First, lets look at how criminals are detered from their actions.    Extra security prevents a small number of criminals from commiting a crime.   Stiff sentences also deter some criminals from committing the crime.   I believe the biggest reason criminals do not commit the crime is because of our swift ability to catch them.   High profile crimes in the United States are usually solved quickly.   So for a criminal to commit the crime they have to not be affraid of any of the above.

Second,  when someone wants to commit a crime, they will.    You cannot stop someone hell bent on commiting a crime if they want to, unless you lock them up.    Running around arresting people to keep people safe is pretty stupid.   Talking about commiting a crime and doing it are to different things.  It appears we now take talk almost as serious.

Third,  what are the odds of being a victim of a terrorist attack?     You have better odd getting stuck by lightning, getting killed driving home,  or winning the lottery.    With the current level of police and military and laws we have, you have better odds of winning a million dollars in lottery than being killed in a terrorist attack.   All of that without the need of additional searches or pushing on our freedoms.   I do not need to walk through a metal detector at a hotel to know I am safe.

So what should be done?   The CIA and FBI should continue to investigate groups that push terror.   The local law inforcement should continue to look for and arrest criminals.   We should continue to live our lifes like normal.     The Mumbai event while tragic does not equate to an attack here in the United States.   The people who commited the crime in Mumbai have been killed or caught.   So they will have to recruit more.   Just like any other crime, once investigated they police will learn what and why it happened.   They will know what they missed.

The media needs to back off and learn about reporting responsibility.   Report the facts.   Report how and why.   Do not continue to speculate and help the terrorists accomplish their goals.    Continuing to ask questions about if it can happen here, does nothing but scare people.    As Roosevelt said “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”