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Woman arrested attempting to bring boomerangs

Josey1Josey1 Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
edited July 2002 in General Discussion
Woman arrested attempting to bring boomerangs on plane
By Matt Sedensky, Associated Press, 7/1/2002 14:49
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (AP) A world-class competitive boomerang thrower faces a criminal charge after trying to bring boomerangs through a security checkpoint at Bradley International Airport.

Betsylew Ross Miale-Gix, 43, of Brier, Wash., was arrested Sunday after arguing with a security screener at the airport, state police said.

The screener had noticed the boomerangs inside Miale-Gix's carryon luggage at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday and told her the items would have to be checked, state police said.

Miale-Gix became irate, began cursing, and then grabbed her bags from the screener, state police said. She continued to curse and use obscenities as she left the screening area, state police said.

She was arrested on a breach of peace charge, and released after posting a $500 bond.

Miale-Gix is an attorney and a two-time member of the United State's Boomerang Team.

She currently serves as secretary of the U.S. Boomerang Association, and she formerly held the world record for Australian round, a top boomerang event.

Boomerangs are not specifically prohibited by the Transportation Security Administration. But any item deemed to present a threat may be prohibited from an aircraft cabin, according to the administration.

''There are new levels of acceptance after 9-11,'' said State Trooper Roger Beaupre. ''Those policies are in place for those on board.''

Chet Snouffer, president of the U.S. Boomerang Association, said boomerangs typically weigh between 1? to 2? ounces and pose no threat.

''It's too small and lightweight to do any damage,'' Snouffer said. ''It's like throwing a couple of first class letters at somebody.''

Snouffer said he and his teammates travel frequently to competitions all over the world and they always carry their boomerangs on board. He said no one has ever been asked to remove the boomerangs from their carryon luggage.

''When you get a magic boomerang that you've won world championships with, you don't want to risk losing it,'' Snouffer said.

There are hundreds of thousands of recreational boomerang throwers in the U.S., he said.

Snouffer said he might work with airlines to ensure throwers are allowed to carry on board the boomerangs that they say are delicate and valuable.

Australian aborigines used non-returning throwing sticks as hunting weapons, but actual boomerangs have never been used as weapons, Snouffer said.

Messages seeking comment were left Monday for Miale-Gix at her law office.

She is due in Enfield Superior Court on July 16.
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/182/region/Woman_arrested_attempting_to_b:.shtml


"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878

Comments

  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Oh! I thought the woman had a hold of me. Never mind!

    What is next,pictures of weapons?

    These screeners are clueless. They let bombs and guns on, but stop 2.5 ounce boomerangs. Go figure!

    Boomer

    "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."
  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I thought boomerangs were only dangerous in super hero comic books. Hope they haven't seen the movie MYSTERY MEN, or bowling balls will be next.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This zero-tolerance crap is really killing me. The Army started with the zero-tolerance mentality several years ago after all of the senior leadership was nixed during the draw-downs. Everyone with experience was removed. This is a typical ploy by those who wish to make radical changes within government. Nix all senior leaders in all forms of federal government in the name of something like economics and budget balancing so that the young and inexperienced will be blinded by your tactics. As a result, the military was forced to adopt a "zero-defects" mentality. Obviously defects of all sorts exist within the military but the absence of the wise and experienced left the young and less-experienced to deal with the need for absolute efficiency. It was "do or die". Losses were prevented by removing realism from training. Some soldier gets rolled over by a Bradley because the operator of the Bradley hadn't slept in days. Suddenly some General decides that all Bradley operators must have a full 8 hours of sleep before operating that piece of equipment. So much for realism in training. So much for "as we train so shall we fight". This bled into all sorts of other areas. Some soldier gets run over by a car while crossing a dark street on post because he didn't hear the vehicle due to the Walkman he was listening to while going for a jog. Zero Tolerance dictates that no soldier shall ever walk/jog/rollerblade while listening to a walkman. Now no soldier can walk while talking in a cellular telephone. Zero Tolerance extremism at its best. I have yet to be stationed somewhere where handloading is permitted on post. Barracks regulations have always been tight with regards to weapons and ammunition but why shouldn't a married soldier be able to handload in the privacy of his own quarters? This is probably true because, at one point in time, one soldier made a boo boo and hurt himself and/or someone else.

    Now that airport security and screeners have federal badges slapped on their chests (which, allegedly, makes them more effective) they also fall under the bullcrap zero-tolerance mentality that does not allow for common-sense judgement or discretion. I'm sure I can do quite a bit more damage with what is commonly available to me on an airplane than this woman could have done with her stinking boomerangs. Pathetic.
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