Hollings plans hearing on port security

Saturday, February 2, 2002

BY TONY BARTELME
Of The Post and Courier Staff

     Senate leaders pushing for better security at American seaports will hold a national hearing in Charleston on Feb. 19, officials said Friday.
     U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-Charleston, who once described ports as "a gaping hole in our national security," will conduct the hearing.
     Hollings sponsored the Port and Maritime Security Act of 2001, which provides $93.3 million in grants to U.S. seaports and $390 million more for Coast Guard, Customs and other agencies responsible for port security.
     The bill passed the Senate, and the House is considering similar port security legislation. The Bush administration supports the Senate bill.
     The purpose of the Charleston hearing is to gather new ideas and keep the issue in the public eye as the House works on its legislation, said Andy Davis, spokesman for Hollings.The hearing will be held at the Charleston Maritime Center.
     Even before Sept. 11, Hollings and other lawmakers were concerned about smuggling and other security issues at ports.
     Last year, a Senate panel found that many of the nation's ports are poorly fenced and patrolled and that fewer than 2 percent of the 11 million containers passing through U.S. container ports are physically inspected. Many ports also are sorely lacking in video cameras, X-ray machines and equipment designed to identify radioactive materials, the panel concluded.
     Sen. John Breaux, D-La., chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee, held port security hearings in Florida and Louisiana last month.
     Tony Bartelme covers maritime and other issues. Contact him at bartelme@postandcourier.com or 937-5554.

The billboards and placards are up and announcing another traveling circus on its way to town. Farmers with roadside barns are dreaming of a fresh coat of paint announcing the 'Port Security Conference.' Finally the faded yellow of the "emergency summit" announcements will be covered.

Who better than the farmers or in this case the International Longshoreman's Association to profit from Ringmaster Fritz's travelling circus. No one has more carefully tended this field and knows more of its rocks and shoals than the ILA professionals. Who could better use a sharp new tool in our nation's defense and in their economic enterprise and in defense of their neighborhoods than the longshoremen.

I propose legally arming the longshoremen. Those that can pass the state's already mandated background investigation and training should have the option of arming themselves under the Law Abiding Citizens Self-Defense Act of 1996 (SC Code Section 23-31-205 et seq).

Just as pilots in command of their A/C argue to be armed, and good citizens that should be in command of their livelihoods may be armed, so should longshoremen in command of these very hazardous containers be armed. No where and in no way would the injection of additional funds, arms and self-respect be felt quicker or more deeply than here.

To deny this would seem to deny full and equitable application of civil rights. Worse, it would deny the universal applicability Dr. Lott's logic and no one in this travelling circus can do that.

The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.

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