Can a backpack make people scared of terrorism?

I think it depends on whether the pack has a an explosive vest or wielding a gun and is chanting terror threats.

 

Parked vans can make people scared, backpacks can make people scared, unattended shopping bags can make people scared, dogs can make people scared, escalators can make people scared, freckled faces can make people scared. Thats all totally fine, people are scared of different things for different reasons, however when someone immediately fears some form of terrorism when seeing anything that means that person has already lost to terrorism as spreading fear for whatever reason is the number one goal for terrorists. Don't give in to terrorism, do what you want to do and wear what you feel like wearing.

 

I think your question is flawed.

People arent scared of terrorism because of a backpack, theyre scared of terrorism because it hurts and kills.
A better question would be "Would people think youre a terrorist because youre taking your backpack into places like malls and bars?"

I'd like to say that Ive never done that, I'd like to. But on vacation sometimes I have a pack with me (if we're walking around a city the whole day and I know Im buying records then I need somewhere to put them, plus I dont want to carry my water all day, toss it into my pack.

But if youre doing it regularly, going to bars with your EDC bag....well thats odd.

 

That's what terror---ism is supposed to do; make people afraid.
The right response is to make them afraid of you.
Let them know that the implements you use for self defense have been dipped in swines blood or lard, or anything from a swine; then, if they attack you, they will have knowingly accepted swine into their body-----no virgins, no wine river, only a lunatic going where they belong.

 

I get the impression that anything other than a cuddly puppy, or possibly a cute kitten, makes people afraid of terrorism.

 

In most parts of the world these days a backpack or messenger bag is the most common way people carry their stuff. I do not think backpacks scare the general public, rather it is what you carry if you want to fit in. Want to look out of place? Wear a suit and tie and carry a Hartman leather attache case. People will think you have time traveled from the 1960's

 

are you afraid you would scare them by wearing a backpack in a shopping mall or bar?

 

In direct answer to the question, this may be one reason why much discussion on the bag threads concerns bags that do not look tactical (color, absence of molle, etc.). Of course this makes no sense because any backpack can be packed with anything. Also why perhaps messenger bags are still preferred in many urban/suburban locales. But same comment applies.

In terms of the general question of the extent to which the population's general fears are an indicator of the extent to which terrorists have succeeded? Take a look at what we go through just to make a short plane trip to anywhere. Including the need to divest of belts, shoes, jackets, caps, etc etc etc. No joke. Not more than 2 months before 9-11 I took a flight from Virginia to Boston; had 3 knives in my briefcase of varied sizes -- all larger than a typical SAK. No sweat.

We have been forced to adapt and surrender several degrees of freedom due to terrorism. And don't even get me started about the screening to enter a courthouse, football stadium, etc etc etc !

Sigh.

L'chaim!

Moshe ben David

 

I don't know that a backpack in isolation could make someone fearful of terrorism, but combined with appearance, behaviour etc it might contribute to an overall sense of anxiety.

 

My wife and I recently went on vacation and traveled thru airports and the port of Miami with me having my sons tactical / military back pack packed strapped on and pretty full and no one even batted an eye. Airport and port security didn't even give me a second look.

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I think a backpack can make certain people at certain places at certain times uneasy. I went into a pizza shop in Cedar Rapids, IA with my small cheap PC/Gear backpack and was thinking about this as I left the car. But I didn't want to leave it in there. I took it off my shoulders as soon as possible and even opened it to get my PC out and do a little work......but the battery is dead so it went back in. No issues. Just my slight to moderate paranoia of rocking the boat while in public.

 

This is actually kind of funny. And I don't mean it in an insulting way, it's just that the thought has never occurred to me.
Even if fashion and trends have skewed peoples habits toward messenger bags and the likes, backpacks are still considered a very normal, maybe still the most common way for Norwegians to carry their things around, no matter the circumstance.
Thing is, not knowing this could be a problem I have traveled around the world quite extensively through my work, along with my backpack, and not once have I experienced problems related to this. Might be pure luck, or maybe people aren't so afraid of backpacks after all.

Still, there is no doubt, the terrorists have succeeded in spreading their message. Last summer police was called out to a shopping mall in Norway because several visitors had called in observations of a person carrying a concealed rifle. Turned out to be a fishing rod in a sleeve. I don't think this could have happened here 10 years ago.


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Interesting, youre making the assumption that only Muslims are terrorists...or else you'd not have had all the pig stuff in there and virgins after their death etc

 

In response to your very general question asked without preface or introduction; yes, very much so.

 

Will a backpack make people afraid? On its own I can't see why anyone would think twice - after all a backpack is a completely generic item and used by such a wide array of people that they are just a commonplace item seen pretty much anywhere you will find people moving - tourists, students, people going to the gym and just regular people going about daily life and wanting the ability to carry a few items.

The only reason I can ever see a backpack taking on a more menacing look is when also accompanied by a lot of other worrying signals to prompt people to the same conclusion (and even then, almost certainly still paranoia and hysteria vilifying an innocent person).

 

I don't think backpacks themselves present any kind of threat, even to people who are especially paranoid. I do however, pay tension to people's behavior. It's one thing if some guy with a backpack walks into a store and start browsing around for a product. It's another if someone with a backpack walks into the middle of a large crowd slowly looking around and then sets their backpack on the ground start rummaging through it. I will definitely have my eyes on them at that point.


EDIT: Having just reread my post, it might sound like I'm the one that's a bit paranoid. But in all reality I'm just trying to maintain situational awareness.

 

After the Boston Marathon bombings, many of the casinos in Atlantic City searched backpacks before entering the gaming floors. There were check points and searches done while checking IDs. Every backpack was scrutinized during that time.

 

What's a muslim?

 

If they are that is their problem.