Posted on 07/02/2002 7:34:36 PM PDT by HogFixer
The First Ten Amendments to the constitution of the
United States printed on sturdy, pocket-sized, pieces
of metal.
The next time you travel by air, take the Security
Edition of the Bill of Rights along with you. When
asked to empty your pockets, proudly toss the Bill
of Rights in the plastic bin.
You need to get used to offering up the bill of rights
for inspection and government workers need to get
used to deciding if you'll be allowed to keep the
Bill of Rights with you when you travel.
I remember as watching the Oklahoma city bombing on TV and listening as the "announcer" declared to the world that, "It most probably was one of those Constitutional extremists"
Arming pilots would cost far less than the so-called "security" the government is installing at airports but do far more to enhance public safety. What you need to realize is that airport "security" in reality is and will continue to be mostly for show. Any terrorist could easily get onto an airplane any of a number of weapons much more deadly than box cutters (they'd need something better than box cutters after September 11). Knives that can get through metal detectors are stone-age technology, and there are many innocent-looking (or even downright innocent) objects that can be converted into weapons quite easily. Not great weapons to be sure, but powerful enough that a relatively small number of hijackers could hold a planeload of people at bay.
I refuse to submit to the warantless searches and seizures being conducted by federal employees at the airports. As a Free man, I will not be treated like a slave in a third-world sh!thole. I (like most Americans) am perfectly capable of defending myself, and don't need the govt's help to do so.
There isn't anywhere I need to go that I simply can't drive to.
It's not about the "cost". It's not about "safety". It's all about control and conditioning us to accept an illegitimate police state dictatorship.
If it were truly about cost and safety; pilots, police officers, and CCW holders would have been flying armed since the resumption of commercial traffic last September.
A .45ACP pistol launches 1/2oz of metal at slightly less than the speed of sound. An airplane launches hundreds of tons of metal at nearly the same speed. I'd be more worried about his ability to fly the plane than handle the pistol.
What if they were armed? Anyway, if the doors are to be special locked why would the pilot open the door and step out to shoot the hijacker. Better to keep on flying and not let the hijackers in the cockpit.
What is the pilot supposed to do when the hijackers break through the door--offer them some pretzels? The pilot should indeed remain behind a locked door, but unless the plane is near an airport when hijackers start trying to take it over it is likely the door will be breached before the plane can be landed safely.
A pre-9/11 standard door could be opened in a second with a well-placed kick. The new improved doors are good for probably 30 seconds or so [someone did kick through one but was bashed on the head with a fire axe by an alert pilot].
With a bit of work, the doors could probably be made to resist an attack for at least a minute, but landing a plane will often take more than ten. The increase in weight, bulk, and cost required to make a door resist an attack until the plane has landed would be excessive especially considering that it would mean any terrorist who got into the cockpit (perhaps as a crew member) would have complete and unchecked control of the plane. By contrast, a terrorist armed with a pistol would not be in such a position if passengers outnumbered bullets. To be sure, he'd be in an annoyingly good situtation but the passengers would at least have a chance of stopping him.
I seriously wonder how many are still illegal aliens. I know they caught a few in Utah not too long ago.
Are you sure that wasn't former President Clinton saying that after the bombing? :)
Will you be driving to FRiva Las Vegas next month?
I'll be reluctantly flying.....GRRRRRR!!
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