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Just Quit Flying....

RancheroPaulRancheroPaul Member Posts: 1,459 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 2002 in General Discussion
Dear President Bush, Lawmakers, and Airline Management:

For the past several months, I have seen the inactions of all of you while you have tried to impress me with having our own military soldiers carry automatic weapons in our nation's airports. I guess this was to make me feel safe. How safe did I feel? Well, sort of like a "sitting duck" because I was wondering how many would be killed or injured if one of these weapons were to be fired in a crowded airport. This would be an unacceptable scenario in my opinion.

I have also been searched a total of four times while boarding a flight, even though I was in possession of all of my credentials stating my position in law enforcement. I think it could have been five times hadn't the searcher's attention suddenly went to a matronly old lady who got her finger nail clippers confiscated. I'm sure you thought this would make me feel safe to fly, also. After all, no pointed "weapons" are allowed and these nail clippers certainly qualified.

I know that modified curtain rod placed over the cockpit door is made to make me feel secure even though it appears to be something more for "looks" than functionality.

Many of you and your collegues stammer and sputter wonderful words of encouragement for me to fly "safely" with all the measures you have added to my flying experience. Do you all really believe me to be as stupid as you must think I am? During all of our nation's wars, we always used "Propaganda" to further our cause. It seems you might have the right ideas about using it again, but your expertise at doing so is very flawed. It is not us, the American public that needs to be under your Propaganda attack....it is our enemies. But then again, you might be just using us to attempt to "scare" our enemies with this "show of force," such as the military carrying automatic weapons in the airports.

Your final decision to use our own military aircraft to shoot down a high jacked civilian airliner is not, and cannot, be accepted by me! To allow the flight crew to be armed as the final measure of defense is the ONLY available option, yet you folks refuse to allow such a simple basic defense. What is the problem here? Isn't the possibility of a few innocent deaths acceptable from an errant shot by flight crew personnel? Is it really better to simply "shoot down the whole thing killing all on board?" What kind of philosphy is this? Such thinking seems flawed to me. I cannot and will not risk my life any longer to further your agenda.

Because of all this, I now am taking the position that the "RISK of Flying" is too great for me! Therefore, I will not fly again until I feel safe to do so. It will take an awful lot on your part to impart this feeling in me once again. I encourage all Americans to look at this and to follow me in my reasoning..... It is time to quit using the mistaken approach that it is acceptable to shoot down a passenger liner full of American citizens. It isn't! I will not participate in your misguided program.

A final interesting note here; It seems few, if any of you, stand in line, get searched, get searched again, and again, and again, to board a commercial flight......safely. What's the problem here, don't you believe it either?

If You Can't Buy a Pair, Get a Spare!

Comments

  • HighballHighball Member Posts: 15,755
    edited November -1
    I work in the airline industry...nothing would please me more then all airlines being shut down because of a lack of passengers...not because of fear of flying.....but because honest,couragous AMERICANS REFUSE to be subjected to intrusive meddling,and being totally disarmed on a flight.
    The peelots fear the fedgov more then the ' terrorists'...witness the cowardly bending of the knee to the edict ' pilots may not carry guns '....

    God,Guts,& GunsHave we lost all 3 ??
  • DupontDupont Member Posts: 129
    edited November -1
    God never gave me wings, Hence I don't fly!!!

    Of course I can play the piano, as long as it has pedals!
  • oneshyoneshy Member Posts: 417
    edited November -1
    Don't worry, 150 people aren't going to let 5 hijackers get away with it again, even if they have guns. I would enjoy being on a hijacked flight, just so I could get the chance to kill one with my bare hands.

    Edited by - Oneshy on 06/11/2002 12:27:37
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks guys I fly out tomorrow morning at 6:30. Maybe a ceramic knife, a tupperware pistol?
  • mudgemudge Member Posts: 4,225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well....Mrs. Mudge and I are going to London in July and the thought of being searched doesn't bother us at all. I will not however, allow a male security person to touch Mrs. Mudge. They try that crap and I guarantee you, I'll get arrested.
    If we stop flying, the terrorists have won a battle. They've forced the citizens of the most powerful nation in the world to drastically change their lifestyle. What if the next thing they do is put poison in our food supply? Or in our reservoirs? Are we supposed to stop eating and drinking.
    Let the security people do whatever. To them, it's not personal. It shouldn't be taken personally by the traveller. It's an inconvenience, not an insult.
    Beside, the troops at the airports ain't got no bullets.

    Mudge the traveller

    In case you care....We're going to "Jolly Olde" because there's a big air show at Duxford Airbase. Duxford is the largest aircraft museum in Europe and has a huge WWII aircraft display. They're also going to fly a lot of the WWII planes. I'll post pictures in my album if any of you want to check 'em out. I'll give you the address after I get the pictures posted.

    I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
  • simonbssimonbs Member Posts: 994
    edited November -1
    CIA letter opener

    I'm not afraid of the dark...the dark is afraid of me!
  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Saw some Zytel (fiber-reinforced plastic) knives for $5. They take a reasonable edge, are hard enough to penetrate clothing, and don't set off metal detectors. As paul says, I sure am happy we have all this window dressing at the airports and fighters ready to shoot down airliners . . . makes me feel all warm & comfy inside.
  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    They have taken this dumb thing so far they now have metal detectors
    for foot traffic at the Mexico/USA border. Do they expect someone to try to hijack the country? At least they don't confiscate nail clippers (or even pocket knives).
  • RancheroPaulRancheroPaul Member Posts: 1,459 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I really wish this nonsense was only an "inconvenience" but it's not! It is very serious and it deals with lives! We have seen time and time again, breeches of security by individuals carrying on guns, knives, etc. They even conduct "tests" to see what they can get by with and do get by with it!

    Let me see here. All us law abiding citizens allow ourselves to be stripped of anything with which to defend outselves, allow ourselves to be placed into an environment where there is no one to protect us, (save for an occassional Sky Marshall, sometimes I guess, but I've never actually been able to confirm their presence and know of no one else that has), with the very real possibility of a high jacker being on board with a gun, (already proved in their tests), and we are expected to feel good about the fact if the high jacker takes over, (which he could easily do with his smuggled gun), I am supposed to be consoled by the fact that my own Elected Officials acting in their Governmental capacity, are going to have the U.S. Military shoot the aircraft out from under me and the rest on the flight......!!!

    What's wrong with this picture? Can't the three cockpit personnel have guns to protect me and the rest of the passengers aboard this multi-million dollar aircraft. Three to one wouldn't be good odds for the High Jacker. Much better for me and the others.....much better than one F-16 armed with air to air missiles against the unarmed jumbo passenger craft.

    I am not interested in giving my life for one, two, or even more high jackers so my Government can protect me with an F-16! I'd rather have the chance to kick some @$$ and take some names!

    No Thanks! I shall remain on the ground from this day forth until such time as common sense lets those trained, licensed, and armed folks who are ALREADY very capable of "self defense," including law enforcement officers, private, government, or contract personnel, which are no longer deprived of their capability to defend themselves and others aboard flights they are on. I refuse to be a participant in a Carnival Shooting Gallery, especially when I have to perform the job of being the target whenever the need arises.....without my permission! So Sorry, but if you guys with airlines go broke...you only have yourselves to blame! I don't need your ride anymore!

    If You Can't Buy a Pair, Get a Spare!
  • gunpaqgunpaq Member Posts: 4,607 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Number one rule to a safe flight is don't get in an airplane that you can't jump out of. I hate to fly in big airplanes.

    Pack slow, fall stable, pull high, hit dead center.
  • HighballHighball Member Posts: 15,755
    edited November -1
    " If we stop flying,the terroists have won"...but you see,the terrorists are not searching old ladies and nubile young women at the airports..intelligent people understand this.Bin Laden took not one freedom away from US,us the people....The proper response of the fedgov was to call out the militia..that be me and you,and you,and you...unless you happen to belong to the fedgov.AS called out in the Federal codes.
    There comes a time to just say NO...NO more rules,NO more regulations,NO more laws restricting ONLY citizens.NO more flying,until the fedgov trusts the citizen.

    God,Guts,& GunsHave we lost all 3 ??
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