Tuesday’s truck attack in lower Manhattan killed eight people an injured another eleven. The driver, Sayfullo Saipov, has made no bones about his admiration for ISIS and how pleased he is with his handiwork. What’s more, like so many perpetrators of other terrorist attacks here and in Europe, he wasn’t unknown to local authorities. Which probably leaves New Yorkers wondering, how many other “known wolves” are out there?
NYC mayor & NY governor walking the @NYCHalloween parade route together pic.twitter.com/LPkYAnrveq
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 31, 2017
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill De Blasio made sure to pat each other on the backs, noting how much safer the Empire State is thanks to its largely useless and widely disregarded SAFE Act. They also made sure to show the world that the terrorists hand’t won by marching in the annual Halloween Parade (under the protection of who knows how many armed guards).
Less than two hours after delivering updates in a news conference, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo greeted revelers side by side at the parade.
“Tonight we’re at a Halloween parade to say you didn’t win and you didn’t affect us,” Cuomo told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “We’re doing what New Yorkers do.”
They also praised New Yorkers for being brave, coming out on All Hallows’ Eve, being on the streets and not letting terrorism make them shut-ins. As if they had a choice.
Another aspect of daily life about which almost all New Yorkers have no choice is whether to arm themselves against, muggers, rapists, murderers and, well, terrorists. The City That Never Sleeps is a designated no-go zone for legal concealed carry for all but its most wealthy and connected citizens.
So since America’s highest profile city makes an ideal target for the Sayfullo Saipovs of the world, are New Yorkers showing how brave they really are every day by venturing out without a (legal) gun?