Brady Campaign Statement on Recent Proposals to Increase Airline Security, Including Arming Pilots

US Newswire ^ | 9/26/2001 | Amy Stilwell

[San Jacinto]

Top Five Reasons of Brady Campaign Not to Arm Pilots:

5. A pilot might actually be mentally unstable and should not be trusted with something so dangerous as a gun.

4. What if the gun snuck out of its holster while the pilot was busy and shot someone?

3. A flight atttendant might see a gun in the pilot's pocket and mistakenly believe he is sexually aroused, resulted in a case of sexual harrassment.

2. Recognizing an old friend, a passenger might say, "HI, Jack!", and be shot on the spot.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON:

1. PILOTS MIGHT HIJACK THEMSELVES TO CUBA!

[San Jacinto]

Dad killed the steers with one blow each from his right hand

Was he holding a balpeen hammer at the time?

[kylaka]

GASP!!!! Guns on an airliner!!!!!! God forbid, somebody might die!!!!

[ccmay]

Well, to turn around one of their favorite sayings: "If it saves just one life it will be worth it!" How about 7000 lives, Sarah?

-ccm

[NovemberCharlie]

...and retaining records of gun purchases, so that weapons can be traced if they are used in a crime or terrorist act. If we can detect terrorists while they are attempting to amass their arsenals, we can help to prevent future attacks...

Anyone else see the logical inconsistency here? Puchase records can only prevent a crime if you take the gun away before they commit it.

[SauronOfMordor]

To make sure no one ever gets on board with a lethal weapon, you would have to amputate all hands and feet.

Without weapons, you might need more hijackers, but 10 people expert in hand-to-hand could still take over a plane.

[choosetheright]

If you actually take the time to read the original post, it does not say the Brady gang opposes arming pilots. It says they have "concerns" about the proposal, that it "should be considered with great care," and that the FBI and FAA are doing the right thing by studying the issue. And the press release seems to support putting armed sky marshalls on planes. Last time I checked, those are exactly the same things that President Bush is saying about these same issues.

There is certainly a lot of anti-gun rhetoric mixed into the press release (about background checks, etc.), but I am surprised that they actually are not taking a reflexively anti-gun position on the pilot issue.

[Hot Tabasco]

but 10 people expert in hand-to-hand could still take over a plane.

This is true! But 20 could do it even easier. With 40 the possibilities are endless........

...and with a whole plane load of em, they would all end up killing themselves arguing about where to go, which target to hit, who is going to drive and anchovies or no anchovies! I'm all for it.....