More Guns, Less Terror: Trust the People

The cockpit is the key fortress. If it falls, all is lost. Arms kept within the fortress cannot be used by terrorists outside unless those terrorists have already breached the defenses. By contrast, arms outside could easily be taken since planes have insufficient room to allow armed people to protect themself from surprise attacks.

Now tell me the one about the Air Marshall again ....

Once upon a time......

I invite the author to come to the steel-producing Ohio Valley and tell his lies to the union members.

Foreign steel imports were being subsidized by their governments' illegal actions--that's what Bush sought to curb. But, if your livelihood does not depend on making and selling steel legally, who cares?

Washington_minuteman said: 'This globalist toady knows that the only thing stopping their, the globalists, conquest of this nation is the millions, I heard lately it was 140-million, of guns and gun owners, many of which would offer up stiff resistance to such a treasonous act."

I have even heard that some gun-owners have more than just a single gun and I suspect that they do so in order to ensure that everyone who needs a gun during a crisis may have one.

Now tell me the one about the Air Marshall again ....

Air marshalls have considerable training on weapon retention--far more (I would hope) than most CCW carriers. In addition, they also have the authority, once they have revealed themselves--to demand that everyone else remain outside of grabbing distance (IIRC there was a bit of a stink awhile ago because an air marshall who reacted to a crazed passenger did precisely that for the duration of the flight). Ordinary citizens with CCWs would not have the authority to forbid other people from getting close enough to grab their weapons, and lacking such authority could not reasonably keep their weapons safe.

BTW, while sky marshalls may be a useful adjunct to arming pilots, the armed pilots should be the most important component of flight security.

Jeez, better fly widebodies from now on (everybody back off 10 feet!)

Seems this would create a real sight picture problem, panic in the cabin, aircraft trim adjustment needed, and great potential for the bad guys to nab hostages.

We know what the score is, keep control of the plane in the proper hands or die. Either by the terrorist's hands or by one of our own missiles.

Give the pilots the means to defend the cockpit, surely. But if you want me to get on an aircraft, you will not deny me the means to defend myself, even a pocket knife would help.

In the meantime, there is noplace I need to go I can't drive and at least retain an item which can be used as an expedient weapon. (Large Crescent wrench, pipe wrench or the like).

I can drive 700 miles west, 400 miles east, 70 miles north, or over 200 south and carry a pistol concealed the whole way, legally. I don't need a plane and refuse to place my safety solely in the hands of one other person who may be outnumbered, out gunned, or simply 'made' and neutralized by people who have shown a predilection toward doing their research.

Like the pilots, who already have control over life and death, many CCW holders would gratefully accept the additional training and responsibility, in exchange for full faith and credit under the Constitution for their licenses.

Crossing a state border does not turn me into a homicidal maniac, regardless of altitude.

Give the pilots the means to defend the cockpit, surely. But if you want me to get on an aircraft, you will not deny me the means to defend myself, even a pocket knife would help.

I'm with you there. In the close quarters of an airplane cabin, a firearm's advantage over a bladed or blunt weapon are much smaller than in a more open environment. Allowing passengers to have at least a small blade would ensure that passengers' advantage in numbers would outweigh a terrorist's advantage in weaponry or training.

Heck, Just issue everyone a K-Bar.

If there are more terrorists than passengers, the terorists will win (a pyrhic victory). Otherwise, the passengers should overcome.

Bloody, granted, and quite possibly a bit of a free-for-all, but cheap and effective.

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