No Guns In The Cockpits

King Features Syndicate ^ | 3/18/02 | Charley Reese

[KC_for_Freedom]

I have recently been a non-supporter of Charlie Reese. Allow me to back track from my non-support, in this case Charlie is back to his old self. (Now Charlie, stay away from comments supporting the Palestinians and I will stay in your camp.)

[Bobby777]

No Guns In The Cockpits

while there is potential for trouble here, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks I say ... this is no time for pussyfootin' around ... America is at war ...

[gonzo]

"...Flight Attendants Step Into The Fray

Why stop with the pilots? Why not give the flight attendants a gun as well? That's what the 50,000-member union, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), is advocating. The union recently took a stand against arming pilots in the cockpit, unless the rest of the cockpit crew was required to leave the fortified sanctuary and defend the main cabin. Patricia Friend, the AFA's international president, said, "The flight attendants are against guns being put in the cockpit if the pilots are the only ones with a means to defend the passengers and us. We must advocate that pilots be required to act in our defense, rather than locking and staying inside the cockpit while flight attendants are harmed." Not surprisingly, it's a controversial position. Herb Hunter, a United pilot and Chicago-area spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, told the Chicago Sun-Times it doesn't make any sense. "If they have to come out to intervene in the cabin, then you risk losing the whole airplane," he said. "I appreciate the position of the flight attendants, they're entitled to their position. This is ours: If you lose the cockpit, you lose the airplane. You can't bring the weapon out of the cockpit, that's our position right now." At AVweb, we're wondering when the pax are going to get together and demand their right to bear arms.

It's still a no-brainer, Howie. This reeks of the democRAT parsing that we went through with klintoon. "Did she blow him? Was it really sex? Did he stain her dress, or the rug in the Oval Office? Well, it's a private matter!"

An armed Pilot can stop a hi-jacker. An un-armed Pilot cannot! It's pretty simple..........FRegards

[Teacher317]

Goodbye, Delta, and Goodbye, American, and a sad Goodbye to United Air Lines, and a warm-Hello to the First Airline Company that arms its Pilots!!

I wonder if there aren't a few pilots who are taking care of this without the federal governments' blessings.

[Texas Mom]

Lawmakers add pressure to let pilots have guns

Things are looking up a little anyway..

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said President Bush is unlikely to support the idea. Bush plans to follow the advice of administration officials, Fleischer said, "and the recommendation of the experts is that this not proceed." Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta oppose arming pilots."

It's time to let the Whitehouse know what people want.

[Texas Mom]

I wonder if there aren't a few pilots who are taking care of this without the federal governments' blessings.

I don't think so. It would be impossible to even get to the gate let alone on a plane.

[Howie]

Sometimes I get a scary feeling that we have leaders that are not really on our side! I will never get on another airliner knowing that the only armed person likely to be aboard is a hijacker that has a buddy servicing the plane.

Hardly a week goes by without a revelation about a gun being aboard a plane.

Our leaders are gonna wait for another disaster and then they will do the right thing. (as usual)

[CWRWinger]

I say, arm the American public and then watch our country become safe and peaceful once again.

Absolutely correct, but until then, the airlines don't get my dollars (or is it pecos now?).

[Texas Mom]

Hardly a week goes by without a revelation about a gun being aboard a plane.

But the pilots are screened better than the passengers. I've seen it.

Pilots and little old grandmas are screened very well..