Posted on 09/18/2001 9:09:37 PM PDT by zeugma
In the wake of the destruction of the World Trade center buildings and the Pentagon, the flying public is now being saddled with new comprehensive restrictions on what they may carry aboard an aircraft. In a sane society, the first question would be, "Are these restrictions going to be effective?" After giving this a bit of thought, I would have to say that the answer is obviously "no".
Prior to the attack by these cowardly terrorists, we'd become accustomed to being denied the ability to protect ourselves as it has been illegal since around 1968 to carry firearms aboard aircraft. We have allowed those who make the laws in this country to disarm us, and now they are not even satisfied with this level of debasement. Now, we are told, that carry-on bags and pocket knives are to be disallowed. It seems the peasants are going to be pretty much stuck with eating the garbage that passes for airline food while they sit and twiddle their thumbs.
I don't know about you, but I feel naked without my Swiss army knife. It's a handy little gizmo that just loves to be as useful as it can be, whether it's opening a letter, loosening a screw, or opening a bottle of wine. But, because we've allowed ourselves to be disarmed to the point that a bunch of thugs with box cutters can take control of an airplane with no opposition. The really amazing thing to me, is that the solution is to even further disarm us!
Actually, that's not completely true. They are considering implementing a 'sky marshal' program again, where they will place someone on the plane with one of those evil firearms of their choosing to watch over the poor sheep that we have become. Does anyone else but me suspect that perhaps the next attack will come from one of these very same 'marshals'? Would that not be the obvious link for a well-financed terrorist organization to attempt to compromise? After all, this is going to be the only armed person on the plane. Even if they are unable to subvert this program and substitute their own man, he still will make himself the obvious target for their attention. One would hope that he wouldn't be easily identifiable. Knowing how government works though, that probably won't be the case.
We now understand that the attacks carried out last week were in the planning stages for perhaps years. This is not some bunch of petty criminals with 30-minute attention spans (as are most of our congresscritters). They know how to wait us out for our resolve and resistance to fade. In the future, I doubt the highjacker's weapon of choice will be pocket knives and box cutters.
If you think about it for a moment, you will see that there are plenty of ways to get sharp instruments on board an aircraft. While knives are traditional amongst criminals, are there any means available that would stop them from using glass? When I was at a renaissance festival this year, I was quite impressed with the obsidian knives on display. Flint will similarly not register on metal detectors. Is it now the position of the government that prior to boarding an aircraft, all passengers must be strip searched, or at least frisked? If it is their desire to be honest with you, then it must be recognized that only these measures will actually reduce the ability of to smuggle cutting instruments on an aircraft.
The real solution to the problem is to return to the policies of an earlier, and I would claim, saner day when passengers could arm themselves and take responsibility for their own lives. For the hand-wringing crowd, I might be willing to suggest that those wanting to be armed might have to present a concealed-carry permit or other such identification to the crew prior to boarding. Citizens of Vermont, whose legislature can read and thus have no laws restricting the carrying of arms (see second amendment to the Constitution) would not be required to show anything other than some proof of residency and/ or perhaps citizenship.
Of course it is foolish to expect such sanity in this day and age.
I wonder if the next time I fly, will I be allowed by our masters to bring along a book to read. Perhaps they will feel the danger of someone getting a paper cut might be deemed too risky.
Zeugma
Zeugma@pobox.com
My dear brother and sister FReepers,
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"What great luck for rulers that people do not think." </font size=5>
Yes, 9-11-01 was a terrible event and we must find and punish those responsible. And, sadly, there WILL be others.
But we must not punish ourselves and those who come after us by killing the idea that was America and for which idea so many have already paid the ultimate price. Should THAT happen, America the PLACE will no longer be worth saving. What’s to save?
There is now serious talk about the NATIONAL ID CARD some in government have lusted after for decades. IF government at the state level had NOT been so free and easy with, for example, DRIVER’S LICENSES and a number of other “official” documents (which we now know several of the murderers secured from Florida), it’s possible their miserable lives might have been complicated and their plot foiled.
But here’s the more fascinating question: WHY THE HELL WERE SOME OF THESE GUYS EVEN IN THIS COUNTRY? Much to the FBI’s and CIA’s chagrin, it’s now coming out that a number of them had long histories of suspicion of complicity in OTHER terror attacks.
It is common knowledge that the INS (ask any of the guys in the field!) had its hands tied in rounding up and deporting hispanics ON ORDERS FROM ON HIGH to “go easy.” I wonder how much of THAT attitude slopped over to ALL aliens, legal and illegal. And isn’t it interesting that we have heard nothing lately about AMNESTY for illegals? If the tragic events of 9-11 prompt a long overdue review of our entire immigration policy, the 5,000+ may not have died in vain.
Now the same government that so miserably failed in its prime Constitutional duty to protect America from all enemies, both foreign and domestic by allowing 5,000 of them to be slaughtered like helpless cattle – after we have ALREADY handed over huge chunks of our freedoms – may now be poised to seize the remainder. That that seizure is with the acquiescence of a majority of the citizens here DOES NOT make it acceptable. That is why America was INTENDED to be a CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC and NOT the DEMOCRACY the Founding Fathers abhorred.
The strong, self-reliant men who created this place understood the danger of trading freedom for “security.”
"Gentlemen may cry, 'peace, peace'--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! Is life so precious, or peace so dear, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry to the Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither Liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Assembly, Nov. 11, 1755
Let me conclude by reminding you that some of the most secure places in America are – prisons and jails.
Is THAT what we want for YOUR kids and grandkids?
Let's work the problem, people -- starting with thinking it all the way through.
Are we giving up our freedom for the illusion of safety?
Yes. Any more questions?
I'd say it's more like "Are our freedoms being TAKEN for the illusion of safety?
Why, yes. In fact we have been doing so for years. We've been soundly preconditioned by namby-pamby chickenshits to cower under the gods of feminism and self-esteem. Gary Aldrich says it very well in another article posted at FR today, though I believe he attributes this loss of liberty to Democrats.
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Laugh while you can. One day your own words will come back to haunt you. BTW, Welcome to Free Republic |
Ha. The American equivalent of Islamic pork.
"Thou canst not enter paradise with a chip under thy skin." (Dumschiztky 10:4)
Prison and jails aren't that secure. Dope and weapons abound. People get raped, people get shanked, people get killed.
But, lest You think I am a bleeding heart Socialist Liberal, I agree that Liberty is once more threatened.
It is an obscene offense to the people of America that our governmental bureaucrats take advantage of a great tragedy to tighten their grips around our necks.
Let me keep my knife, and I guarantee that any box-cutter weilding freak that wants to take over my plane will only last long enough to utter the words.
As of last Tuesday, Sept. 11 2001, NO airline passenger should ever think again that cooperation guarantees ones' life and safety.
It should become ingrained in our society that threatening travellers is an automatic death penalty, without benefit of due process.
Oh, Yeah.. and give me back my guns.
We must be ever vigilant in protecting our inalienable rights as enumerated in the Constitution and BOR.
Luke 22:36 (KJV) --Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
Got sword? (M1 Garand ==>CMP)
No mercy, no quarter!
May the jihadists burn in hell for eternity!
Help speed them on their way!
Molon Labe!
Poll: bin Laden's skull can be best used as an ....
They would have used guns, even if fake ones.
Granted -- but there haven't been all that many PRISON or JAIL BREAKS recently.
The security to which I referred was that of the gulag, where the STATE or GOVERNMENT APPARATUS is protected from those who would challange it.
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