Posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:13 PM PST by AStack75
Sen. John McCain Trying to Kill the Armed Pilots Provision -- Tell him to renounce his anti-gun ways
Gun Owners of America E-Mail/FAX Alert 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 http://www.gunowners.org
(Wednesday, November 14, 2001) -- Gun Owners of America warned you last month about Sen. John McCain of Arizona who was trying to kill the armed pilots amendment. He failed then, but now he's at it again.
As you know, both houses of Congress passed airline safety legislation with an armed pilots amendment. Under normal circumstances -- when both houses agree in principle on an issue -- that guarantees that the provision will remain in the final version of the bill. Unfortunately, Sen. McCain is on the conference committee which is tasked with ironing out the differences between the two versions, and he is reportedly trying to strip out the armed pilots language.
It is imperative that EVERYBODY get in touch with Sen. John McCain. Normally, GOA does not encourage people to contact legislators from other states. It only makes sense to lobby the congressmen that represent you. But in this case, it is appropriate for you to contact McCain. Even if he tells you that he doesn't answer mail from other states, remember one thing: John McCain is a Presidential candidate. He has national aspirations, and that means he wants to represent you no matter where you live.
ACTION: Please use the pre-written letter below to help direct your comments to Sen. McCain. You can contact him at:
Phone: 202-224-2235 Fax: 202-228-2862 E-mail: john_mccain@mccain.senate.gov
----- Pre-written message -----
Dear Sen. McCain:
Gun Owners of America tells me that you are up to your anti-gun tricks again. You've introduced legislation to ban private gun sales at gun shows unless the gun buyer is willing to submit to a background registration check. You have introduced Incumbent Protection legislation to punish groups like GOA for criticizing candidates before an election.
Now I hear that you are trying to neutralize the armed pilots amendment in the aviation security act. Shame! Guns are the best way for pilots to defend their planes, crews and passengers. If we are to trust pilots with our lives while aboard, why should we not trust them to utilize the best tool available to prevent hijackings?
It has been reported that you would rather have pilots armed with stun guns. Are you serious? Stun guns require the attacker to be right on top of you before you can use them. And tasers, which launch a remote probe up to 15 feet, can be thwarted by heavy clothing. So if the pilot misses on the first shot at a distance of 15 feet, the pilot is dead.
Please don't push any such "Dead Pilots" amendment as a defense against terrorists. If stun guns and tasers are so effective, then why don't cops around the country trade in their guns for these items?
Make no mistake, the pilots themselves want to defend themselves with real guns. At least four local pilot unions have passed resolutions around the country stating they will strike if they are not allowed to defend their planes and passengers with firearms. You can read about this for yourself at http://www.gunowners.org/op0142.htm on the web.
I hope you will not try to thwart the will of the Congress. Both houses have passed sensible air safety provisions that would permit pilots to arm themselves for our common defense against terrorism. That language deserves to go to the President for his signature.
Sincerely,
*****************
If you are a pilot, or if you know a pilot, please take a look at the above-mentioned resolution which has been passed by several local unions. The resolution states that pilots will refuse to fly unless they are able to carry firearms into the cockpits of their planes.
It has been passed by several ALPA Councils, and is being considered across the nation by numerous Councils at both ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association) and APA (the Allied Pilots Association). It has passed at United's Los Angeles Council, at Alaska's Seattle Council, at Delta's Cincinnati Council, and at a Continental/Express Council in Houston.
If you have any further questions, or any election results relating to other councils, please contact United Airlines Capt. Bob Giuda at giuda.family@getglobal.net via e-mail. Giuda, who is also a New Hampshire state representative, has been spearheading the efforts to get this resolution passed by local pilot unions.
************** Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will bounce back as undeliverable.
To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm on the web. Change of e-mail address may also be made at that location.
To unsubscribe send a message to gunowners_members@mailmanager.net with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
Problems, questions or comments? The main GOA e-mail address goamail@gunowners.org is at your disposal. Please do not add that address to distribution lists sending more than ten messages per week or lists associated with issues other than gun rights.
It should read:
McCain Trying To Kill Unarmed Pilots
I though the citizens of Arizona were going to recall McCain. What happend?
Google list on McCain-Lieberman bill - Free Republic...read and learn, grasshopper!
Excellent point!
Will someone please have McCainiac commited?
Pilots should be armed, for the sole and exclusive purpose of protecting the cockpit. One armed flight officer should remain in the cockpit at all times, and any flight officer leaving the cockpit should leave his sidearm there (guarded by the other flight officer).
If a flight officer gets jumped while in the cabin, the other flight officer should batton down the hatches and land the plane as quickly and safely as possible. Even if hijackers start killing passengers, the flight officers should not attempt armed intervension--rather, they should focus on the cockpit. Losing 300 people on a plane is bad, but is nowhere near as bad as losing 3,000 people on the ground.
I wish he'd try it, in a direct confrontation.
Loads of people didn't want us to crank out 7000 nukes either. They could never quite grasp the meaning of the word deterrent.
DON'T get me started... **sour grin**
A few thousand calls like that and the airlines will demand that the pilots be armed.
I will not fly on a plane if the cockpit crew is unarmed and suggest that no one else do it either. It isn't safe and there is no reason these people are unarmed.
Pilots should strike until they get the right to fly armed. About three days of no air traffic and this crap would end.
There will never be amarshal on every plane. There will be a pilot on every plane. The pilots need to be armed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.