Posted on 04/05/2002 12:50:17 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
America's airline pilots are begging President Bush to let them protect themselves and passengers with firearms.
"The appeal to the president, an unprecedented show of solidarity by unions representing 114,000 airline pilots, comes after two top Bush officials said they oppose guns in cockpits," USA Today reported today.
The officials in question are:
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, a holdover from the anti-gun-rights Clinton administration.
Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, who has drawn criticism recently for opposing the arming of most U.S. border guards - for fear that Mexico and Canada might take offense.
A White House spokesman said Thursday that Bush agreed with Ridge. Arming pilots is unnecessary, he said, because of improved security, such as fortified cockpit doors and supposedly better screening.
Union leaders disagreed.
"We're seven months since Sept. 11, and ... all the things they're trying to do — screeners, federal air marshals, bag matching — are not up to speed yet and might never be," said Al Aitken, a leader in Allied Pilots Association.
The five leading pilots unions say that training would address such concerns as accidental discharges and that "lethal force is the only certain way to stop hijackers," the newspaper said.
"We are absolutely intent on establishing a program where the pilots will be armed to defend the American people against acts of terrorism," Aitken said. "We won't stop until we achieve it."
Most Americans are pro-choice on letting pilots arm themselves, according to polls taken since the Sept. 11 hijackings and terrorist attacks.
Someone could get shot! Those guns are dangerous things you know, and we can't just go handing them out to just anybody. How do we know we can trust these pilots with our lives? I mean sure, our lives are in their hands the entire time we're in the air, but Rosie and a whole bunch of smart people told me that perfectly good people turn into homicidal lunatics the moment they get their hands on a gun. Just between you and me, I think guns are possessed by demons!!!
What we need is a sensible method to instill safety in the skies. I propose that in the case of a hijacking, we'll provide for the safety of the passengers and crew by blowing the entire plane out of the sky with an F-16's missile.
Pilot wears picture ID proximity 'smart card' with a big red stripe or something signifying 'danger! gun cerrier!'. Gun itself has matching 'smart card' dangling from trigger guard. Pilot must fill out beaucoup forms at beginning of each flight, logging his ID, the gun's ID, number of rounds at beginning of flight, number of rounds at end of flight, yada yada yada...and God help him if he ever removes it from the holster during a flight (thereby breaking the tamper seal on the holster)...
I have written time and again to my 'representative' and senators. I either get no response at all, or a form letter regaling me with the wonderfulness of his current legislative hobby horse. I never get a reply that has anything to do with the letter I sent.
The only people represented by these morons are the ones who are rich enough to make large personal contributions. For the most part, the party bosses tell them how to vote and what to say. I wish writing mattered, but it's nothing more than a placebo for the masses. They think the government cares what the people think. Well, it doesn't. It's running amok, trampling the Constitution at every opportunity.
Bill Clinton and Al Gore may be out of the White House but their namby pamby social liberal policies remain.
Amazing- we trust these guys with $100+ million planes and several hundred lives, but not a gun. The argument that a hole in the fuselage will make a plane go down is specious BS. How many fighters and fighter-bombers (smaller aircraft) had much bigger holes put in them in the Gulf War and in Afghanistan, and still got home just fine? As usual, the anti-gun zealots are making things up, scaring people for no other reason than to prevent the population from keeping and bearing arms. You see, if the pilots can carry for purposes of personal protection, then the anti-gunners' argument against the rest of us doing the same is considerably weakened. This is the reason why this proposal is being resisted, not out of any concern about safety on aircraft. The pilots should definitely strike if they don't get this the nice way.
In the meantime, I am on strike against the airlines. I urge all of you to do the same, not out of fear, but out of outrage. If the only option in dealing with a terrorist on a plane is to shoot it down, vs. having a pilot with the chance to ventilate the SOB and the F-16s as a back-up, then I ain't traveling that way. Besides, is there much difference for passengers if the plane goes down because of the (non-existent) bullet hole in the fuselage threat vs. being trashed by a Sidewinder? Not for me. At least the pilot with a gun gives passengers a decent chance at survival - the F-16 doesn't.
Me too. I used to fly at least once a year. But NEVER again until they clean up their act.
I'd like to think economic pressures of a boycott will cause the airlines to change their mind, but I know if they get in any serious financial trouble, they'll just take my money by force, through a government tax funded bailout.
GREAT laugh! Clearly, you get it! Good job!
Not gonna fly until they let me carry on more than my bag - LOL!
I'm trained and fully qualified to, but not allowed to, carry on an aircraft!
Best 9mm CCW wishes to all those with the common sense to know that qualified folks carrying is the solution! I would be HAPPY to pay for airline-provided frangible "aircraft-safe" ammo as part of my airline ticket price!
And we don't want to put in this step because we're afraid a gun will be stolen or somebody will get accidentally shot during a hijacking!!??
Please help me out here. What is the address of this Lunatic Asylum we find ourselves living in? I want to send out for a pizza before the world ends.
I'm doing my part. Twice this month I've driven 1000 miles round trip to avoid flying even though I drove at my own expense instead of flying at other's expense. I'll be damned if I'm letting those @sses put their hands on me or rummage through my luggage again.
Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, who has drawn criticism recently for opposing the arming of most U.S. border guards - for fear that Mexico and Canada might take offense.I choked on my coffee when I read this line. How will this offend Mexico and Canada? And if by some irrational chance it does (please explain to me how), who cares?
Best 9mm CCW wishes to all those with the common sense to know that qualified folks carrying is the solution! I would be HAPPY to pay for airline-provided frangible "aircraft-safe" ammo as part of my airline ticket price!You are right, mil-vet. This problem could be solved overnight. But the politically correct bureaucrats don't want a solution. Solutions aren't part of their job description.
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