Should backpacks be banned?

1. 70

   Joan Kingposted 8 years ago

   Should backpacks be banned?
   
   From the Boston Marathon bombing to the more recent Bangkok bombing, there is one thing in common - a backpack. Since backpacks seem to be the choice of terrorists, should they be completely banned?
   
   

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2. 94

   littlethingposted 8 years ago

   Absolutely not. There are many reasons not to ban backpacks. For one thing- students. Kids of all ages, up into the college years, use backpacks. I use one for my books and my laptop. Backpacks have become a staple of any school. I dare you to try and find a school  where the students, and most likely some teachers, use backpacks. Next up is travelers. Many travelers use backpacks as carry ons  airports, and in trains. Mostly essentials are kept in these ex. money, computers and mobile devices, chargers, books, etc . And for my last example, parents. Especially those of young kids. Many a parent has used the faithful backpack to carry the special blanket and cuddly, snacks, sunscreen and bug spray, drinks of some sort and maybe a toy or two. These bags aren't used among the general public because it's fashionable, (well, maybe it is, I wouldn't know.) But for the sheer utilitarian design  and use. If you take away the backpack, get ready for huge purses, satchels and briefcases, all of which could also hide a bomb, I'm sure. Then the great purse bomb of 20xx will cause a ban on large purses. No, banning them is not the answer. Increased security is. At large events, have police checking the bags, with maybe a sniffer  dog or two around. If the bomber is someone on a typical day, walking down a normal street, with no events? How can you stop that at all? How can you stop knife attacks, ban knives? Or firebombings? Let's make the alcohol they use in some of those firebombings illegal! Wait....  Do you see what I'm getting at here? Besides all that, putting a ban on backpacks would kind of give them what they want. Fear. Besides, the backpack could easily be replaced with a trash bag, purse, plastic bag, canvas shopping bag, rolled up carpet, etc. General increase in security and training, as well as teaching people to be aware of their surroundings would likely go much farther than a ban on backpacks.

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3. 82

   peachpurpleposted 8 years ago

   no, if backpacks are banned, it would be inconvenient for everyone. We are used to having these bags. Bombing reasons should be scanned through devices, banning won't work. What they use plastic bags or suitcase, ban these too?

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4. 66

   Mercia Collinsposted 8 years ago

   If such a normal item as backpacks were banned, not only would governments be pandering to terrorists they wold also be punishing the ordinary people, who find them a useful accessory. The number of backpacks that contain dangerous items are, thankfully, infinitesimally tiny and there are other ways to weed out those that may pose a danger, such as scanning, intelligence and people being very alert.

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