Explosion Rocks Southern California Store

In this Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, photo, Pakistani soldiers use remote controlled vehicle to approach possible explosive devices during a training session at the Counter IED Explosives and Munitions School, in Risalpur, Pakistan. Soldiers of the Pakistani security forces learn exactly these types of scenarios to deal with the improvised bombs that have become increasingly popular in wars like Iraq, Afghanistan and the insurgency that Pakistan's forces are fighting in the northwestern tribal areas. Could they be coming to the United States as well?(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

While we keep hearing about how awful guns are, I can’t help but notice a proliferation of a different kind of weapon. This is one that has been technically illegal for decades now, though that never stopped anyone who was interested in making use of it.

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I’m talking about bombs.

First, we had a series of bombs sent in and around Austin, Texas. Then we see a criminal arrested and a search of his home turning up several explosive devices.

Even more recently, however, we have an explosion at a Southern California Sam’s Club.

Hugo Gonzalez, 49, of Fontana, was being questioned by investigators after the explosives went off inside the store in Ontario, which is about 45 miles east of Los Angeles, authorities said.

Gonzalez led officers on a short pursuit after he was seen leaving the store, but eventually pulled over, said Ontario Police Department spokesman Officer Eliseo Guerrero.

After officers searched his car, they found additional materials “similar to those used in the devices” that were found in the store, police said. Investigators are still trying to determine a motive, but believe Gonzalez acted alone. He appeared to have no connection to Sam’s Club, Guerrero said.

There’s been no word on his motivations, but that’s not really relevant at the moment.

What is relevant is that this seems to be a growing trend. People are putting together explosive devices and using them, and we’re not talking about Islamic fundamentalists here. So far, none of these people appear to even be Muslim, much less have ties to Muslim extremists. No, these are homegrown bombers.

The question is, why now?

While the gun debate is raging, few new laws have been put in place. While California and Washington are less than friendly to guns, the most significant bombing was in Austin, Texas. I don’t think anyone can reasonably call the Lone Star State anti-gun.

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So, again, the question is why now? Why are people seemingly building and detonating bombs?

Who knows, but it does mean we need to all be vigilant; keep an eye out for suspicious packages and let someone know if you see one. While I hate the idea of having to be concerned everywhere you go, that’s the sad fact of our world today. While violent crime is indeed dropping, we can’t escape the reality that some people just want to watch the whole damn world burn and will do whatever they can to facilitate that.

Or they have some other point to make. At this point, we just don’t know.

However, one important thing to note is that, despite laws against making bombs for decades, people are still making them. They’ve done nothing to dissuade people like Hugo Gonzalez (allegedly). They didn’t dissuade the schmuck in Austin, or the guy up in Washington, or the Tsarnaev brothers in Boston.

Kind of like gun laws, when you think about it.

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