# 25+ injured in Chelsea, NYC explosion **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 18, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233 "2016-09-18T02:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/21 "2016-09-18T15:46:44Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > So, when is setting an explosive device off _not_ terror? It’s only terror if Guiliani runs to a microphone grinning like a cat and sporting a massive erection. It will be called terrorism if Muslims are found to be behind it. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/22 "2016-09-18T15:48:26Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > Two doors away, the other side of next door St. Vincent dePaul, was [Tekserv](http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/08/15/489629491/saying-goodbye-to-old-technology-and-a-legendary-nyc-repair-shop) which closed in August. I was there quite a few times for my Macs, pre Apple Store days and just to visit a very cool store. Really pinpoints the area for me. It’s also around the block from the Hampton Inn we stay at whenever we visit NYC. Scary. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/23 "2016-09-18T15:53:57Z")
I know too many kids who go to FIT. My daughter almost went. Scary. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/24 "2016-09-18T16:30:53Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It’s only terror if Guiliani runs to a microphone grinning like a cat and sporting a massive erection. Are you more attracted to his Cheshire cat grin or his massive erection? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/25 "2016-09-18T17:03:10Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It’s only terror if Guiliani runs to a microphone grinning like a cat and sporting a massive erection. > > It will be called terrorism if Muslims are found to be behind it. Yeah because DiBlasio jumping in and saying it’s not terrorism even when it clearly is happens to be so much better. At least the governor had a more logical response. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/26 "2016-09-18T17:04:19Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It’s only terror if Guiliani runs to a microphone grinning like a cat and sporting a massive erection. > > It will be called terrorism if Muslims are found to be behind it. I’m surprised Trump hasn’t found some way to make it all about him (or has he?) ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/27 "2016-09-18T17:26:10Z")
> [@](#): > > It will be called terrorism if Muslims are found to be behind it. > [@](#): > > Yeah because DiBlasio jumping in and saying it’s not terrorism even when it clearly is happens to be so much better. “Terrorism” the word, especially since 9/11, is being successfully used by certain parties to frighten Americans into accepting their authoritarian agenda. Many equate “Terrorism” with Muslim fanatics, not as a tactic also used by anti-abortionists, Timothy McVeigh or any number or type of fanatic, from any part of the spectrum from left to right. Perhaps an agreed definition of “Terrorism” might eliminate some of what Cuomo just referred to as semantics, confusing and distracting from the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/28 "2016-09-18T17:34:39Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It will be called terrorism if Muslims are found to be behind it. If Muslims are behind it, it \*shouldn’t \*be called terrorism? Because, “more people die in car crashes?” or, “it’s just a small minority of Muslims?” Don’t worry about it? Trump will say: “ha, told you so!” Hillary will say: “embrace Islam, it’s the religion of peace!” ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/29 "2016-09-18T17:38:36Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Trump will say: “ha, told you so!” > Hillary will say: “embrace Islam, it’s the religion of peace!” :rolleyes: One of those is somewhat likely, the other absurd. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/30 "2016-09-18T17:46:03Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > :rolleyes: > > One of those is somewhat likely, the other absurd. Well, let’s wait and see who’s behind it first. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/31 "2016-09-18T19:02:12Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > If Muslims are behind it, it \*shouldn’t \*be called terrorism? Because, “more people die in car crashes?” or, “it’s just a small minority of Muslims?” Don’t worry about it? > > Trump will say: “ha, told you so!” > Hillary will say: “embrace Islam, it’s the religion of peace!” The media obessses over Muslim terrorism, but not all terrorists are Muslim. Look up the FBI definition of terrorism. It has absolutely nothing to do with Islam. Groups like the Ira, KKK, ELF, and various lone wolves commit terrorism for a number of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/32 "2016-09-18T19:31:28Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Well, let’s wait and see who’s behind it first. Good answer. It probably does no good to try to wonder who has the most to gain by this happening at those two spots and why this would happen now. I mean, what else is going on…? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/33 "2016-09-18T20:14:38Z")
In Trump’s response, he said “We’ve got to get very tough.” He didn’t explain what kind of “toughness” would have prevented such an act. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/34 "2016-09-18T20:22:09Z")
Adamantium trash receptacles? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/35 "2016-09-18T20:23:20Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Are you more attracted to his Cheshire cat grin or his massive erection? His Chelsea grin? As for the second, I don’t want to go there (nor to Chelsea). ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/36 "2016-09-18T20:58:42Z")
Probably the work of a Trump supporter (and that includes ISIS.) ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/37 "2016-09-18T21:24:36Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > So, when is setting an explosive device off _not_ terror? In a strictly legalistic sense in the US let’s look at what the [FBI](https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005) has to say > [@](#): > > There is no single, universally accepted, definition of terrorism. Terrorism is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” (28 C.F.R. Section 0.85). The [CIA](https://www.cia.gov/news-information/cia-the-war-on-terrorism/terrorism-faqs.html)says: > [@](#): > > The Intelligence Community is guided by the definition of terrorism contained in Title 22 of the US Code, Section 2656f(d): > > ``` > The term "terrorism" means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents. > > ``` So there’s two major US definitions for terrorism. Both have some requirement to link the bombing to trying to achieve political or social objectives. Those elements that are usually hard to sort out in the early periods after the bombing. At this point there’s no clear evidence that this is necessarily politically motivated. Sure, on the face of it that’s a good possibility. Police aren’t known to publicly speculate till they have actual evidence. In the absence of that evidence they are are most investigating the possibility of it being terror. If I blow stuff up just because it’s fun to blow stuff up, it’s not terrorism. If I blow up my neighbor because he’s an asshole I personally want dead, it’s not terrorism. If I blow up my competitors in an organized crime turf war, it’s not terrorism. If I turn my entire house into a natural gas bomb killing two and requiring 33 more houses to be demolished it might just be [arson/insurance fraud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond_Hill_explosion) that was a too energetic. It’s not terrorism, though. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/38 "2016-09-18T21:36:17Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > In a strictly legalistic sense in the US let’s look at what the [URL=“[https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005](https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/terrorism-2002-2005)”] > … > > If I blow stuff up just because it’s fun to blow stuff up, it’s not terrorism. I had a friend who liked to blow up stuff for grins as an adolescent but stopped when the authorities clearly started sniffing around. By his account anyway, he did not blow up anyone’s property, just set off small explosions in parks and such. This was back in the 1970s when “terrorism” had not yet entered the common lexicon. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/39 "2016-09-18T21:39:36Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > So, when is setting an explosive device off _not_ terror? When its a prank. My town has had a couple waves of idiots mixing chemicals, pouring them into soda bottles, and leaving them lying around or even in mailboxes. There have been a few bystander injuries from this, but the police and media treated it like idiotic behavior gone too far, not as a deliberate attack. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233/40 "2016-09-18T21:56:08Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I had a friend who liked to blow up stuff for grins as an adolescent but stopped when the authorities clearly started sniffing around. By his account anyway, he did not blow up anyone’s property, just set off small explosions in parks and such. I tend to think of it like fire. I’ve had a little bit of entirely legal fun with high explosives once upon a time (Thanks Army! 😃 ). Lot’s of people enjoy fireworks at home (legally or at least close to the legal line) or going to see even bigger fireworks shows. Similarly lot’s of people enjoy fire and have a firepit in their backyard or a fireplace inside. There’s some though that can’t enjoy the fun of fire in controlled and legal methods - arsonists. If I burn a building just to watch it burn while the fire department tries to put it out it’s not terror. If I [fire bomb](http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2008/03/13/88205.htm) Agricultural Hall at Michigan State University as a statement against genetic engineering of plants it’s not arson. In that case (with my underline added) … > [@](#): > > “This was an act of domestic terrorism, plain and simple,” said Charles R. Gross, a U.S. attorney from Grand Rapids. “There’s no two ways about it. The use of violence and the destruction of property to make a political statement cannot be tolerated in a civilized society.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25-injured-in-chelsea-nyc-explosion/766233.md?page=3)