We Cannot Harden the World Against Every Attacker

The vacuum of facts has been filled by hysteria and the usual conspiracy theories, as well as understandable demands to make changes so that such a thing can never happen again, but that's not possible. We don't need a panic - or a fortress ballroom. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

After a shooting attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, calls to harden trains, hotels, and public spaces are growing. But as analysis notes, total safety is an illusion—over-securitizing society risks trading democratic openness for fear-driven control.

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This is going to be my only comment on the Washington Correspondents Dinner's attempted political shooting. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

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Fictional Future budget items in the lunatic crawled future? 99.99% gdp to defense, 0.001 to everything else. Everyone is so safe now. Aren't we all happy. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

"As many observers have noted, the system in place seems to have worked as intended: Allen never got close to the president." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

🎁🔗: We Cannot Harden the World Against Every Attacker www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

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www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0... who wants to come over so we can harden our trains together

schools need more security than airports but you can't expect us to put up a metal detector at every presidential dinner now pay me my six figures I'm Tom Nichols sentient salami voice of reason

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Harden our hearts, not the trains or buildings. No mention of the insane amount of and easy access to guns? It's over America. Shootings are our way of life now. Every American will either get shot (I did) or witness a shooting. Freedom. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

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“After every frightening event, zero-defect thinking tends to overtake reason. Already,some…talking about tightening security on trains,…as protected as airplanes…same thinking that had Americans kicking off their shoes and handing over their belts in airports…”👇🏼 www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Tragedy was averted at a Washington hotel, but such moments will happen again.

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The logical thing to do if we wanted to make society safer would be to restrict access to the tools that make individuals so dangerous. It goes unmentioned that the "open society" @radiofreetom.bsky.social talks about here is awash in guns and doesn't have to be. There is another way

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Feed: "The Atlantic" By: Tom Nichols on Monday, April 27, 2026