“If we expected self-reliance of family groups, if we expected hardiness and resilience and initiative on the part of individuals, and if we rewarded initiative instead of dependence on government, we would not only ameliorate many of the family-related social problems we see at present, but we would also reduce our vulnerability to terrorism. People who are hardy, resilient, and self reliant are a lot harder to terrorize.”

And it's just that simple.

I'm in total agreement with J Carlton.

Anyone can be terrorized including the hardy - just look at what's going on in the most resilient and self reliant of nations.

Absolutely! There can be no real community building without resilient, hardy and self-reliant families. The aim of 'Terrorism' is to make people afraid. Self-reliant families and communities are not as easily 'terrorized' or motivated by fear. They are motivated by their own needs to produce and the benefits that come from the fruits of their labors and their property. Indeed, pretty simple.

His discription made me think of Mafia types who were very loyal to their faimiles, self reliant and exercising initiative in ignoreing the laws of government and society and willing to shoot first and ask questions later. ,

Waffler, that's because you being a graduate of the Hillary school of Leftist thinking, you're trained to think the worst of people in any situation. Must make for a thoroughly miserable existence. Sad.

That is why we need less people being put on government programs to have to rely on for everything. Get rid of Big Government and the Devils running it and watch us start to soar with the Bald Eagle again!

Pure Waffler. If you make it on your own with out reliance on the state you must be a criminal.

So glad you came back out of your cave Warren, how is your bud W doing?

"People who are hardy, resilient, and self reliant..."

Waffler would have us believe that reliance on an all powerful centralized government that would take care of us from cradle to grave is the answer. But reliance on that breeds dependency and that my friends is just one step behind slavery.
Waff lives in the world like the Matrix where a lie has been pulled down over his eyes to blind him from the truth, if Waff played a character in that movie you would be the character of "Cypher" the character that thought that ignorance was bliss and wanted to be put back into the Matrix choosing the comfort of the illusion instead of the challenge of the truth!

We have always had Waffler types throughout history, they have been the willing pawns of the power elite, but like the peasants of the post-revolution Russia lived to regret their earlier support of it when the illusion of the dream became a nightmare.

I don't believe the ends of the statement's context would occur if based on expectations but rather, if it were based on instruction with love and integrity concerning man's most noble traits. The family unit is the foundation of any larger body (extended family, local / regional / national - economics, morality poverty / prosperity, etc.). Some of the results of being those most noble traits would be the sons and daughters of liberty would not be at war with the world for the oil barons, drug lords, power mongers and bankers sake. It is true, terrorists will terrorize (for example, the Bushes, Clintons, Mr. Obamunist Goodwrench the assassin, and the Amerikan executive / legislature / judicial). If hate, bigotry and terrorism were not so well organized and financed (such as by Amerika) the reasons for blow-back terrorism would be greatly reduced. Government truly is a disease masquerading as its on cure and all those that depend on the diseased creature can't help but become diseased in one degree or another.

A lot of " IF "'s . Of course the statement is on-point and true to the core. Improvise, adapt, and overcome. Teach your children well, The ills of government, and the rewards of independence governed by honesty, compassion, and charity. Ready to rescue, ready to defend for the sake of that which good is. A wholesome life for family and friends.
Semper Fi

"Government truly is a disease masquerading as its on cure and all those that depend on the diseased creature can't help but become diseased in one degree or another." Well said Mike,
The left is very good at establishing a victimized group then exploiting it, how they continue to get away with it year after year, decade after decade is beyond me