To add to my own comment: it is exactly this "out of an abundance of precaution" thinking that brought us lockdowns. Politicians feared to be blamed for something they have virtually no control over (*), so they just shut down everything to minimise blame, causing much larger damage in the process.
* I know, AfD wants you to believe otherwise, and of course they have a point in that stricter immigration could prevent some crimes by immigrants. But the Mannheim attack was committed by a German, the Magdeburg one by a doctor who has lived and worked here for years. AfD policies wouldn't have prevented either. A better mental health system may have prevented some attacks, but similarly, a better health system could have prepared us better for a pandemic. It's true on a broad level but not relevant to my argument about politicians' short-term strategic thinking.
Thank you for this information.
Let us hope the authorities do the investigation properly, and release all information as soon as possible - to eliminate as many assumptions as possible.
Enjoy the lake of fire, Alex
it might be an idea to let these people do what they intended to. they will either harm themselves or they harm others. Better if it is the first. Why is this man running free to begin with?
Yeah, it might have been better had he been allowed to self-delete. Lakes of fire are ironic. My crazy relative, in his mania, claims that Jesus directs his actions.
"Please wait here sir. Our analysts are still selecting the appropriate Ring for your... er... permanent placement. It seems that both Ring Five and Ring Seven have open... uhm... slots."
Anne Coulter rule: The longer the authorities take to identify a suspect, the more likely he is to be a minority.
And the less they tell you about the suspect, the more guilty he undoubtedly is.
Thank you for your reportage.
Now I am extremely curious to research what a "blank round" for a "gas pistol" consists of.
And I have been a firearms instructor for 30 years, go figure.
(We don't get a lot of interest in "gas pistols.")
It's a European thing. I believe gas pistols shoot a gas capsule that sprays something noxious like tear gas on impact.
Ah, that does make more sense. I was reading it as a gun with a gas mechanism, like a CO₂-powered pellet gun.
Perhaps solar powered pistols?
I was wondering the same thing...
Is it possible that guy is the descendant of a secret trist between Paul Von Hindenburg and someone with downs syndrome?
That’s vicious. I’ve ruptured something…🤣🤣🤣
I think you would have been wise to write "IT SEEMS was neither an act of Islamist terrorism nor another instance of migrant violence. " especially as that photo makes it easy to believe he is not a native German.
I just want to apply the same evidentiary standards to this story as I do to others, without trying to bend anything to fit a narrative. God knows enough fits the grim narrative already.
Good on you! I very much appreciate that your standards are so high when reporting about something.