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Don't underestimate the anger jusssst under the surface seething that we hold against those that will kill us. Most are waiting for that spark that will set into motion something that our government will not be able to control. They can't lock tens of millions of Americans up. How will they stop millions of Americans from seeking retribution?

First, I'm one of the seething ones, like you. But Americans are deeply culturally adverse to murder. We have faith (too much) in our institutions to handle our revenge for us. We believe very deeply as a people that law and order trump our personal anger. Will all the things we have been through as a nation, there has never been a prolonged period of revolt other than the civil war, which was legitimized by law and order governments. Every other attack we have withstood by upholding our root belief in law and order. Parents of murdered children, husbands of murdered wives, rarely commit murder to find their own personal justice. They let the system do its work. You write "tens of millions" of Americans will be out murdering muslims--yet I'll bet you can't count five people you know personally who would be willing to murder in cold blood for any reason. The only way the majority, or even a significant minority, of Americans support killing is when it is sanctioned by the government in war. A big attack on us would see floods of men and women joining the armed forces, and perhaps vocal anti-muslim outrage. But we are a few generations from being murderers. Thank God.

But Americans are deeply culturally adverse to murder. We have faith (too much) in our institutions to handle our revenge for us.

I disagree. I think if the right button is pushed, Americans will become killing machines to protect their families. Don't forget, it's families that will be murdered when the next attack comes. What would you do to protect your family from murderers? How far would you go? Would you open the door and let them in...or would you protect your family? That's basic logic. Survival.

You are forgetting, if they have their way, it won't be OUR institutions any longer. With the mass chaos that may develope should a nuke go off, do you think Uncle Sam will be worried about protecting the people who's religion demands such a thing of them?

It will be a whole new play book we would be reading should that ever happen.

Remember the problems the government had helping Katrina victims? When Rita hit, remember the freeways clogged for hours with traffic that was stopped? Take that and magnify it by a factor of a thousand. Do you think with such anarchy and chaos that a handfull of those who's religion required them to kill infidels would be on the top of the governments protect to do list?

You're not thinking about a nuke attack, you're thinking on a smaller scale, a suicide bomb. And, not even that situtation when compared to the unthinkable will keep them safe for long. Let a few suicide bombers set off their explosions in schools and crowded malls and you'll quickly see the savagery in all of us.

But we are a few generations from being murderers.

Don't count on it when the life of your family is at stake.